LATEST HEAVY BOMBER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 12 August 1942, Page 5

LATEST HEAVY BOMBER

DETAILS OF AVRO LANCASTER RANGE OF 3000 MILES (Rec. 10.40 a.m.) Rugby, Aug. 11. The latest British heavy bombers, Avro Lancasters, with a maximum range of about 3000 miles, can carry heaviest bombs to the furthermost parts of enemy territory. Its maximum bombload is about eight tons. The Lancasters have been used in the Essen, Dusseldorf. Augsburg, Danzig, Flensburg and other raids the flight to Danzig involving a round journey of over 1700 miles, the longest trip yet made by the Bomber Command. The Lancaster is the development of the two-engined Manchester and was built in record time. Its success was assured from the first trial flights, and the staff of the two large factories where the Laqrasters are made are justly proud. The design lends itself to relatively cheap production. The entire aeroplane is built up on component parts manufactured largely as separate self-contained units easily moved and assembled. There is gsed in its production for instance a 6000-ton hydraulic press purchased four years ago from a wallpaper firm. This is now responsible for producing 40,000 components weekly. The Lancaster’s wingspan is 102 feet, length of plane 69 feet 4 inches, and height 20 feet. The bomb load is car. ried inside the fuselage in a compart, ment operated with two large door* operated hydraulically. A special electric circuit ensures that the bombs cannot be released until the bomb doors open. In the case of failure of the hydraulic system the bomb doors can be operated by an emergency air system, as can the undercarriage. The armament Is ten Browning guns of .303 calibre installed in four turrets, one in the nose, one above, one below the middle of the fuselage, and the fourth in the tail. A crew of seven can be carried—8.0. W.