The Avro Type 694 Lincoln is a British four-engined
heavy bomber
Heavy bombers are bomber aircraft capable of delivering the largest payload of air-to-ground weaponry (usually bombs) and longest range (takeoff to landing) of their era. Archetypal heavy bombers have therefore usually been among the larges ...
, which
first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the
Avro Lancaster, the first Lincoln variants were initially known as the Lancaster IV and V; these were renamed Lincoln I and II. It was the last
piston-engined bomber operated by the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
(RAF).
The Lincoln attained operational status in August 1945. It had been initially assigned to units of the
Tiger Force
Tiger Force was the name of a long-range reconnaissance patrol unit of the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 327th Infantry, 1st Brigade (Separate), 101st Airborne Division, which fought in the Vietnam War from November 1965 to November 1967. The unit ...
, a
Commonwealth heavy bomber force which had been intended to play a role in the
Japan campaign
The Japan campaign was a series of battles and engagements in and around the Japanese home islands, between Allied forces and the forces of Imperial Japan during the last stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II. The Japan campaign last ...
in the closing stages of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, but the war ended before the Lincoln could participate. Production of the type proceeded and the type was adopted in quantity, complementing and progressively replacing the Lancaster in RAF service during the late 1940s.
The Lincoln was deployed on operations during the 1950s. RAF squadrons equipped with the type fought against
guerrilla fighters during the
Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya; the RAF and the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
(RAAF) also operated the Lincoln during the
Malayan Emergency. The type also saw significant peacetime service with the RAF, RAAF and the
Argentine Air Force
"Argentine Wings"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 August (anniversary) 1 May (Baptism of fire during the Falklands War)
, equipment = 139 aircraft
, equipment_label =
, battles =
* Operation Independence
* Operation Soberanía
* Falkl ...
. Lincolns were also operated in civil aviation, including use as aerial test beds for aero-engine research.
In RAF service, the Lincoln was replaced by a new generation of bombers harnessing newly developed
jet propulsion
Jet propulsion is the propulsion of an object in one direction, produced by ejecting a jet of fluid in the opposite direction. By Newton's third law, the moving body is propelled in the opposite direction to the jet. Reaction engines operatin ...
. Chief amongst these was the
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber. It was developed by English Electric during the mid- to late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havil ...
, which was also adopted by a wide range of operators across the world, including the RAAF and Argentine Air Force. During the 1950s, the RAF also adopted a total of three advanced jet-powered
strategic bombers to carry Britain's new
nuclear deterrent
Nuclear strategy involves the development of doctrines and strategies for the production and use of nuclear weapons.
As a sub-branch of military strategy, nuclear strategy attempts to match nuclear weapons as means to political ends. In addit ...
– collectively known as the
V Force
V Force was a reconnaissance, intelligence-gathering and guerrilla organisation established by the British against Japanese forces during the Burma Campaign in World War II.
Establishment and organisation
In April 1942, when the Japanese drove t ...
– the
Vickers Valiant,
Handley Page Victor
The Handley Page Victor is a British jet-powered strategic bomber developed and produced by Handley Page during the Cold War. It was the third and final '' V bomber'' to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF), the other two being the Avr ...
and the
Avro Vulcan
The Avro Vulcan (later Hawker Siddeley Vulcan from July 1963) is a jet-powered, tailless, delta-wing, high-altitude, strategic bomber, which was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A.V. Roe an ...
. In 1967, the last Lincoln bombers in Argentinian service were retired.
Design and development
Origins
The Avro Lincoln originated from a design produced by
Roy Chadwick
Roy Chadwick, CBE, FRSA, FRAeS (30 April 1893 – 23 August 1947) was an aircraft design engineer for the Avro Company.
Born at Marsh Hall Farm, Farnworth, Widnes, the son of the mechanical engineer Charles Chadwick, he was the chief designer ...
as a development of the earlier Lancaster bomber which had been produced with the purpose of conforming with the requirements of the Specification B.14/43.
[Mantelli, Brown, Kittel and Graf 2017, pp. 58–59.] Known initially as the ''Lancaster IV'' and ''Lancaster V'', the envisioned aircraft, while bearing considerable similarity to the Lancaster, featured numerous improvements, such as the adoption of stronger, longer span, higher
aspect ratio (10.30 compared with 8.02) wings along with two-stage
supercharged Rolls-Royce Merlin
The Rolls-Royce Merlin is a British liquid-cooled V-12 piston aero engine of 27-litres (1,650 cu in) capacity. Rolls-Royce designed the engine and first ran it in 1933 as a private venture. Initially known as the PV-12, it was late ...
85 engines fitted within
Universal Power Plant (UPP) installations.
The new bomber also possessed an enlarged fuselage that accommodated increased fuel and bomb loads and allowed up to 11 tons of various armaments and equipment fittings including the
Grand Slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
bomb to be carried. It had a higher operational ceiling and longer range than its Lancaster predecessor, being capable of a maximum altitude of and a maximum range of .
[Delve 2005, pp. 248–249.]
![Avro 694 Lincoln B](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Avro_694_Lincoln_B.2_RF342_CRFD_15.10.66_edited-3.jpg)
The prototype Lancaster IV, later renamed the ''Lincoln I'', was assembled by Avro's experimental flight department at
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
's
Ringway Airport.
[Mantelli, Brown, Kittel and Graf 2017, p. 59.] According to aviation author Kev Delve, development of the Lincoln had proceeded relatively smoothly.
On 9 June 1944, the prototype conducted its
maiden flight
The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets.
The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...
from Ringway Airport.
[Delve 2005, p. 249.] Testing of the prototype quickly proved it to have favourable flight characteristics.
In February 1945, the first production Lincoln was completed.
The type was mainly produced at Avro's
Woodford, Cheshire and
Chadderton
Chadderton is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England, on the River Irk and Rochdale Canal. It is located in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Oldham, south of Rochdale and north-east of Manchester.
...
