Avro Manchester

The Avro 679 Manchester was a twin engine heavy bomber.

While not being built in great numbers, it was the forerunner of the famed and vastly more successful four engined Avro Lancaster.

Variants

Manchester L7246 

First prototype originally with twin tail.

Due to lack of directional stability, it had a third fin added.

Became a training airframe in November 1942.

Manchester L7247 

Second prototype first flown 26 May 1940, fitted with armament, became a training airframe in October 1941.

Manchester I 

First production version with 80 ft wing and 28 ft twin tail and additional central fin later added.

Manchester IA 

Main production version with 80 ft wing, twin tail with 33 ft enlarged tailplane.

It also had taller fins and rudders.

Manchester IB 

As Manchester IA but with thin gauge fuselage skin.

Manchester IC 

As Manchester IB but with 2 x 2,520 hp Bristol Centaurus.

Installed in one airframe but never flown.

Manchester II 

As Manchester IB but with 95 ft wing.

Manchester III BT308 

This version was powered by four Merlin engines with increased wingspan, also the three fins and rudders of the Manchester I were retained.

This variant was the first prototype of the later Avro Lancaster.

Specifications

Crew

7

Length

70 ft (21 m)

Wingspan

90 ft 1 in (27.46 m)

Height

19 ft 6 in (5.94 m)

Wing area

1,131 sq ft (105.1 m2)

Airfoil

Root

NACA 23018

Tip

NACA 23012

Empty weight

31,200 lb (14,152 kg)

Max take-off weight

50,000 lb (22,680 kg)

Powerplant

2 × Rolls-Royce Vulture I X-24 liquid cooled piston engine, 1,760 hp (1,310 kW) each

Propellers

3-bladed constant-speed feathering propellers

Performance

Maximum speed

265 mph (426 km/h, 230 kn) at 17,000 ft (5,182 m)

Range

1,200 mi (1,900 km, 1,000 nmi) with maximum bomb load of 10,350 lb (4,695 kg)

Service ceiling

19,200 ft (5,900 m)

Armament

Guns

8 × 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns,

(in Nash & Thompson nose, dorsal and tail turrets)

Bombs

10,350 lb (4,695 kg) bombload.