Developed from the Avro Manchester, the Avro Lancaster was the heavy bomber of World War Two.
The Avro Manchester was a new generation of twin-engined heavy bombers using two powerful Rolls-Royce Vulture engines. These engines proved too unreliable. More Avro Manchesters were lost through engine failure than enemy action! The Avro Manchester was withdrawn from service in 1942, after 200 aircraft had been built.
A new design took to the air in January 1941 using four less powerful but far more reliable Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. The first off the production line made its maiden flight on Halloween in the same year.
Primarily a night bomber, the Avro Lancaster was to be the main bomber of Bomber Command throughout WWII.
Up until the introduction of heavy bombers, the RAF had relied upon the Fairey Battle, Bristol Blenheim, Handley Page Hampden, Vickers Wellesley, Vickers Wellington (exception) and Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, but these proved too slow, too short range, too low a flight ceiling and incapable of carrying heavy payloads. The exception was the Vickers Wellington.
With its distinctive twin-tail fin and four Merlin engines, the Lancaster carried a crew of seven: pilot, navigator, flight engineer, bomb aimer (doubled as front gunner), wireless operator, mid-upper and rear gunners. Irrespective of rank, the pilot was the commanding officer.
The crews were invariably in their early twenties. A crew member as old as twenty-five would be regarded as ancient.