Lancashire factories; additional aircraft were also constructed by
Armstrong Whitworth
Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. With headquarters in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth built armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles and a ...
at their Coventry facilities. Separate production lines were also established in Canada and Australia, although, as a consequence of the end of the war, production in Canada was halted after only a single aircraft had been constructed. Production in Australia went ahead: the Lincolns that were manufactured there were operated by the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
(RAAF).
During early 1945, the British Government immediately set about restoring the country to a peacetime stance, which involved the demobilisation of the military and, more specifically, the disbanding of many squadrons of the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
(RAF) as a part of cost-saving measures.
[Delve 2005, p. 248.] A new emphasis was soon placed on 'quality over quantity' during the rationalisation process, seeking to employ fewer but more capable aircraft to perform their envisioned roles; while there was no longer any urgency in bringing new types of aircraft into service, limited procurement of equipment that fell within this ethos did proceed.
In accordance with this aim, the British
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the Secretary of State ...
proceeded to formulate and release
Specification B.14/43, which sought an improved piston-engined
heavy bomber
Heavy bombers are bomber aircraft capable of delivering the largest payload of air-to-ground weaponry (usually bombs) and longest range (takeoff to landing) of their era. Archetypal heavy bombers have therefore usually been among the larges ...
to replace the wartime four-engine bombers, the
Short Stirling
The Short Stirling was a British four-engined heavy bomber of the Second World War. It has the distinction of being the first four-engined bomber to be introduced into service with the Royal Air Force (RAF).
The Stirling was designed during t ...
, the
Handley Page Halifax
The Handley Page Halifax is a British Royal Air Force (RAF) four-engined heavy bomber of the Second World War. It was developed by Handley Page to the same specification as the contemporary twin-engine Avro Manchester.
The Halifax has its or ...
, and the
Avro Lancaster.
Further development
One Lincoln B Mk XV pattern aircraft was completed in Canada by
Victory Aircraft
Victory Aircraft Limited was a Canadian manufacturing company that, during the Second World War, built mainly British-designed aircraft under licence. It acted as a shadow factory, safe from the reach of German bombers.
Initially the major wa ...
; a follow-up order for a total of six RCAF variants was cancelled shortly following the end of hostilities. Along with two additional Lincoln (Mk I and Mk II) aircraft on loan from the RAF, the type was briefly evaluated postwar by the RCAF. The Lancaster V/Lincoln II differed mainly in that it was fitted with Merlin 68A engines.
Prior to the Lincoln being developed, the Australian government had already formulated plans for its
Department of Aircraft Production
Government Aircraft Factories (GAF) was the name of an aircraft manufacturer owned by the Government of Australia. The primary factory was located at Fishermans Bend, a suburb of Melbourne in Victoria. It had its origins in the lead-up to World ...
(DAP), later known as the Government Aircraft Factory (GAF), to construct the earlier Lancaster Mk III. In its place, it was decided to proceed with manufacturing a variant of the Lincoln I to replace the
Consolidated Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models de ...
s, which was re-designated the Lincoln Mk 30. This model was manufactured between 1946 and 1949; it has the distinction of being the largest aircraft ever constructed in Australia.
[Jackson 1990, p. 412.] Orders for a total of 85 Mk 30 Lincolns were placed by the RAAF, although only 73 were ever produced.
[Mantelli, Brown, Kittel and Graf 2017, pp. 60–61.]
![AvroLincolnA73-20](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/AvroLincolnA73-20.jpg)
The first five Australian examples (''A73–1'' to ''A73–5''), were assembled at
Fishermans Bend
Fishermans Bend (formerly Fishermen's Bend) is a precinct within the City of Port Phillip and the City of Melbourne. It is located on the south of the Yarra River in the suburb of Port Melbourne and opposite Coode Island, close to the Melbourne ...
using a large proportion of imported British-made components. On 17 March 1946, ''A73-1'' conducted its début flight; the first entirely Australian-built Lincoln, ''A73-6'', was formally delivered in November 1946. The Mk 30 initially featured four Merlin 85 engines, this arrangement was later changed to a combination of two outboard Merlin 66s and two inboard Merlin 85s. A further improved later version, designated Lincoln Mk 30A, featured a total of four Merlin 102s.
During the 1950s, the RAAF heavily modified some of their Mk 30 aircraft to perform
anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare (ASW, or in older form A/S) is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations are t ...
(ASW) missions, re-designating them ''Lincoln GR.Mk 31''. These examples had a longer nose to house
acoustic submarine
A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...
detection gear and its operators, larger fuel tanks to provide the aircraft with a 13-hour flight
endurance
Endurance (also related to sufferance, resilience, constitution, fortitude, and hardiness) is the ability of an organism to exert itself and remain active for a long period of time, as well as its ability to resist, withstand, recover from a ...
and a modified bomb bay to accommodate
torpedo
A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, su ...
es.
[Mantelli, Brown, Kittel and Graf 2017, p. 61.] According to pilot feedback, the Lincoln Mk 31 was particularly difficult to land at night, as the bomber had a tailwheel undercarriage and the long nose obstructed the pilot's view of the runway. In 1952, 18 aircraft were rebuilt to this standard, and were reallocated new serial numbers accordingly.
Ten were subsequently upgraded to the MR.Mk 31 standard, which included the adoption of an updated radar.
[''World Aircraft Information Files'', 1997.]
Further aircraft were also derived from the Lincoln. A dedicated
maritime patrol aircraft
A maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), also known as a patrol aircraft, maritime reconnaissance aircraft, or by the older American term patrol bomber, is a fixed-wing aircraft designed to operate for long durations over water in maritime patrol roles ...
, designated the
Avro Shackleton
The Avro Shackleton is a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) which was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the South African Air Force (SAAF). It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber, which itself had been a develo ...
, was developed for the RAF and the
South African Air Force
"Through hardships to the stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment ...
(SAAF). Additionally, Avro decided to develop a commercial airliner, known as the
Tudor, which harnessed elements of the Lincoln, such as its wings, in combination with various new elements, such as the adoption of a
pressurised fuselage, to perform passenger operations.
