The Avro Lancaster

The Avro Lancaster was one of the most important airplanes of WWII. This legendary bomber first saw action in 1942. Powered by 4 Merlin engines, it could deliver a huge payload and was the only aircraft to carry the Tallboy and Grand Slam earthquake bombs as well as the Upkeep ‘bouncing’ bomb on Operation Chastise-the famous Dam Busters raid. At the height of production, over 1.1 million men and women were employed making ‘Lancs’; more service personnel were involved flying and maintaining them than any other British aircraft, ever.

Mainly operational as a Night Bomber over Nazi Germany, the Lancaster was supremely adaptable and they were used on anti-submarine patrols, photo-reconnaissance missions, as aerial refuelling tankers and post-war, transatlantic passenger airliners. Lancasters completed an average of 21 bombing missions before being lost and the average age of their 7 man crews was 22 years.

About the Author

Mike Lepine is a Sunday Times No1 best-selling author. He has written some thirty-five books and has been published throughout the world from America to Finland, and from France to Japan. He has also worked extensively in television in programming as diverse as the arts, consumer rights and comedy. For many years the Editor of the Aviation & Military Video Club , Mike was instrumental with DD Home Entertainment in bringing much rare archival film footage to the public for the very first time.