I was leafing through a book on the Lancaster today (Lancaster, by Neville Franklin and Gerald Scarborough, published by PSL, 1979) and came across the statement that Avro built, but did not fly, a twin-Centaurus Manchester.
I’ve never seen this said anywhere else. Was it so? And if so, has anyone a picture?
By: Scouse - 16th October 2008 at 23:23
Franklin and Scarborough refer to the Sabre Manchester and its test-bed status, but then go on “Two 2,520hp Bristol Centaurus radial engines were actually fitted to another but this was not flown due to the advance made with the more effective Manchester III.”
By: pogno - 16th October 2008 at 22:53
The old Harleyford book on the Lancaster says that when it was realised that the Vulture engines on the Manchester were ‘not coming up to expectations’ two projects were studied, one was a re-engined Manchester with Sabre or Centaurus engines, tentativley allocated the designation Mk. II or to use four engines as the Manchester Mk. III. The latter was persued and the other project abandoned.
It does say that one airframe was sent to Napier’s at Luton For Sabres to be installed but as the Lancaster was proving satisfactory it was used as a test stand only, for Napier engines including the Sabre.
Richard
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October 16, 2008 at 9:49 pm