Bombas de 10,000 kg: El poder del Avro Lancaster
Video from the channel Crónicas de Batalla about Avro Lancaster, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 15:50. Language: Spanish. Video type: Documentary.
What it's about
A Spanish-language documentary covering the history of the Avro Lancaster: the move from two to four engines, its construction, the crew stations, its combat record and its legacy.
Historical context
Since the big British engines weren't ready, the RAF studied the four-engined bomber in 1936. Avro's twin-engined Manchester entered service in November 1940, but it lacked power and its engines were unreliable; 200 were built and it was withdrawn in 1942. Roy Chadwick converted it with four Rolls-Royce Merlins into the Type 683, renamed Lancaster, which first flew on 9 January 1941 at Ringway. Six companies built 7,377 aircraft across 10 factories, including Victory Aircraft in Malton (Canada).
Key facts
It measured about 21 m long with a 31 m wingspan, and had a 33-foot bomb bay. Its first bombing mission was over Essen on 10 March 1942, and a daylight raid over Augsburg on 17 April that year revealed its existence. It took part in Operation Gomorrah over Hamburg, in No. 617 Squadron's attack on the dams with Barnes Wallis's bouncing bomb, and in the attacks that sank the Tirpitz. In early 1945, 33 aircraft were modified for the Grand Slam, of which 41 were dropped. The video puts its activity at 156,000 sorties and 3,249 aircraft lost in action. It was withdrawn from Bomber Command in December 1953, and 17 survive today, two of them airworthy.