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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.
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