A66 Avro Lancaster
The Lancaster was the most famous and successful Royal Air Force (RAF) heavy bomber of World War II. The prototype first flew on 9 January 1941, and was the forerunner of 7,374 Lancasters. Bomb loads grew from 4,000 lb to the 22, 000 lb 'Grand Slam', and Lancasters dropped two-thirds of the total tonnage of all RAF bombs against Germany. RAAF Nos 460, 463 and 467 Squadrons, based in the UK, used RAF Lancasters, and many other Australians flew with RAF Lancaster squadrons, including the famous No 617 'Dambusters' Squadron.
European war demands restricted the use of the Lancaster to that theatre, but one Lancaster III, ED930, "Q for Queenie", arrived in Australia on 4 June 1943. Flown by Flight Lieutenant P. Isaacson, the bomber toured New Zealand and, with the serial A66-1, was then used for war bond drives and recruiting campaigns. In October 1944, it was allocated to DAP as a pattern aircraft for Australian Lancaster production, but Lincolns were built instead and A66-1 was eventually scrapped in 1948. A second Lancaster, a Mk I, W4783, "G for George" of RAAF No 460 Squadron arrived in Australia on 8 November 1944. Flown by Flight Lieutenant Hudson, it was demonstrated as A66-2 and, in 1950, was transferred to the Australian War Memorial, where it stands today with its original serial number, W4783.
In April 1945, four Lancaster IIIs (PB974, PB992/994) were allocated to the RAAF for research, but this project was cancelled.
Post-war Qantas Lancastrians carried mail and passengers to Japan under RAAF charter. In the 1960s, the Air Force Association preserved a French Naval Lancaster WU-16 at Perth, joining W4783 as a memorial to those Australians who served with Bomber Command during World War II.
TECHNICAL DATA: Avro Lancaster I
DESCRIPTION:
Heavy bomber with 7 crew. All-metal stressed-skin construction.
POWER PLANT:
Four 1460 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 20, 22 or 1640 hp Merlin 24.
DIMENSIONS:
Span 31.09 m (102 ft); length 21.31 m (69 ft 11 in); height 6.25 m (20 ft 6 in).
WEIGHTS:
Empty 16 738 kg (36 900 lb); loaded 30 845 kg (68,000 lb).
PERFORMANCE:
Max speed 452 km/h (244 kt); Cruising speed 347 km/h (188 kt); Range 2735 km (1477 nm); Service ceiling 20,000 ft (6096 m).
ARMAMENT:
Twin 0.303 in machine guns in nose and dorsal turrets, plus four 0.303 in machine guns in tail turret; Bomb load 6350 kg (14,000 lb).
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