Avro Manchester

Manchester
Avro Manchester Mk.1A (note extended tail fins)
Role	Heavy bomber
Manufacturer	Avro
First flight	25 July 1939
Introduction	November 1940
Retired	1942
Primary users	Royal Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force
Produced	1940–1941
Number built	202
Developed into	Avro Lancaster

The Avro 679 Manchester was a British twin-engine heavy bomber developed during the Second World War by the Avro aircraft company in the United Kingdom. Serving in the Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force, the Manchester was an operational failure because of its underdeveloped, underpowered and unreliable engines. The aircraft was the forerunner of the successful four-engined Avro Lancaster, which would become one of the most capable strategic bombers of the war.

The Manchester was originally designed to the Air Ministry Specification P.13/36; it was the same specification that Handley Page also followed in their design of the Halifax bomber. Issued in May 1936, Specification P.13/36 called for a twin-engine monoplane "medium bomber" for "worldwide use", which was to be capable of carrying out shallow (30°) dive bombing attacks and carry heavy bombloads (8,000 lb/3,630 kg) or two 18 in (457 mm) torpedoes. Provision for catapult assisted takeoff to permit the maximum load was also part of the specification, although the need for this provision was explicitly removed in July 1938. Cruising speed was to be a minimum of 275 mph at 15,000 feet. The Air Ministry had expectations for an aircraft of similar weight to the B.1/35 specification, but being both smaller and faster.

Avro had already started work on a design before the invitation to tender. They were in competition with Boulton Paul, Bristol, Fairey, Handley Page and Shorts. Vickers had the Warwick with Napier Sabre engines but did not tender it. In early 1937, the Avro design and the rival Handley Page HP.56 were accepted and prototypes of both ordered; but in mid-1937, the Air Ministry exercised their rights to order "off the drawing board". This skipping of the usual process was necessary due to the initiation of a wider expansion of the RAF in expectation of war. From 1939, it was expected that the P.13/36 would replace existing medium bombers, such as the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, Handley Page Hampden and Vickers Wellington.

...
Wikipedia