Martin W. Bowman - Lancaster: Reaping the Whirlwind

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May 1936

Specification P.13/36 for a twin-engined bomber results in the Vulture-engined Avro Manchester designed by Roy Chadwick and his team.

July 1937

Manchester is ordered into production to specification.

July 1939

Manchester flies for the first time.

September 1939

Manchester III project with four Merlins first mooted.

Mid-1940

Avro is authorised to go ahead with the construction of a Manchester III prototype. The modified wing of increased span and the two extra engines results in a change of name from Manchester to Lancaster.

November 1940

Manchester enters squadron service with 5 Group, Bomber Command.

1941

9 January

First Avro 683 Lancaster (BT308) flies as the Manchester III and is originally fitted with triple fins.

13 May

Second prototype Lancaster (DG595) flies.

31 October

First true production Lancaster I (L7527) fitted with Merlin XX engines of 1,280hp flies.

Lancaster Is continue in production until 1946.

21 December

Lancaster II prototype powered by American Packard-built Merlin engines flies.

1942

Early 1942

Deliveries of the first Lancaster Is to 44 Squadron at Waddington, followed by 97 Squadron at Woodhall Spa, begin.

3/4 March

Four aircraft of 44 Squadron fly the first Lancaster operation of the war with a mine-laying sortie in the Heligoland Bight.

10/11 March

Two aircraft of 44 Squadron make the first Lancaster night operation with a raid on Essen.

10/11 April

Lancasters drop the first 8,000lb bomb on Essen.

17 April

Twelve aircraft of 44 and 97 Squadrons, led by S/L J.D. Nettleton, carry out a low-level daylight attack on the MAN diesel engine plant at Augsburg. Nettleton is awarded the Victoria Cross for his part in the raid.

25/26 June

Last raid is flown operationally by Manchesters, after which the type is withdrawn from operations.

31 July/1 August

One hundred-plus Lancasters take part in a raid for the first time when Dsseldorf is bombed.

18/19 August

Lancasters of 83 Squadron take part in the first operation by the Pathfinder Force, with a raid on Flensburg.

17 October

Over 90 Lancaster Is of 5 Group bomb the Schneider Works at Le Creusot, a trip which involves up to ten hours flying.

Only one aircraft is lost.

1943

11/12 January

Two initial sorties by Mk.IIs against Essen prove abortive as they cannot reach the required operational ceiling, but five nights later the type goes into action successfully against Berlin.

4/5 February

Lancaster IIs are given an Italian target Turin.

Spring

115 Squadron at East Wretham, Norfolk, in 3 Group and formerly flying Wellingtons, becomes first Lancaster II squadron.

March

Eighteen squadrons using Lancaster Is.

16/17 May

Eighteen Lancasters of 617 Squadron carry out a low-level attack on the Ruhr Dams. Eight aircraft are lost.

W/C Gibson is awarded the VC.

23/24 May

Greatest non-1,000 raid of the war with 826 aircraft, including 343 Lancasters, on Dortmund.

20 June

Friedrichshafen bombed by 57 and 97 Squadrons, the Lancasters flying on to North Africa to refuel.

July

One hundred and thirty-two tons of bombs are dropped for every Lancaster lost on operations. This compares with only 56 tons for each Halifax lost and 41 for each Stirling.

15/16 September

Two Lancasters of 617 Squadron drop the first 12,000lb bombs during the disastrous low-level raid on the Dortmund-Ems Canal.

11 November

First Lancaster to reach a civil register when G-AGJI is registered to BOAC to evaluate for airline use, which leads to the development of the Lancastrian, a 912 seat airliner.

1944

15/16 February

More than 500 Lancasters take part in a raid for the first time when Berlin is bombed.

8 June

First deep penetration 12,000lb Tallboy bombs are dropped by 19 Lancasters of 617 Squadron on the tunnel at Saumur.

June

Lancasters fly daylight tactical operations in support of the invasion forces around Caen in the days immediately following D-Day.

September

Last-ever batch of Lancasters (11 Lancaster IIIs) produced at Yeadon in West Yorkshire; the last delivered in October 1945. Most are used for ASR (Air/Sea Rescue) or for GR (General Reconnaissance).

12 November

Eighteen Lancasters of 617 Squadron and 13 of 9 Squadron drop 12,000lb Tallboy bombs to capsize the 45,000-ton battleship Tirpitz in Troms fjord in Norway.

1945

17 January

Prototype Lancastrian (G-AGLF) flies and is delivered from Woodford to BOAC at Croydon on 18 February 1945. BOAC uses Lancastrians on long-range routes until September 1950.

March

No fewer than 56 squadrons of Lancasters operate on first-line duty (745 operational Lancasters and 296 more in OTUs).

14 March