Avro Lancaster

The Avro Lancaster was a four engines heavy bomber operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. Developed from the twin-engined Avro Manchester, the Lancaster replaced the unreliable engines of its predecessor with four Rolls Royce Merlin (Bristol Hercules in the case of the B. Mk II). With 7377 aircraft manufactured, it formed the mainstay of the RAF’s bombing campaign against Germany.

Lancasters were modified to be carry the Upkeep bouncing bomb designed by Barnes Wallis and used by 617 squadron to attack and destroy the Möhne and Edersee dams in Germany. Lancasters also carried the 12,000 lb Tallboy and 22,000 lb Grand Slam bombs.

In addition to the United Kingdom, the Lancaster was operated by numerous Commonwealth and Allied nations squadrons within the RAF. Post war the Lancaster was replaced by the Avro Lincoln, a development of the Lancaster.

Photographs of the numerous variants and operators of the Lancaster can be found in the links below.