Operational history
Royal Air Force
![Avro Lincoln of 1 SQN RAAF at RAF Tengah in 1950](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Avro_Lincoln_of_1_SQN_RAAF_at_RAF_Tengah_in_1950.jpg)
During 1945, the RAF received its first Lincoln, which was delivered to
No. 57 Squadron based at
RAF East Kirkby,
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...
. In August 1945,
No. 75 (New Zealand) Squadron began to re-equip with the Lincoln at
RAF Spilsby, Lincolnshire. However, No. 75 (NZ) Sqn had received just three aircraft prior to
VJ Day
Victory over Japan Day (also known as V-J Day, Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day) is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end. The term has been applied to both of the days on ...
, and was disbanded quickly thereafter.
During the postwar climate, the Lincoln quickly equipped the bomber squadrons of the RAF. Nearly 600 Lincolns were constructed to equip a total of 29 RAF squadrons, the majority of which were based in the United Kingdom. They were supplemented and partially replaced by 88
Boeing Washingtons, on loan from the
USAF
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...
, which had longer range and could reach targets inside the
Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain was the political boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991. The term symbolizes the efforts by the Soviet Union (USSR) to block itself and its s ...
.
[Mantelli, Brown, Kittel and Graf 2017, pp. 59–60.] Small numbers remained in use with Nos 7, 83 and 97 Squadrons until the end of 1955, at which point the type was phased out, having been replaced by the first of the
V bombers.
During the 1950s, RAF Lincolns participated in operations in
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
, ...
against
Mau-Mau
The Mau Mau rebellion (1952–1960), also known as the Mau Mau uprising, Mau Mau revolt or Kenya Emergency, was a war in the British Kenya Colony (1920–1963) between the Kenya Land and Freedom Army (KLFA), also known as the ''Mau Mau'', an ...
insurgents. During this action, they were operated from
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a town in Hampshire, England, between Southampton and Winchester. It is the largest town and the administrative seat of the Borough of Eastleigh, with a population of 24,011 at the 2011 census.
The town lies on the River Itchen, o ...
. The Lincoln was also deployed to
Malaya during the
Malayan Emergency, where it was used against insurgents aligned to the
Malayan Communist Party
The Malayan Communist Party (MCP), officially the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), was a Marxist–Leninist and anti-imperialist communist party which was active in British Malaya and later, the modern states of Malaysia and Singapore from ...
. In Malayan theatre, RAF Lincolns were operated from
Changi Air Base
The Changi Air Base is an airfield military airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) located at Changi, in the eastern tip of Singapore. Sited at two locations to the Changi Air Base (East), east and Changi Air Base (West), west ...
and
Tengah Air Base
The Tengah Air Base is a military airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) located in the Western Water Catchment, in the western part of Singapore.
The air base is the most important airfield of the RSAF as it houses the majo ...
. In excess of 3,000 sorties were flown during their -year deployment, during which half a million pounds of bombs dropped, 85 per cent of the total bomb tonnage dropped during the Malayan emergency.
![RAAFAvroLincolnMalaya1950](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/RAAFAvroLincolnMalaya1950.jpg)
On 12 March 1953, an RAF Lincoln (''RF531'' "C") of
Central Gunnery School
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
was shot down 20 mi (32 km) NE of
Lüneburg
Lüneburg (officially the ''Hanseatic City of Lüneburg'', German: ''Hansestadt Lüneburg'', , Low German ''Lümborg'', Latin ''Luneburgum'' or ''Lunaburgum'', Old High German ''Luneburc'', Old Saxon ''Hliuni'', Polabian ''Glain''), also calle ...
, Germany by several
Soviet
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
MiG-15s as it flew to
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
on a radar reconnaissance flight,
killing the seven crew members.
In November 1955, four Lincolns of
No. 7 Squadron RAF
No. 7 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook HC6 from RAF Odiham, Hampshire.
History
Formation and early years
No. 7 Squadron was formed at Farnborough Airfield on 1 May 1914 as the last squadron of the Royal Flying Corp ...
were detached for duties in British territories in the Middle East. In
Bahrain
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
, they carried out border patrols of the then
Trucial States
The Trucial States ( '), also known as the Trucial Coast ( '), the Trucial Sheikhdoms ( '), Trucial Arabia or Trucial Oman, was the name the British government gave to a group of tribal confederations in southeastern Arabia whose leaders had s ...
. When 7 Sqn was disbanded in December 1955, the four detached crews and aircraft became
No. 1426 Flight RAF, officially a photographic reconnaissance unit. It was later sent to
Aden
Aden ( ar, عدن ' Yemeni: ) is a city, and since 2015, the temporary capital of Yemen, near the eastern approach to the Red Sea (the Gulf of Aden), some east of the strait Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000 people. ...
, carrying out patrols in the lead-up to the
Aden Emergency
The Aden Emergency, also known as the Radfan Uprising (), was an armed rebellion by NLF and FLOSY during the Cold War against the Federation of South Arabia, a protectorate of the United Kingdom, which now forms part of Yemen.
Partly inspire ...
.
As the RAF Lincolns became unserviceable, primarily due to progressive wear and tear, they were replaced by a variety of jet-powered aircraft. The Lincolns of Bomber Command were phased out from the mid-1950s and had been completely replaced by jet bombers by 1963. The last Lincolns in RAF service were five operated by No. 151 Squadron, Signals Command, at
RAF Watton
Royal Air Force Watton or more simply RAF Watton is a former Royal Air Force station located southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England.
Opened in 1937 it was used by both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) d ...
,
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
, which were retired on 12 March 1963.
Royal Australian Air Force
From late 1946, Australian-built Lincolns were phased into
No. 82 Wing, based at
RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military airbase located southwest of Ipswich, Queensland in Australia and southwest of Brisbane CBD. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron (operating the F/A-18F Super Hornet), N ...
