February 1, 1945 - Lancaster Specifications

From the Operations Record Book:  

After 10 days of enforced idleness due to excessive weather conditions the Squadron was called up on to supply 29 aircraft and crews plus two aircraft and crews in reserve to attack the rail centre and marshalling yards in LUDWIGSHAVEN. 30 aircraft successfully took off at approx. 1530 hrs The weather on route was rather mixed from 10/10 cloud to clear conditions over the Channel well broken cloud over the Continent until the target 10/10 cloud built up about 5 miles short on the run in. On the return very turbulent conditions were encountered crossing the North Sea to the Norfolk Coast. At the target both ground and sky marking was resorted to by the PFF but with the target indicators disappearing into the low cloud and some of the sky markers being too high for easy aiming, bomb aimers had rather a difficult time. Results were very obscure, there was however a very encouraging incendiary glow that developed into a compact fire mass with two explosions. From the H2S photographs brought back, it is thought that there was a tendency to undershoot. Flak was reported as slight, later decreasing to give way to night fighter activity. Night fighters were more active than usual and several combats were observed.

F/L Maltin and his crew completed their second tour and F/L Doward and his crew completed their first tour of operations successfully. F/O Lohrey and his crew failed to return and it was at first reported as missing but later it was learnt that at least five of his crew, including himself, were safe in Allied Territory, after having been forced to abandon their aircraft which had been badly damaged colliding with a friendly aircraft near the target area.

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LANCASTER MARK I SPECIFICATIONS

Engines	Four 1,280hp Rolls-Royce Merlin XX 12-cylinder air-cooled engines with three-blade, metal, deHavilland constant-speed propellers
Wing Span	102 feet
Wing Area	1,300 square feet
Length	69.5 feet
Height	20.5 feet
Weight	36,900 lb. empty, 70,000 lb. maximum
Maximum Speed	275 mph at 15,000 feet
Cruising Speed	200 mph at 15,000 feet
Climb Rate	250 feet per minute
Range	2,530 miles with a 7,000 lb. bomb load 1,730 miles with a 12,000 lb. bomb load 1,550 miles with a 22,000 lb. bomb load
Crew	7
Bomb Capacity	22,000 lbs
Forward Turret	2x .303-in. Vickers machine guns, Frazer-Nash FN5 turret
Mid Upper Turret	2x .303-inc. Vickers guns, Frazer-Nash FN50 turret
Rear Turret	4x .303-in. Vickers guns, Frazer-Nash FN20 turret

Source: www.historynet.com/night-raider.htm

Several variants of the Lancaster were produced, the main difference being the type of engine.  Harris and his crew flew Mark I, BI and III versions on their operations.  The BI versions had modifications to carry the extra-heavy ‘tallboy’ and ‘grand slam’ bombs.  Taking into account the 1943 prices to build, arm, supply ground and air crew, the average cost to the British economy for each Lancaster bombing sortie was £100,000.  (Source: www.lancaster-archive.com/lanc_sortie_cost.htm