Avro Manchester 2024-05-19

The Manchester was known for two things, the first was that it was the forerunner of the Avro Lancaster and the second reason was that because of the engines fitted it was notoriously unreliable. The Rolls Royce vulture engines were underdeveloped when placed in production and as a result any aircraft fitted was doomed to fail. The Rolls Royce Vulture used the four cylinder blocks from the Rolls Royce Peregrine arranged in an X layout, a simple idea to produce a high power engine but it needed a lot of development at a time when the main priority was the increased production of the Rolls Royce Merlin. There were several other problems which included lack of stability around the yaw axis, this was rectified by a larger tailplane and larger fin and rudders resulting in the Mk1A. Another problem was the poor reliability of the hydraulics with several aircraft lost due to the feathering controls being faulty. The Manchester had an exceptional airframe, hence the decision to mount four Rolls Royce Merlins to produce the Manchester mk3 or Lancaster. Avro Manchesters were allocated to squadrons, which they served well until the advent of the Lancaster when they continued in service in the bomber squadrons in the training role being an ideal conversion aircraft for the Avro Lancaster. They were finally used in OTU squadrons until struck of charge during 1943, there are no survivors.