,
Ipswich, Queensland
Ipswich () is a city in South East Queensland, Australia. Situated on the Bremer River, it is approximately west of the Brisbane central business district. The city is renowned for its architectural, natural and cultural heritage. Ipswich pre ...
. The type quickly replaced the Liberator bombers that had been operated by
12,
21 and
23 Squadrons. In February 1948, these units were renumbered
1,
2 and
6 Squadrons respectively; a fourth RAAF Lincoln squadron,
No. 10 was formed on 17 March 1949 at
RAAF Townsville
RAAF Base Townsville (formerly RAAF Base Garbutt) is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) air base located in , west of Townsville in Queensland, Australia. It is the headquarters for No. 1 Wing Australian Air Force Cadets and, along with L ...
as a reconnaissance unit.
During the 1950s, RAAF Lincolns participated in combat operations in Malaya, operating alongside RAF examples. The RAAF based the B.Mk 30s of No.1 Squadron at Tengah, for the duration of operations in Malaya.
These Lincolns served with 10 Squadron RAAF at
RAAF Base Townsville
RAAF Base Townsville (formerly RAAF Base Garbutt) is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) air base located in , west of Townsville in Queensland, Australia. It is the headquarters for No. 1 Wing Australian Air Force Cadets and, along with L ...
,
Garbutt, Queensland
Garbutt is a suburb of Townsville in the City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It is home to the Townsville International Airport and RAAF Townsville. Geography
Only the eastern part of the suburb is residential. The southern part of the s ...
; the discovery of
corrosion
Corrosion is a natural process that converts a refined metal into a more chemically stable oxide. It is the gradual deterioration of materials (usually a metal) by chemical or electrochemical reaction with their environment. Corrosion engine ...
in the wing spars led to the type's premature retirement in 1961. The Lincoln MR.Mk 31 was the final variant to see service in Australia.
Argentine Air Force
![AvroLinconB2VI](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/AvroLinconB2VI.jpg)
From 1947, the Lincoln bomber served with the ''Fuerza Aerea Argentina''; Argentina had procured a total of 30 aircraft, together with a batch of 15 secondhand Lancasters.
The adoption of the Lincoln effectively gave Argentina the most powerful bombing force in South America.
[Marino et al. 2002, p. 37.] Eighteen of these Lincolns were newly built, along with twelve ex-RAF aircraft. In 1947, the type entered service with ''I Grupo de Bombardeo'' of ''V Brigada Aérea''. By the beginning of 1965, eleven of these remained in operational use, the majority of these were retired during the next year. In 1967, the final examples of the Lincoln were retired.
[Marino et al. 2002, p. 41.][Mantelli, Brown, Kittel and Graf 2017, p. 60.]
The Argentine aircraft were used in bombing missions against domestic rebels. Lincolns were deployed during an attempted military
coup conducted in September 1951, the type was also used by both the government and rebel forces during the 1955 ''
Revolución Libertadora
''Revolución Libertadora'' (; ''Liberating Revolution'') was the coup d'état that ended the second presidential term of Juan Perón in Argentina, on 16 September 1955.
Background
President Perón was first elected in 1946. In 1949, a ...
'' coup which resulted in Argentinian President
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón (, , ; 8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974) was an Argentine Army general and politician. After serving in several government positions, including Minister of Labour and Vice President of a military dictatorship, he was elected P ...
being deposed.
[Marino et al. 2002, pp. 40–41.]
Argentine Lincolns were also used to conduct supply
airdrop
An airdrop is a type of airlift in which items including weapons, equipment, humanitarian aid or leaflets are delivered by military or civilian aircraft without their landing. Developed during World War II to resupply otherwise inaccessible tro ...
s in support of Argentine operations in the
Antarctic
The Antarctic ( or , American English also or ; commonly ) is a polar region around Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau and other ...
region.
[Marino et al. 2002, p. 39.] In 1948, one of the bombers was returned to Avro for modification at
RAF Langar
Royal Air Force Station Langar or more simply RAF Langar is a former Royal Air Force station located near the village of Langar, Nottinghamshire, England. The airfield is located approximately east-southeast of Radcliffe on Trent and about nor ...
in
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditi ...
to allow it to operate these Antarctic support flights; the changes included the addition of
Lancastrian nose and tail cones, additional fuel tanks, and removal of armament; this led to the aircraft becoming the first Avro Lincolnian.
[Jackson 1990, p. 409.] Modified as such, the aircraft received a civilian registration and was named ''Cruz del Sur''; it undertook its first aerial supply flight to the Antarctic
San Martín Base ("Willing men, fight and win since 1951")
, anthem =
, pushpin_map = Antarctica
, pushpin_map_alt = Location within Antarctica
, pushpin_map_caption = Location within Antarctica
, pushpin_mapsize ...
in December 1951.
["A 61-year Operation Link, the first FAA flight over Antarctica."](_blank)
''aeroespacio'', Retrieved: 29 December 2012.
Use in aero-engine research
![Rolls-Royce Tyne Avro Lincoln Farnborough 1956](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Rolls-Royce_Tyne_Avro_Lincoln_Farnborough_1956.jpg)
Lincolns were frequently employed as
testbed
A testbed (also spelled test bed) is a platform for conducting rigorous, transparent, and replicable testing of scientific theories, computational tools, and new technologies.
