Avro Lancastrian
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| Avro Lancastrian | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Description | ||
| Role | Passenger & mail transport | |
| Crew | 5 | |
| Passengers | 9 | |
| First flight | 1943 | |
| Entered service | ||
| Manufacturer | A. V. Roe | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 76 ft 10 in | 23.4 m |
| Wingspan | 102 ft 0 in | 31.1 m |
| Height | 19 ft 6 in | 5.9 m |
| Wing area | 1,297 ft² | 120.5 m² |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 30,426 lb | 13,800 kg |
| Loaded | 65,000 lb | 29,480 kg |
| Maximum takeoff | lb | kg |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engine | 4 × Rolls-Royce Merlin 24 | |
| Power (each) | 1,250 hp | 930 kW |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | 310 mph @ 5,000 ft | 500 km/h @ 1,520 m |
| Combat range | 4,150 miles | 6,680 km |
| Ferry range | km | miles |
| Service ceiling | 23,000 ft | 7,000 m |
| Rate of climb | 750 ft/min | 230 m/min |
The Avro 691 Lancastrian was a passenger and mail transport aircraft of the 1940s.
Development
In 1943 Avro converted a Lancaster bomber for civil transport duties with Trans-Canada Airlines. This was a success, and further 6 Lancaster Xs were converted with a lengthened streamlined nose and tailcone, and long-range fuel tanks in the place on the Lancaster's bomb-bay. The conversions were carried out by Victory Aircraft of Toronto, Canada. The power-plants were Packard-built Merlin 38 engines, and these Lancastrians were used by TCA on its Montreal–Prestwick route.
In 1945 deliveries commenced of 30 British-built Lancastrians for BOAC. On a demonstration flight on April 23, 1945 G-AGLF flew from England to Auckland, New Zealand in 3 days 14 hours —13,500 miles (21,700 km) at an average 220 mph (354 km/h).
The Lancastrian had rather limited cubic capacity and was most suited for transport of mail and VIP passengers. BOAC used it on England to Australia flights from May 31, 1945. It also served with the RAF, one of their planes named Aries completing the first airborne circumnavigation of the globe, and with QANTAS and Flota Aerea Mercante Argentina.
Lancastrians were used during the Berlin Airlift to transport petrol, 15 aircraft made over 5000 sorties.
Lancastrians were used for tests of various turboprop and jet engines.
One powered with Rolls-Royce Nene turbojets is credited with the first international passenger jet flight from London to Paris on November 23 1946. The flight time was just 41 minutes.
Famous aeroplanes
On August 2, 1947 Lancastrian G-AGWH Star Dust of British South American Airways crashed in the Argentinean Andes after sending a cryptic radio message, what became known as the "Stendec incident". The wreckage was found 50 years later but the radio message remains a puzzle. Stendec was adopted as the name of a UFO magazine.
The probable cause of the crash was a navigation error due to the then unknown effect of fast moving high altitude airstreams. Headwinds meant that dead reckoning of their position was inaccurate and the pilot started the descent while the plane was still over and not past the crest of the mountains.
Military Operators
- United Kingdom.
- Argentina.
See also
| Related content | |
|---|---|
| Related development | Avro Lancaster Avro York |
| Similar aircraft | |
| Designation series | 685 - 688 - 689 - 691 - 693 - 694 - Avro Athena - 696 |
| Related lists | List of aircraft of the RAF |
|
Lists of Aircraft | Aircraft manufacturers | Aircraft engines | Aircraft engine manufacturers
| Airlines | Air forces | Aircraft weapons | Missiles | Timeline of aviation |
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