Avro Lancastrian
| Lancastrian | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Avro Sapphire Lancastrian testbed demonstrating on its two jets with its Merlins feathered at Coventry Airport in June 1954 | |
| Role | Passenger and mail transport |
| Manufacturer | Avro |
| Designer | Roy Chadwick |
| First flight | 1943 |
| Introduction | 1945 (BOAC) |
| Retired | 1960 |
| Primary users |
BOAC Trans Canada Airlines Alitalia Royal Air Force Rolls-Royce (engine test-beds) |
| Produced | 1943-1945 |
| Number built | 91 (including conversions) |
| Developed from | Avro Lancaster |
The Avro 691 Lancastrian was a Canadian and British passenger and mail transport aircraft of the 1940s and 1950s developed from the Avro Lancaster heavy bomber. The Lancaster was named after Lancaster, Lancashire; a Lancastrian is an inhabitant of Lancashire.
The Lancastrian was basically a modified Lancaster bomber without armour or armament and with the gun turrets replaced by streamlined metal fairings, including a new nose section. The initial batch was converted directly from Lancasters; later batches were new builds.
In 1943, Canada's Victory Aircraft converted a Lancaster X bomber for civil transport duties with Trans-Canada Airlines (TCA). (After the war Victory Aircraft was purchased by what became Avro Canada). This conversion was a success resulting in eight additional Lancaster Xs being converted. The "specials" were powered by Packard-built Merlin 38 engines and featured a lengthened, streamlined nose and tail cone. Range was increased by two 400 gal (1,818 L) Lancaster long-range fuel tanks fitted as standard in the bomb bay. These Lancastrians were used by TCA on its Montreal–Prestwick route.
The modification of abundant military aircraft into desperately needed civil transports was common in the United Kingdom in the immediate postwar period: the Handley Page Halton was a similar conversion of the Halifax heavy bomber.
In 1945, deliveries commenced of 30 British-built Lancastrians for BOAC. On a demonstration flight on 23 April 1945, G-AGLF flew 13,500 mi (21,700 km) from England to Auckland, New Zealand in three days, 14 hours at an average speed of 220 mph (354 km/h).
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Wikipedia