The term is used across many disciplines to describe experimental rese ...
s in new
jet engine
A jet engine is a type of reaction engine discharging a fast-moving jet of heated gas (usually air) that generates thrust by jet propulsion. While this broad definition can include rocket, Pump-jet, water jet, and hybrid propulsion, the term ...
development. ''
RF403'', ''RE339/G'' and ''SX972'' flew with a pair of
Armstrong Siddeley Python turboprop
A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel ...
s outboard in place of the Merlins, and was used for the ballistic casing drop-test programme for the
Blue Danube atomic weapon. ''SX972'' was further modified to fly with a pair of
Bristol Proteus
The Bristol Proteus was the Bristol Engine Company's first mass-produced gas turbine engine design, a turboprop that delivered just over 4,000 hp (3,000 kW). The Proteus was a reverse-flow gas turbine. Because the second turbine drov ...
turboprops. ''RA716/G'' had a similarly placed pair of
Bristol Theseus
The Theseus was the Bristol Aeroplane Company's first attempt at a gas-turbine engine design. A turboprop delivering just over 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) was chosen rather than compete with companies that were already developing turbojets. ...
turboprops and later also flew with
Rolls-Royce Avon
The Rolls-Royce Avon was the first axial flow jet engine designed and produced by Rolls-Royce. Introduced in 1950, the engine went on to become one of their most successful post-World War II engine designs. It was used in a wide variety of ...
turbojet
The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, and ...
s replacing the pair of turboprops. Lincoln Test Bed ''RF530'' kept its Merlins but had a
Napier Naiad
The Napier Naiad is a British turboprop gas-turbine engine designed and built by D. Napier & Son in the late 1940s. It was the company's first gas turbine engine. A twin version known as the Coupled Naiad was developed but both engine projec ...
turboprop in the nose. It later flew, bearing the civilian
"Class B" test registration ''G-37-1'', with a similarly placed
Rolls-Royce Tyne
The Rolls-Royce RB.109 Tyne is a twin-shaft turboprop engine developed in the mid to late 1950s by Rolls-Royce Limited to a requirement for the Vickers Vanguard airliner. It was first test flown during 1956 in the nose of a modified Avro Linc ...
which it displayed at the 1956
Society of British Aircraft Constructors
A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Socie ...
(SBAC) show, making a low level flypast on just the nose Tyne, the four Merlins being shut down and propellers feathered.''SX973'' had a
Napier Nomad
The Napier Nomad is a British diesel aircraft engine designed and built by Napier & Son in 1949. They combined a piston engine with a turbine to recover energy from the exhaust and thereby improve fuel economy. Two versions were tested, the c ...
diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
turbo-compound
A turbo-compound engine is a reciprocating engine that employs a turbine to recover energy from the exhaust gases. Instead of using that energy to drive a turbocharger as found in many high-power aircraft engines, the energy is instead sent to ...
installed in a similar nose-mounted installation. ''RA643'' flew with a
Bristol Phoebus
The Bristol Phoebus was an early turbojet engine developed by Bristol Engines. It was based on the gas generator core of the Bristol Proteus. The Phoebus was used for development but only a handful were made. As with other Bristol engines, it too ...
turbojet in the bomb bay, and ''SX971'' had an afterburning
Rolls-Royce Derwent
The Rolls-Royce RB.37 Derwent is a 1940s British centrifugal compressor turbojet engine, the second Rolls-Royce jet engine to enter production. It was an improved version of the Rolls-Royce Welland, which itself was a renamed version of Fran ...
mounted ventrally.
Commercial service
A pair of Lincoln IIs were operated by
D. Napier & Son Ltd. for icing research from 1948 to 1962. A transport conversion of the Lincoln II, using the streamlined nose and tail cones of the Lancastrian and a ventral cargo pannier, was known as the Avro 695 Lincolnian.
One Lincoln Freighter Mk.2 G-ALPF, former RAF RE290, converted by Airflight Ltd. was used on the
Berlin Air Lift
The Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 – 12 May 1949) was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. During the multinational occupation of post–World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, roa ...
by Surrey Flying Services Ltd.
Four Lincolnian conversions by Field Aircraft Services for use as meat haulers in
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
were not delivered and subsequently scrapped.
Variants
;Avro Type 694
:Prototypes to Air Ministry Specification 14/43, three-built
;Lincoln I
:Long-range bomber version for the RAF. Powered by four 1,750 hp (1,305 kW) Rolls-Royce Merlin 85 inline piston engines.
[Mantelli, Brown, Kittel and Graf 2017, p. 63.]
;Lincoln II
:Long-range bomber version for the RAF. Powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin 66, 68A and 300 inline piston engines. Built by Avro, Armstrong-Whitworth and Vickers-Metropolitan.
[Mantelli, Brown, Kittel and Graf 2017, pp. 63–64.]
;Lincoln III
:The Lincoln III was intended to be a maritime reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare aircraft. The aircraft later became the
Avro Shackleton
The Avro Shackleton is a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) which was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the South African Air Force (SAAF). It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber, which itself had been a develo ...
.
[Mantelli, Brown, Kittel and Graf 2017, p. 64.]
;Lincoln IV
:Lincoln II converted to Merlin 85 power.
;Lincoln U.5
:Lincoln II converted to drone aircraft, only two aircraft modified.
;Lincoln Mk 15 (B Mk XV)
:This designation was given to one aircraft, built by
Victory Aircraft
Victory Aircraft Limited was a Canadian manufacturing company that, during the Second World War, built mainly British-designed aircraft under licence. It acted as a shadow factory, safe from the reach of German bombers.
Initially the major wa ...
in Canada.
[Mantelli, Brown, Kittel and Graf 2017, p. 65.]
;Lincoln Mk 30
:Long-range bomber version for the RAAF.
;Lincoln Mk 30A
:Long-range bomber version for the RAAF, fitted with a longer nose and Australian manufactured Merlin 102s.
;Lincoln Mk 31 (GR 31)
:General reconnaissance version of Mk.30 for the RAAF, fitted with a longer nose.
[Wilson 1994, p. 216.] Four Rolls-Royce Merlin 85 or 1,650 h.p. Merlin 102 powerplants.
;Lincoln MR 31
:Anti-submarine warfare/maritime reconnaissance version of Mk 31 for the RAAF.
;Avro 695 Lincolnian
:Transport derivative similar to the
Avro Lancastrian
The Avro 691 Lancastrian was a Canadian and British passenger and mail transport aircraft of the 1940s and 1950s developed from the Avro Lancaster heavy bomber. The Lancaster was named after Lancaster, Lancashire; a Lancastrian is an inhabit ...
