Sky full of RAF Lancasters ...

[Mark Allen M]

Below RAF Bomber Stream 1944, they were returning from a raid on a synthetic chemical plant in Germany. No date or Group. Fascinating how they're scattered about.



Below 1 Lancaster & 2 Halifax bombers?





And ... looks like RAF A-20's. Possibly very early war mission.

[quemerford]

If it is 88 Sqn then not very early war; they flew Battles and Blenheims until July/August 1941 and had received Bostons earlier in the year but didn't fully equip at that time. I'd guess that this loss was sometime later in 1942?

[Dave Homewood]

Wow, really interesting photos, all of them!

I agree, the Boston photos would be mid-war, around 1942.

[Mark Allen M]

Yeah, some of us Yanks view 1942 as 'early war' when in reality it was 'mid-war'.

[JohnB]

A CORRECTION...???
The thread title notwithstanding, I think the bombers in photos two and three are actually Handley Page Halifaxes, not Avro Lancasters.

Examine the photos....

The two types have a similar wing planform , but...

-Note the location of the upper turret...it is forward on the Halifax. On the Lancaster, it is halfway to the tail.
-The lack of Lancaster's extensive cockpit glazing...the Halifax has a smooth top of fuselage (like a B-24), rather than the birdcage cockpit roof of a Lancaster.
-Engines look like radials (though the few...300...Lancaster Mk. IIs had radials).
-The leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer on the Halifax was tapered, the Lancaster's was straight.

What do you think...am I correct?

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Aside from that...
Interesting daylight combat photos.
Anyone have a good number for the percentage of Bomber Command "Heavy" (4-engine) ETO missions that were conducted in daylight?

Can't have been many.

[Archer]

I agree, they appear to be Halifaxes, although photo two includes a single Lancaster at the bottom left. This is the question Mark already asked between photos 1 & 2.... so the thread title only really applies to the first photo I guess.

[Mark Allen M]

I agree, they appear to be Halifaxes, although photo two includes a single Lancaster at the bottom left. This is the question Mark already asked between photos 1 & 2.... so the thread title only really applies to the first photo I guess.

Yes that is correct. The first photo is directly related to the thread title. The other photos are simply for review. The second photo does indeed show both a single Lancaster and two Halifax bombers.

[JohnB]

Mark
I didn't see the notes between the photos.

Great photos, good to see RAF heavies in daylight.