GIANT BOMBER

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23970, 10 June 1943, Page 4

GIANT BOMBER

LANCASTER TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND (P.A.) • WELLINGTON, June 9. One of Britain’s new giant fourengined bombers, a Lancaster, is at present visiting Australia, and is expected to arrive in New Zealand very shortly. An itinerary for the tour of New Zealand is now being arranged, and will be announced, subject, of course, to weather and other circumstances. This Lancaster was flown to Australia by way of the Atlantic. Canada, and the Pacific, it being the first occasion on which an aircraft has been flown by one crew over this route. The flight across the Tasman Sea Will add further to the aeroplane’s flying record, The Lancaster is the newest of the R.A.F.’s trio of heavy bombe». and is the fastest and most formidable of its type in the world. It carries three times the load of the heaviest bomber in use in September, 1939. is 25 per cent, faster, and mounts two and a half times the armament. Lancasters have proved their worth in air operations over Europe since they made their debut in April. 1942, and their most recent achievement was the destructive attack on the Ruhr dams. The Lancaster has a wing-span of 102 feet, and a length of 70 feet. It can carry 18.0001b of fuel and bombs, the bomb bay having a capacity in excess of seven tons. Four engines, with a total horse-power of 5120. give a speed of 300 miles an hour, at heights un to 21.000 feet, fully loaded. There are four power-operated turrets, in the nose, in the tail, and above and below, housing 10 guns. It is very manoeuvrable, and is stated by Pilots to be “delightful on the controls.”