The Avro 679 Manchester was a British twin-engine medium bomber developed and manufactured in the United Kingdom. While not being built in great numbers, it was the forerunner of the famed and vastly more successful four-engined Avro Lancaster. Avro designed the Manchester to replace its inventory of twin-engine bombers. It first flew on 25 July 1939, and entered squadron service in November 1940, just over twelve months after the outbreak of the war. Operated by both RAF and the RCAF, the Manchester proved to be underpowered and unreliable, and production was terminated in 1941. However, the Manchester was redesigned into a four-engined heavy bomber, the Avro Lancaster, powered by Rolls-Royce Merlin engines.
200 airframes completed as true Manchesters were issued to front line RAF squadron's,. Of these, a total 77 aircraft were lost on operations and an additional 20 were lost in various accidents with those squadrons. An additional 24 aircraft were lost during training flights with non-operational units, such as those being used by Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) Flights. Combined losses therefore, were 121 or 60.50 percent of the original 200 aircraft. From those losses, 33 were directly due to engine failures - 12 with the squadrons, 21 with training units. Another 28 aircraft lost during operations, were thought to have been caused due to engine failure. As the airframes and engines could not be examined, these are listed as "Probably Lost Due To Enemy Action". Harold Skaarup web page
Known Squadron Assignments: ;207
1942-January-15 PoW RCAF Warrant Officer 2nd Class Emmanuel George Robert Bestel 2023-10-17Known Squadron Assignments: 408;44;61;50
Served with the Manchester Conversion Flight of No. 408 (B) Squadron, RCAF in May and June 1942. Only Manchester with this unit. Coded "EQ*N". Launched for 1,000 plane raid on Colgne on 30/31 May 1942, returned early after hydraulic failure. Only completed operation was bombing of Essen on 1/2 June 1942. Also served with No. 44 Squadron, No. 61 Squadron (including 1,000 plane raid on Essen on 1/2 June 1942?), No. 50 Squadron (including raid on Bremen on 25/26 June 1942), No. 1485 (Target Towing) Flight, and No. 1661 Conversion Unit. 2022-02-10Known Squadron Assignments: ;106
1942-May-19 KIA RCAF Flight Sergeant Ralph Ainsworth Post 2021-08-12Known Squadron Assignments: ;83
1942-March-09 KIA RCAF Pilot Officer William Arthur Harris 2022-01-27Known Squadron Assignments: 83
Served with the Manchester Conversion Flight of No. 408 (B) Squadron, RCAF in May and June 1942. Only Manchester with this unit. Coded "EQ*N". Launched for 1,000 plane raid on Colgne on 30/31 May 1942, returned early after hydraulic failure. Only completed operation was bombing of Essen on 1/2 June 1942. Also served with No. 44 Squadron, No. 61 Squadron (including 1,000 plane raid on Essen on 1/2 June 1942?), No. 50 Squadron (including raid on Bremen on 25/26 June 1942), No. 1485 (Target Towing) Flight, and No. 1661 Conversion Unit. 2021-05-05Known Squadron Assignments: ;61
1942-February-16 KIA RCAF Flight Sergeant Wendell Wilburn Fairbrother 2021-08-06Known Squadron Assignments: ;61
1942-March-29 KIA RCAF Pilot Officer Joseph Frederic Chevalier 2024-02-12Known Squadron Assignments: ;106
1942-May-31 PoW RCAF Warrant Officer 2nd Class Cyril Herbert Tobias 2023-08-14Known Squadron Assignments: ;106
1942-April-24 PoW RCAF Flight Lieutenant John Herbert Paton 2023-08-01Known Squadron Assignments: ;97
1941-November-08 KIA RCAF Sergeant Clifford Robert Bronson 2023-08-29Known Squadron Assignments: ;50
1942-May-09 PoW RCAF Flight Lieutenant Harold Frederick Avery 2023-11-07Known Squadron Assignments: ;61
Served with the Manchester Conversion Flight of No. 408 (B) Squadron, RCAF in May and June 1942. Only Manchester with this unit. Coded "EQ*N". Launched for 1,000 plane raid on Colgne on 30/31 May 1942, returned early after hydraulic failure. Only completed operation was bombing of Essen on 1/2 June 1942. Also served with No. 44 Squadron, No. 61 Squadron (including 1,000 plane raid on Essen on 1/2 June 1942?), No. 50 Squadron (including raid on Bremen on 25/26 June 1942), No. 1485 (Target Towing) Flight, and No. 1661 Conversion Unit. 2021-05-24Known Squadron Assignments: ;50
1942-May-13 KIA RAFVR Flight Sergeant Peter James Widdell Blake 2021-05-10Known Squadron Assignments: ;83
1942-March-29 KIA RCAF Flight Sergeant Patrick Charles Walsh 2022-06-19Known Squadron Assignments: ;50
1942-April-18 PoW RCAF Warrant Officer 2nd Class Frederick John Sidney Pearce 2021-05-05Known Squadron Assignments: ;61
1942-April-11 PoW RCAF Flight Lieutenant Donald Halburtson McSporran 2023-07-23