Avro Lincoln gun turret armament.

[corsair67]

After seeing the mid-upper and tail turrets from an ex-RAAF Lincoln at the Queensland Air Museum a couple of weeks ago, I'm curious as to why the mid-upper turret had two 20mm cannons, whilst the rear turret only had two .50cals - does anyone know why the were built with this arrangement?

I thought the tail was the most vunerable spot for attack, so wouldn't it have made more sense to locate the 20mm cannons in the tail turret?

[Dave Homewood]

Was it perhaps a lack of space in the rear turret?

[Bruce]

C of G moment arm - the further back - the weight change gets multiplied by the distance from the Cof G and the difference is huge. Incidently the RAF lincolns generally flew without the 20mms fitted, only installing them when needed - especially important for ops near the East German border (they didnt want to be seen as hostile!)

[corsair67]

Ah, that makes sense now!

I hadn't even thought about potential C of G problems.

[yak2]

Quick way to fix the Cof G .......loose off a few rounds. ;D

[planeimages]

The rear turret guns on A73-64 were fitted when this a/c crashed on a mercy flight at Easter 1955. It was in No.10 Sqn MR Townsville and was never going to shoot anything other than a few illicit fishing boats.

The guns were never recovered by the RAAF. One of that aircraft's turrets is in storage in NSW

[corsair67]

Peter, there is some wreckage from A73-64 at the Flying Warbirds museum in Caboolture.

I will be posting some photos from this museum in the next day or so.

[planeimages]

Hi Craig,

Thanks. I haven't managed to visit that Museum.

PF