;Lincoln ASR.3.
:Initial designation of the
Avro Shackleton
The Avro Shackleton is a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) which was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the South African Air Force (SAAF). It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber, which itself had been a develo ...
, which was based on the Lincoln.
Operators
![2 Sqn and 6 Sqn RAAF Avro Lincolns in 1953](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/2_Sqn_and_6_Sqn_RAAF_Avro_Lincolns_in_1953.jpg)
;
*
Argentine Air Force
"Argentine Wings"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 August (anniversary) 1 May (Baptism of fire during the Falklands War)
, equipment = 139 aircraft
, equipment_label =
, battles =
* Operation Independence
* Operation Soberanía
* Falkl ...
** I Grupo de Bombardeo of V Brigada Aerea.
** Fuerza Aerea de Tareas Antarticas (FATA)
;
*
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
– 54 Avro Lincolns were in service with the RAAF from 1946 to 1961.
**
No. 1 Squadron RAAF
**
No. 2 Squadron RAAF
No. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadron that operates from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales. From its formation in 1916 as part of the Australian Flying Corps, it has flown a variety of aircraft types ...
**
No. 6 Squadron RAAF
No. 6 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) training and bomber squadron. It was formed in 1917 and served as a training unit based in England during World War I. The squadron was disbanded in 1919 but re-formed at the start of ...
**
No. 10 Squadron RAAF
**
No. 12 Squadron RAAF (redesignated No. 1 Squadron in 1948)
**
Heavy Bomber Crew Conversion Unit RAAF
**
Lincoln Conversion Flight RAAF
;
*
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
** Three Avro Lincolns were in service with the RCAF from 1946 to 1948.
;
*
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
**
No. 7 Squadron RAF
No. 7 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook HC6 from RAF Odiham, Hampshire.
History
Formation and early years
No. 7 Squadron was formed at Farnborough Airfield on 1 May 1914 as the last squadron of the Royal Flying Corp ...
1949–55 at
RAF Upwood
Royal Air Force Upwood or more simply RAF Upwood is a former Royal Air Force station adjacent to the village of Upwood, Cambridgeshire, England, in the United Kingdom.
It was a non-flying station which was under the control of the United Sta ...
.
[Delve 2005, p. 251.]
**
No. 9 Squadron RAF
Number 9 Squadron (otherwise known as No. IX (Bomber) Squadron or No. IX (B) Squadron) is the oldest dedicated Bomber Squadron of the Royal Air Force. Formed in December 1914, it saw service throughout the First World War, including at the Somm ...
1946–52 at
RAF Binbrook
Royal Air Force Binbrook or RAF Binbrook was a Royal Air Force station, now closed, located near Binbrook, Lincolnshire, England. The old domestic site (married quarters) has been renamed to become the village of Brookenby. RAF Binbrook was pri ...
, converted to the
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber. It was developed by English Electric during the mid- to late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havil ...
.
**
No. 12 Squadron RAF
Number 12 Squadron, also known as No. 12 (Bomber) Squadron and occasionally as No. XII Squadron, is a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The squadron reformed in July 2018 as a joint RAF/Qatar Emiri Air Force squadron. It is currently ...
1946–52 at
RAF Binbrook
Royal Air Force Binbrook or RAF Binbrook was a Royal Air Force station, now closed, located near Binbrook, Lincolnshire, England. The old domestic site (married quarters) has been renamed to become the village of Brookenby. RAF Binbrook was pri ...
and
RAF Hemswell
Royal Air Force Hemswell or more simply RAF Hemswell is a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station located east of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England.
Located close to the village of Hemswell in Lincolnshire, England the disestablished airfield i ...
, converted to the
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber. It was developed by English Electric during the mid- to late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havil ...
.
**
No. 15 Squadron RAF
Number 15 Squadron, sometimes written as No. XV Squadron, was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It most recently operated the Panavia Tornado, Panavia Tornado GR4 from RAF Lossiemouth as No. XV (Reserve) Squadron. It was the RAF's Operational ...
1947–50 at
RAF Wyton
Royal Air Force Wyton or more simply RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is decommissioned and is now home to the Joint Forces Intelligence Group.
History Flying station
Wyton has be ...
, converted to the
Boeing Washington
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fly ...
.
**
No. 35 Squadron RAF 1949–50 at
RAF Mildenhall
Royal Air Force Mildenhall or RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located near Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as a Royal Air Force station, it primarily supports United States Air Force (USAF) operations, ...
.
**
No. 44 Squadron RAF
Number 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron was an aviation unit of the Royal Air Force. It was active between 1917 and 1982. For most of its history it served as a heavy bomber squadron.
History The World Wars (1917–1945)
No. 44 Squadron was formed on 24 Ju ...
1945–51 at
RAF Mildenhall
Royal Air Force Mildenhall or RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located near Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as a Royal Air Force station, it primarily supports United States Air Force (USAF) operations, ...
and
RAF Wyton
Royal Air Force Wyton or more simply RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is decommissioned and is now home to the Joint Forces Intelligence Group.
History Flying station
Wyton has be ...
, converted to the
Boeing Washington
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fly ...
.
**
No. 49 Squadron RAF 1949–55 at
RAF Upwood
Royal Air Force Upwood or more simply RAF Upwood is a former Royal Air Force station adjacent to the village of Upwood, Cambridgeshire, England, in the United Kingdom.
It was a non-flying station which was under the control of the United Sta ...
,
RAF Waddington
Royal Air Force Waddington otherwise known as RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located beside the village of Waddington, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire in England.
The station is the RAF's Intelligence Surveillance Target ...
and
RAF Wittering
Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire. Although Stamford, Lincolnshire, Sta ...
.
**
No. 50 Squadron RAF 1949–51 at
RAF Waddington
Royal Air Force Waddington otherwise known as RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located beside the village of Waddington, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire in England.
The station is the RAF's Intelligence Surveillance Target ...
.
