AVRO 679 MANCHESTER -
Designed under the direction of Roy Chadwick, the Avro 679 Avro Manchester
was a twin-engined medium bomber to Specification P. 13/36, ordered in
1937 for competitive evaluation with the Handley Page HP.56. Powered
by two 1,760 hp Vulture I X-type engines, the first of two prototypes
flew on July 25, 1939, unarmed and with twin fins and rudders; a third,
cen-tral fin was added after early flight tests. The second prototype
flew on May 26, 1940, with two 0.303-in (7.7-mm) machine guns each in
nose, tail and ventral Frazer Nash turrets, and wing span increased from
80 ft 2 in (24.45 m) to 90 ft 1 in (27.48 m). The ventral turret was later
replaced by a dorsal FN 7 turret, also with two guns, and production aircraft
to this configuration were ordered to Specification 19/37.
Avro Manchester Mk I: Initial production batch of 200 ordered from
Avro, Avro Manchester, in December 1937, and 100 ordered from Metropolitan-Vickers
Ltd, Trafford Park, in 1939. Deliveries began on July 31, 1940, from Avro
assembly line and on March 10, 1941, from Metrovick, pj:o-duction terminating
at 157 Avro and 43 Metrovick aircraft for a total of 200. Initial deliveries
to No 207 Sqn, RAF, November 1940 and first operation February 24/25,
1941.
Above: First Lancaster prototype (BT308) with Avro Manchester I-type tail
unit and no dorsal turret. Below: The second prototype (DG585) showing
definitive tail unit, no dorsal turret fairing, and retracted ventral
turret.
Avro Manchester Mk IA: Later production aircraft were delivered with
a tailplane of increased span (33 ft/10.1 m), taller fins and rudders
and no central fin. These were des-ignated Avro Manchester Mk IA and all Mk
Is were eventually converted to this standard.
