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Manufactured by Avro and incorporating the wings,
tail, undercarriage and engines of the Lancaster bomber,
the York was to prove a useful military and civilian
transport aircraft in war and peace.
The Avro York was a military transport version of the
Lancaster, evolved by Roy Chadwick in parallel with
the bomber prototype, having the same wings, power plant,
undercarriage and tail unit with a square-section fuselage
providing double the capacity.
Prototype flown July 5, 1942, followed by three more
proto-types of varying standard and introducing a third
central fin. Production deliveries to Specification
C.l/42 began 1944, and total of 208 eventually built
for RAF by 1948.
Used by RAF as Avro York C Mk I in all-passenger, all-freight
and combined passenger/ freight versions, initially
by No 24 Sqn (from April 1944). Also used as VIP transport.
Five transferred to BO AC in 1944 and used with 12
seats plus freight compartment to open UK-Cairo route
on April 22, 1944. One prototype converted to Avro York
C Mk II with 1,650 hp Hercules VI; basic Avro York C
Mk I had 1,620 hp Merlin T24s. One Avro York C Mk I
Special built by Victory Aircraft for RCAF, first flown
November 1944.
Significant Date:
1944
The first BOAC service commenced from Lyneham to Cairo,
via Rabat and Tripoli, on 20 May, operated by Avro York
G-AGJA Mildenhall (pictured top aircraft)
16 October 1946
No 511 Squadron formed at RAF Lyneham accommodating
Avro York C1. The Squadron disbanded on 1 May 1957 and
nmove to nearby RAF Colerne. Two years later the squadon
reformed to house Britannia aircraft.
Specifications:
Max speed, 298 mph (479 km/h). Cruising speed, 233 mph
(375 km/h). Initial rate of climb, 1,500 ft/min (25.0
mlsec). Ceiling, 26,000ft (7,925 m). Range, 2,700 mis
(4,344 km). Empty weight, 42,040 Ib (19,086 kg). Gross
weight, 68,000 Ib (30,872 kg). Span, 102 ft 0 in (31.09
m). Length, 78 ft 6 in (23.93 m) . Wing area, 1,205
sq ft (111.9 m). |
