Avro Manchester
Heavy strategic night bomber

Avro Manchester

Avro Manchester
Type: RAF heavy strategic night bomber.
History: Rolls-Royce's decision in 1935 to produce a very powerful engine by fitting two sets of Peregrine cylinder-blocks to one crankcase (the lower pair being inverted, to give an X arrangement) prompted the Air Ministry to issue specification P.13/36 for a twin-engined heavy bomber of unprecedented capability.
Handley Page changed to four Merlins (see Halifax bomber) but Avro produced the Avro Manchester with the Vulture engine.
In most respects it was the best of all the new heavy bombers, but the engine was grossly down on power, and had to be derated further because of extreme unreliability.

Avro Manchester of 207 Sqn, the first unit to receive the new heavy strategic night bomber in November 1940. This aircraft was a Mk IA.

Originally the Avro Manchester had two fins; in the production Mk I a fixed central fin was added, and the bulk of the 209 bombers delivered had two larger fins (no central fin) and were designated Mk IA.
So hopeless was the engine situation that the plans to build Manchesters at Armstrong Whitworth and Fairey were cancelled, and MetropolitanVickers stopped at No 32.
Avro went on until the vastly superior Lancaster could take over, the first batches of Lancasters having Manchester fuselages with a row of small windows along each side.
The Avro Manchesters were removed from front line service in 1942.

Users: Great Britain (RAF).

Avro 679 Manchester Mk IA
Type	heavy strategic night bomber
Power plant	two Rolls-Royce Vulture I 24-cylinder X-form, rated at 1,760 hp (but in fact derated to 1,480-1,500hp)
Accommodation	7
Wing span	90 ft 1 in
Length overall	70 ft 0 in
Height overall	19 ft 6 in
Weight empty	31,200 lb
Weight loaded	56,000 lb (in fact never authorised above 50,000 lb)
Maximum speed	250 mph
Service ceiling	19,500 ft
Range	1,200 miles (with maximum bomb load)
Armament	eight 0.303in Browning in power turrets in nose (2), mid-upper (2) and tail (4)
Armament	internal fuselage bay bomb load up to 10,350 lb
First flight	25 July 1939
Service delivery	November 1940
Final delivery	November 1941
Withdrawal from front line service	June 1942
Total production figure	Total: 209
Operations in WW2	1,269 (983 as bomber)
Losses	76 (16.7 ops per loss)
Bomb tonnage on targets	1,826 (1.86 tons per bomber op)

3d model Avro Manchester

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