Avro 694

Lincoln

The Avro Type 694 Lincoln was a four-engine bomber and was a direct a development of the Lancaster.  It was originally known as the Lancaster Mark IV and V but later renamed Lincoln I and II.

The first of three prototypes (PW925) flew for the first time at Manchester's Ringway Airport on 9th June 1944. The type was primarily intended for use in the Far East theatre during the Second World War, but only entered RAF service in August 1945 and therefore was not deployed overseas prior to the end of the War.

The Lincoln reached operational status in August 1945 and remained in RAF service until March 1963.

It was used operationally in Kenya during the Mau Mau Uprising during the 1950s and (by the RAAF) in the Malayan emergency.  The aircraft also served within the Argentinian Air Force.

Avro 694 Lincoln II RF398 on display at the RAF Museum, Cosford.

Three prototypes and 162 production Lincoln bombers were built by Avro in Manchester with a further 6 at Yeadon, 80 at Metropolitan-Vickers and 229 at Armstrong Whitworth in Coventry (18 of these being for export to Argentina).  In addition, 73 were constructed by the Australian Government Aircraft Factory in Melbourne with a further single example being built by Victory Aircraft Ltd in Canada.

The first Australian Lincoln B.Mk 30 built by the Beaufort Division of the Department of Aircraft Construction, flew on 17th March 1946.

Around a dozen Lincolns acted as engine flying test beds for the Armstrong Siddeley Python, Bristol Phoebus, Theseus and Proteus engines as well as the Napier Naiad and Rolls-Royce Derwent.

The Lincoln was used as a flying test bed for many new engines. Here Avro 694 Lincoln SX972 flies with Bristol Proteus engines in its outer nacelles.

40 aircraft were exported to Argentina and remained in service with the Argentine Air Force until 1967. 12 of these aircraft were diverted from RAF orders with the remaining 18 being new-built aircraft manufactured by Armstrong Whitworth.

2 aircraft (RF342/G-36-3/G-APRJ/G-29-1 and RF402/G-APRP) were used extensively for icing trials conducted by Napier Ltd, flying with test aircraft wing sections mounted sail-like on the upper fuselage behind a spray rig.

RF342 was used in support of types including the Beverley, Caravelle, Britannia and Comet.

The Avro Lincoln was surpassed during the 1950s by the new jet-powered English Electric Canberra and then by the introduction of Britain's new stategic bombers, the Avro Vulcan, Handley Page Victor and the Vickers Valiant.

The last operational use of the Avro Lincoln by the Argentenian Air Force in 1967 whereafter they were retired. 

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