Radial engined Lancaster?

[corsair67]

Whilst watching a history of the Royal Air Force DVD on Saturday, there appeared to be a radial engined Lancaster featured in a couple of scenes: did such an variant exist, or should I go and have my eyes tested?

[Bruce]

Yep, the Mark II had Bristol Hercules engines, Likewise the equivilent York Mark II

[Bruce]

[corsair67]

Cheers Bruce!

I replayed the section of DVD a couple of times to check that it was a Lancaster too, so thanks for the further info.

Were many of this type built?

[Dave Homewood]

Wikipedia lists 300 Lancaster B.II models built.

From Wiki here's the different variant specs

B I
The original Lancasters were produced with Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engines. Minor details were changed throughout the production series - for example the pitot head design was changed from being on a long mast at the front of the nose to a short fairing mounted on the side of the fuselage under the cockpit. Later production Lancasters had Merlin 22s and later Merlin 24s. No designation change was made to denote this change.

B I Special
Adapted to take first the super-heavy Tallboy and then Grand Slam bombs. Upgraded engines with broad bladed propellers gave more power; the removal of gun turrets reduced weight and gave smoother lines. For the Tallboy, the bomb bay doors were bulged — for the Grand Slam, they were removed completely and the area faired over.


PR 1
B 1 modified for photgraphic reconnaissance, operated by 82 Squadron, RAF.


B II
Bristol Hercules powered variant. 300 produced. These aircraft used Hercules VI or XVI engines. One difference between the two engine versions was the VI had manual mixture, leading to an extra lever on the throttle pedestal to control mixture. These aircraft were almost invariably fitted with an FN.64 under turret and bomb bay bulge.


B III
These aircraft were fitted with Packard built Merlin engines, and produced in parallel to the B.I. The two marks are indistinguishable externally. The minor differences between the two variants were related to the engine installation, and included the installation of slow running cut off switches in the cockpit, due to the SU Carburettors on the Packard Merlin engines.


B III Special
Variant built to take the "Upkeep" (bouncing) bomb for the Dambusting raids. The struts and mechanism to take the cylindrical bomb were fitted below the bomb bay and search lights fitted for the simple height measurement system. The mid upper turret was removed to save weight - the gunner was moved to the front turret to allow the bomb aimer to assist with map reading.


ASR III/ASR 3
B III modified for air-sea rescue, carrying a lifeboat in the bomb-bay.


GR 3/MR 3
B III modified for maritime reconnaissance.


B IV
Increased wingspan and lengthened fuselage. Two-stage Merlin 85s - later renamed Lincoln B 1


B V
Increased wingspan and lengthened fuselage. Two-stage Merlin 85s - later renamed Lincoln B 2


B VI
Nine aircraft converted from B IIIs. Fitted with Merlin 85s which had two stage superchargers, for improved high altitude performance. These aircraft were only used by Pathfinder units, often as "Master Bomber."


B VII
The B VII was the final production version of the Lancaster. Martin 250CE mid-upper turret re-positioned slightly further forward than previous Marks. Frazer-Nash FN.82 tail turret with twin Browning 0.5 in machine guns replacing four-gun 0.303 in FN.20.


B X
The B X was a Canadian-built B III, differing in having Canadian/US made instrumentation and electrics. Also on later batches, the Martin 250CE was substituted for the Frazer Nash FN.50 mid upper turret. The greater weight of this turret necessitated moving the turret forward for "C of G" balance reasons. Canada was a long term user of the Lancaster, utilising modified aircraft in postwar Maritime Patrol, Search and Rescue and Photo Reconnaissance roles until 1963.

[corsair67]

Thanks again guys.

I assume that it wasn't such a great success if only 300 were built then.

[Dave Homewood]

I'm not so sure taht it wasn't a success. I think it was more a case of necessity, and Bristol could provide, but then Packard came to the party. Don't quote me on that but I think that's what happened.

[Peter Lewis]

From memory, there was a scare about the ongoing availability of sufficent Merlins, with every operational aircraft using them.
Solution was to fit aircraft and engines with a common interface. This would give a 'power egg' status, where other engines (eg Bristol radials) could be fitted to aircraft if Merlins were unavailable.
As Dave says, the supply from Packard eventually solved the problem.
Seem to remember that the Germans had quite large numbers of new aircraft at the end of WW2 that could not be flown because the supply of engines had ceased.

[amitch]

flyernzl said:

Seem to remember that the Germans had quite large numbers of new aircraft at the end of WW2 that could not be flown because the supply of engines had ceased.

And no pilots as well.

[Peter Lewis]

Adolf Galland was still there

[flyjoe180]

No fuel also tends to hinder powered flight.