Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling, all three aircraft being four-engined heavy bombers adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the same wartime era.
The Lancaster has its origins in the twin-engine Avro Manchester which had been developed during the late 1930s in response to the Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use". Originally developed as an evolution of the Manchester (which had proved troublesome in service and was retired in 1942), the Lancaster was designed by Roy Chadwick and powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlins and in one version, Bristol Hercules engines. It first saw service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it was the main aircraft for the night-time bombing campaigns that followed. As increasing numbers of the type were produced, it became the principal heavy bomber used by the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF, overshadowing the Halifax and Stirling. Wikipedia
CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (234), RCAF 6 Group (5), RCAF 400 Squadron (7), Canadian Aircraft Losses (1732)Lancaster Mk.II LL643
Used by No. 408 Squadron, RCAF, coded "EQ*Q". Flew 23 operations. Achères- to attack railway yards. Part of a 337 bomber strong force to bomb various lines of communications behind the Normandy beachhead. There was less cloud cover than the previous night with all targets being accurately bombed and fewer civilians killed. Because the targets were further inland than recent raids, the German night-fighters had a greater opportunity to infiltrate the bomber stream and as a result, losses were higher. 28 aircraft were Lost (8.3%).
1944-06-08 Failed to Return failed to return from operation over Acheres 2019-08-20