The Avro Lancaster was one of the finest bombers of World War II and
became the spearhead of the RAF's strategic bombing campaign over the
Third Reich. Richard Marks draws on extensive research and detailed
technical drawings to explore the evolution of this heavy bomber,
revealing how its design developments transformed an old airframe from a
dangerous liability to one of the most powerful weapons in the RAF
arsenal. The lifespan of the Lancaster began with the troublesome Avro
Manchester design, an aircraft that had promised much but proved
hazardous to crews. The 'Lanc' retained the Manchester's basic airframe,
but was given four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines instead of the two,
underpowered and unreliable powerplants fitted to its predecessor. As
soon as the first prototype flew, it demonstrated excellent performance,
ruggedness and good handling qualities and it was soon at the fore of
all the RAF's bombing campaigns. It captured imagination as the aircraft
that flew in the famous 'Dambuster' attacks, but most importantly, once
available in sufficient numbers, the Lancaster gave Bomber Command the
tool with which it could strike at targets almost anywhere in Germany.
This book tells the story of the iconic Lancaster in full, providing a
comprehensive account of the design, development and operational history
of the aircraft and its evolution into successor aircraft.