**
No. 57 Squadron RAF
Number 57 Squadron, also known as No. LVII Squadron, is a Royal Air Force flying training squadron, operating the Grob Prefect T1 from RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire.
History First World War
No. 57 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed fr ...
1945–51 at
RAF West Kirby
RAF West Kirby was a Royal Air Force basic training camp near West Kirby, Cheshire, later Merseyside, England.
Location
The camp at Larton, then in Cheshire, was actually located from West Kirby village, from which it took its name. The ca ...
,
RAF Elsham Wolds
Royal Air Force Elsham Wolds or more simply RAF Elsham Wolds is a former Royal Air Force station in England, which operated in the First World War and the Second World War. It is located just to the north east of the village of Elsham in nort ...
, RAF Scampton, RAF Lindholme and
RAF Waddington
Royal Air Force Waddington otherwise known as RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located beside the village of Waddington, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire in England.
The station is the RAF's Intelligence Surveillance Target ...
, converted to the
Boeing Washington
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fly ...
.
** No. 58 Squadron RAF 1951 at RAF Benson
and
RAF Wyton
Royal Air Force Wyton or more simply RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is decommissioned and is now home to the Joint Forces Intelligence Group.
History Flying station
Wyton has be ...
** No. 61 Squadron RAF 1946–54 at
RAF Waddington
Royal Air Force Waddington otherwise known as RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located beside the village of Waddington, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire in England.
The station is the RAF's Intelligence Surveillance Target ...
and
RAF Wittering
Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire. Although Stamford, Lincolnshire, Sta ...
, converted to the
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber. It was developed by English Electric during the mid- to late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havil ...
.
** No. 75 Squadron RNZAF, No. 75 (New Zealand) Squadron RAF 1945 at
RAF Spilsby.
** No. 83 Squadron RAF 1945–55 at RAF Coningsby and
RAF Hemswell
Royal Air Force Hemswell or more simply RAF Hemswell is a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station located east of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England.
Located close to the village of Hemswell in Lincolnshire, England the disestablished airfield i ...
.
** No. 90 Squadron RAF 1947–50 at
RAF Wyton
Royal Air Force Wyton or more simply RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is decommissioned and is now home to the Joint Forces Intelligence Group.
History Flying station
Wyton has be ...
, converted to the
Boeing Washington
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fly ...
.
** No. 97 Squadron RAF 1946–55 at RAF Coningsby and
RAF Hemswell
Royal Air Force Hemswell or more simply RAF Hemswell is a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station located east of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England.
Located close to the village of Hemswell in Lincolnshire, England the disestablished airfield i ...
.
** No. 100 Squadron RAF 1946–54 at RAF Lindholme,
RAF Hemswell
Royal Air Force Hemswell or more simply RAF Hemswell is a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station located east of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England.
Located close to the village of Hemswell in Lincolnshire, England the disestablished airfield i ...
,
RAF Waddington
Royal Air Force Waddington otherwise known as RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located beside the village of Waddington, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire in England.
The station is the RAF's Intelligence Surveillance Target ...
and
RAF Wittering
Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire. Although Stamford, Lincolnshire, Sta ...
, converted to the
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber. It was developed by English Electric during the mid- to late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havil ...
.
** No. 101 Squadron RAF 1946–51 at
RAF Binbrook
Royal Air Force Binbrook or RAF Binbrook was a Royal Air Force station, now closed, located near Binbrook, Lincolnshire, England. The old domestic site (married quarters) has been renamed to become the village of Brookenby. RAF Binbrook was pri ...
, converted to the
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber. It was developed by English Electric during the mid- to late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havil ...
.
** No. 115 Squadron RAF 1949–50 at
RAF Mildenhall
Royal Air Force Mildenhall or RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located near Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as a Royal Air Force station, it primarily supports United States Air Force (USAF) operations, ...
.
** No. 116 Squadron RAF 1952–54 at
RAF Watton
Royal Air Force Watton or more simply RAF Watton is a former Royal Air Force station located southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England.
Opened in 1937 it was used by both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) d ...
** No. 138 Squadron RAF 1947–60 at
RAF Wyton
Royal Air Force Wyton or more simply RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is decommissioned and is now home to the Joint Forces Intelligence Group.
History Flying station
Wyton has be ...
and RAF Scampton.
** No. 148 Squadron RAF 1950–55 at
RAF Upwood
Royal Air Force Upwood or more simply RAF Upwood is a former Royal Air Force station adjacent to the village of Upwood, Cambridgeshire, England, in the United Kingdom.
It was a non-flying station which was under the control of the United Sta ...
.
** No. 149 Squadron RAF 1949–50 at
RAF Mildenhall
Royal Air Force Mildenhall or RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located near Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as a Royal Air Force station, it primarily supports United States Air Force (USAF) operations, ...
.
** No. 151 Squadron RAF 1962–63 at
RAF Watton
Royal Air Force Watton or more simply RAF Watton is a former Royal Air Force station located southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England.
Opened in 1937 it was used by both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) d ...
** No. 192 Squadron RAF 1951–53 at
RAF Watton
Royal Air Force Watton or more simply RAF Watton is a former Royal Air Force station located southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England.
Opened in 1937 it was used by both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) d ...
** No. 199 Squadron RAF 1951–57 at
RAF Watton
Royal Air Force Watton or more simply RAF Watton is a former Royal Air Force station located southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England.
Opened in 1937 it was used by both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) d ...
and
RAF Hemswell
Royal Air Force Hemswell or more simply RAF Hemswell is a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station located east of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England.
Located close to the village of Hemswell in Lincolnshire, England the disestablished airfield i ...
, converted to the
Vickers Valiant
** No. 207 Squadron RAF 1949–50 at
RAF Mildenhall
Royal Air Force Mildenhall or RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located near Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as a Royal Air Force station, it primarily supports United States Air Force (USAF) operations, ...
.
