Avro 694 Lincoln

The A.V. Roe (Avro) Type 694 Lincoln was a four-engine bomber and was a direct a development of the Avro 683 Lancaster.  It was originally known as the Avro 683 Lancaster Mark IV and V but later renamed Avro 694 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 Avro 694 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 Avro 694 Lincoln bombers were built by Avro at Chadderton, with a further 6 built at Yeadon, 80 at Metropolitan-Vickers at Ringway 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 Avro 694 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. One of thses aircraft (RF342) was used in support of types including the Blackburn Beverley, Sud Aviation Caravelle, Bristol Britannia and De Havilland Comet.

The Avro 694 Lincoln was surpassed during the 1950s by the new jet-powered English Electric Canberra and then by the introduction of Britain's new strategic bombers, the Avro 698 Vulcan, Handley Page Victor and the Vickers Valiant.

The last operational use of the Avro 694 Lincoln by the Argentinian Air Force in 1967, whereafter they were retired. 

Variants & Number

•   www.avroheritagemuseum.co.uk