https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Lincoln
The Avro Type 694, better known as the Avro Lincoln, was a British four-engined
heavy bomber, which first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the Avro
Lancaster, the first Lincoln variants were known initially as the Lancaster IV
and V but were renamed Lincoln I and II. It was the last piston-engined bomber
used by the Royal Air Force.
The Lincoln became operational in August 1945. It had been assigned to units of
Tiger Force, a Commonwealth heavy bomber force, intended to take part in the
Second World War Allied operations against the Japanese mainland but the war
ended before the Lincoln was used in combat. The Lincoln was used in action
during the 1950s, by the RAF in the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya and with the RAF
and RAAF during the Malayan Emergency.
The type also saw significant service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
civil aviation use.
In RAF service, the Lincoln was replaced by jet bombers, chiefly the English
the Vickers Valiant, Handley Page Victor and the Avro Vulcan. In Argentine
service it was also replaced by the Canberra.
Role
Heavy bomber
Manufacturer
A V Roe (168), Metropolitan-Vickers (80) and Armstrong Whitworth (281)
First flight
9 June 1944
Introduction
1945
Retired
1967 Argentine Air Force
Primary users
Royal Air Force
Argentine Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
Number built
624
Developed from
Avro Lancaster
Developed into
Avro Shackleton
Avro Tudor
The first RAF Lincolns joined No. 57 Squadron at East Kirby in 1945. No. 75 (New
Zealand) Squadron RAF began re-equipping with Lincolns at RAF Spilsby during
August 1945. However, 75 (NZ) Sqn received just three aircraft before VJ Day.
In the postwar Royal Air Force, the Lincoln equipped many bomber squadrons.
Nearly 600 Lincolns were built to equip 29 RAF squadrons, mainly based in the
United Kingdom. They were partially replaced by 88 Boeing Washingtons, on loan
from the USAF, which had longer range and could reach targets inside the Iron
Curtain. Small numbers remained in use with Nos 7, 83 and 97 Squadrons until the
end of 1955, when they were replaced by the first of the V bombers.
RAF Lincolns were used in combat during the 1950s, in Kenya against the Mau-Mau,
operating from Eastleigh, and also served in Malaya during the Malayan
Emergency, against insurgents aligned to the Malayan Communist Party. In Malaya,
Lincolns operated from Changi and Tengah, More than 3,000 sorties were flown
during their ?7 1/2-year deployment, with half a million pounds of bombs
dropped. This equated to 85% of the bomb tonnage dropped during the Malayan
emergency.
Specifications (Lincoln I)
General characteristics
Crew: 7 (pilot, flight engineer/co-pilot, navigator, wireless operator, front
gunner/bomb aimer, dorsal and rear gunners)
Wingspan: 120 ft (36.58 m)
Empty weight: 43,400 lb (19,686 kg)
Loaded weight: 75,000 lb (34,020 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 82,000 lb (37,195 kg)
Performance
Maximum speed: 319 mph (513 km/h) at 18,800 (5,730 m)
Cruise speed: 215 mph (346 km/h) at 20,000 ft (6,096 m)
Range: 2,930 mi (4,714 km) with maximum bomb-load 1,470 miles (2,365 km)
Service ceiling: 30,500 ft (9,296 m)
Rate of climb: 800 ft/min (245 m/min)
Armament
and dorsal turret with either twin .50 in machine guns or twin 20 mm Hispano
cannon.
Bombs: Up to 14,000 lb (6,400 kg) of bombs (normal maximum). Exceptionally one
22,000 lb (10,000 kg) DP bomb
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