** No. 214 Squadron RAF 1950–54 at
RAF Upwood
Royal Air Force Upwood or more simply RAF Upwood is a former Royal Air Force station adjacent to the village of Upwood, Cambridgeshire, England, in the United Kingdom.
It was a non-flying station which was under the control of the United Sta ...
.
** No. 230 Operational Conversion Unit RAF 1949–1953 at RAF Lindholme and
RAF Upwood
Royal Air Force Upwood or more simply RAF Upwood is a former Royal Air Force station adjacent to the village of Upwood, Cambridgeshire, England, in the United Kingdom.
It was a non-flying station which was under the control of the United Sta ...
, became the Bomber Command Bombing School
** No. 527 Squadron RAF 1952–57 at
RAF Watton
Royal Air Force Watton or more simply RAF Watton is a former Royal Air Force station located southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England.
Opened in 1937 it was used by both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) d ...
** No. 617 Squadron RAF 1946–52 at
RAF Watton
Royal Air Force Watton or more simply RAF Watton is a former Royal Air Force station located southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England.
Opened in 1937 it was used by both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) d ...
, converted to the
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber. It was developed by English Electric during the mid- to late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havil ...
.
** No. 1321 Flight RAF 1954–58 at
RAF Hemswell
Royal Air Force Hemswell or more simply RAF Hemswell is a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station located east of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England.
Located close to the village of Hemswell in Lincolnshire, England the disestablished airfield i ...
**
No. 1426 Flight RAF 1956–57 at RAF Khormaksar
** No. 1689 Flight RAF 1951–52 at RAF Aston Down
** Bomb Ballistic Unit 1947–48 at RAF Woodbridge
** Bomber Command Bombing School (BCBS) 1952–1960 at RAF Scampton and RAF Lindholme, converted to the Handley Page Hastings
** Central Navigation and Control School 1951–55 at RAF Shawbury
** Coastal Command Gunnery School 1955 at RAF Leconfield
** Empire Air Navigation School 1947–48 at RAF Shawbury
** Empire Air Navigation School 1946–50 at RAF Manby
** Empire Central Flying School 1945–46 at RAF Hullavington
** Empire Radio School 1947–50 at RAF Debden
** Radar Research Flight 1951–57 at
RAF Wyton
Royal Air Force Wyton or more simply RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is decommissioned and is now home to the Joint Forces Intelligence Group.
History Flying station
Wyton has be ...
* Cobham plc, Flight Refuelling Ltd (FRL) – used some converted as tankers for Aerial refueling, flight refuelling
* Empire Test Pilots School
Accidents and incidents
Aircraft on display
Argentina
;On display
* Lincoln II ''B-004'' – on display as ''B-010'' at the Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica de Argentina, National Museum of Aeronautics, Buenos Aires.
* Lincoln II ''B-016'' – a gate guardian at the Villa Reynolds airbase, San Luis Province.
"33°44'00.0"S 65°23'00.0"W."
''Google Maps'', Retrieved: 3 May 2015.
Australia
;Stored or under restoration
* Lincoln II ''RF342'' is in storage for future restoration at the Australian National Aviation Museum, Melbourne.
* The nose section of Australian-made Lincoln B.30 ''A73-27'' is at the Camden Museum of Aviation at Narellan, New South Wales.
United Kingdom
;On display
* Lincoln II ''RF398'' at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford.["Individual History: Avro Lincoln B.2 RF398/8376M – Museum Accession Number 84/A/1182."](_blank)
''Royal Air Force Museum'', 2012.
Specifications (Lincoln I)
See also
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
* Buttler, Tony. ''Avro Lincoln (Warpaint series no. 34)''. Denbigh East, Bletchley, UK: Hall Park Books, 2000.
* Delve, Ken. ''Bomber Command: 1936–1968: An Operational & Historical Record''. Pen and Sword, 2005. .
* Franks, Richard A. ''The Avro Lancaster, Manchester and Lincoln''. Bedford, United Kingdom: SAM Publications, 2000. .
* Garbett, Mike and Brian Goulding. ''Lincoln at War''. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd., 1979. .
* Grant, Jim. ''Lincoln Test Beds'' ''Model Aircraft Monthly'', Volume 2, Issue 11, November 2003, SAM Publications,
* Jackson, A.J. ''Avro Aircraft since 1908, 2nd edition''. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1990. .
* Lake, Alan. ''Flying Units Of The RAF''. London: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1999. .
* Lake, Jon. ''Type Analysis: Avro Lincoln'' ''International Air Power Review'', Volume 1, 1997, Airtime publishing. .
* Mantelli, Brown, Kittel, Graf. "Avro Lancaster – Handley Page Halifax – Short S.29 Stirling." ''Edizioni R.E.I.'', 2017. .
* Marino, Atilo, Vladimiro Celleto and Javier Mosquera. "Argentina's 'Heavies': Avro Lancaster, Lincoln and Lancastrian in Military Service: Part One." ''Air Enthusiast'', No. 95, September/October 2001, pp. 64–70. .
* Marino, Atilo, Vladimiro Celleto and Javier Mosquera. "Argentina's 'Heavies': Avro Lancaster, Lincoln and Lancastrian in Military Service: Part Two." ''Air Enthusiast'', No. 97, January/February 2002, pp. 36–43. .
* Mason, Francis K. ''The British Bomber since 1914''. London: Putnam, 1994. .
* Scholefield, R.A. ''Manchester Airport''. Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK: Sutton Publishing, 1998. .
* Thetford, Owen. ''Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918–57''. London: Putnam, 1957.
*
* Wilson, Stewart. ''Lincoln, Canberra and F-111 in Australian Service''. Weston Creek, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications, 1989. .
* ''World Aircraft Information Files'', File # 022. London: Bright Star Publishing, 1997.
Further reading
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External links
Avro Lincoln in World War II
Avro Lincoln articles and publications
Avro Lincoln B2
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Avro aircraft, Lincoln
Avro Lancaster
1940s British bomber aircraft
Four-engined tractor aircraft
Mid-wing aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1944
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