What is it ?

What was the point of shortening the nose (and moving the c of g backwards as a result) when fairing over the turret would have ‘civilianised’ the Lanc far more easily?

JK

The C of G has to remain within certain fore and aft limits and these will be clearly stated within the operating manuals for the aircraft, certainly in the weight and balance manual.
So if you remove or fit something to the airframe the effect of doing so has to be calculated and checked to see if you are still within the limits stated. If not then it may be possible to move heavy items(batteries for example)to different locations within the fuselage or add ballast, usually lead if bolted to the structure or bags of shingle if temporary. The Lancaster shown has also had its tail turret removed which being further away from the C of G would have had a far greater effect. The fuel transfer equipment that has been added is in the bomb bay near the C of G so would have less effect.
Then before flight the weight of the load including crew, passengers, fuel, baggage, water are all taken into account and again the positions of these within the fuselage are defined to keep within the C Of G limits.

Richard

That is a nice picture – over Poole harbour in Dorset.

Thanks for all replies.

The nose was shortened as part of a civilian transport development programme.

The aircraft in the photo is G-33-2 (ex PB972) refuelling Meteor F Mk3 EE397. PB972 was one of three ex-RAF B Mk3’s used by Cobham to test the probe/drogue method of refuelling in flight, and the company also bought another four Lancasters.

A world record for jet endurance was made:-
“On 7 August 1949, the Meteor III, EE397, on-loan from the RAF and flown by Flight Refuelling Ltd (FRL) test pilot Patrick Hornidge, took-off from Tarrant Rushton and, refulled ten times by the Lancaster tanker, remained airborne for 12 hours and 3 minutes, receiving 2,352 gallons of fuel from the tanker in ten tanker contacts and flying an overall distance of 3,600 miles (5,800 km), achieving a new jet endurance record.”

What was the point of shortening the nose (and moving the c of g backwards as a result) when fairing over the turret would have ‘civilianised’ the Lanc far more easily?

JK

1949

Looks like a bluff nose Lancaster as used by Flight Refuelling Ltd for trails work, not sure how many they had, possibly more than two.