The two aircraft were similar in size and capacity but had completely different missions and technical origins, and were the outcomes of completely different military doctrines. As such the Fortress and Lancaster were highly complementary.
Was the Halifax bigger than the Lancaster?
The smallest of the big three – being a fraction shorter than the Halifax – the Lancaster was said to be particularly strong and resilient with a smooth, quick flying experience for its size.
What was bigger the B-17 or the B-24?
The B-24 had a shoulder-mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing. This wing was highly efficient allowing a relatively high airspeed and long range. Compared to the B-17, it had a 6-foot larger wingspan but a lower wing area. This gave the B-24 a 35-percent higher wing loading.
Which was better B-24 or Lancaster?
While the B-24 had a better capacity than its competitor, the Lancaster far outshone them both. At maximum bomb load, the B-24 could carry 8000 lbs of ordinance, split between the two bomb bays.
What replaced the Lancaster bomber?
the Avro Lincoln
Postwar, the Lancaster was supplanted as the main strategic bomber of the RAF by the Avro Lincoln, a larger version of the Lancaster.
What was considered the best bomber of World War II?
1 Avro Lancaster – UK
By far the best bomber of the war. Carried a comparable bomb load to the B-29 years earlier. It took more than two B-17s to carry a comparable load into Germany. Most versatile heavy bomber of the war.
How many Lancaster bombers were lost?
3,736
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engine heavy bomber used by the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces during World War II. Of the 7,377 aircraft built, 3,736 were lost during the War (3,249 in action and 487 in ground accidents).
Which was the better bomber B-17 or B-24?
The B-24 was a faster plane having a greater range and payload capacity. However, in the ETO, the B-24 operated with the B-17 which constrained the aircraft’s operating speed. The B17 was a sedate aircraft and placed fewer demands on the flight deck crew. The B-17 was also an easier aircraft to fly in formation.
What was better B-17 or B-29?
Due to all of this, the B-29 is much heavier than the B-17. As a result, Boeing was forced to use more powerful engines for the B-29. In turn, the B-29 had a much longer combat range than the B-17. On top of the longer combat range, the B-29 also had a much faster cruising and max speed.
Did B-17 ever sink a ship?
The first great success attributed to the B-17 was the sinking of the Japanese battleship Haruna off Luzon during the invasion of the Philippines, by a Fortress piloted by Colin Kelly, who thereby became one of the first American popular heroes of World War Two.
Is the Halifax bomber bigger than the Lancaster bomber?
The Lancaster used the famous Rolls-Royce Merlin engine whilst the Halifax III used the Bristol Hercules. They were quite similar in size, especially when compared with the massive Stirling.
What was the life expectancy of a Lancaster bomber crew?
The Lancaster was one of the most dangerous places to be in the entire war – the life expectancy of a new recruit was just two weeks.
Did Lancaster bombers have toilets?
During World War 2, large bomber aircraft, such as the American Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and the British Avro Lancaster, carried chemical toilets (basically a bucket with seat and cover, see bucket toilet); in British use, they were called “Elsans” after the company that manufactured them.
How many b17 are still flying?
The number varies from time to time as airframes enter restoration, or complete restoration or move to flight status. The current total of surviving B-17 bombers located in the United States stands at 40: Nine (9) B-17 planes are airworthy, such as “Texas Raiders”, “Sentimental Journey” and “Aluminum Overcast”.
How many Lancaster bombers were shot down in ww2?
According to Bomber Command Museum, over half of the Lancasters produced, 3,932 of them, were shot down during the war, at a total cost of £186,770,000 (or £7,397,375,152 when adjusted for inflation).
Why did the Lancaster only have one pilot?
There is only one pilot to fly a Lancaster – it has only one set of flight controls. Normally aircrafts have two sets of flight controls, the second set for a co-pilot who often is present. During the war the co-pilot was abolished, due to the lack of pilots.
What is the most feared bomber?
The Boeing B-29 was the biggest American bomber of the Second World War, but perhaps what made it the most deadly was that it was the aircraft that dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which in a way makes the aircraft infamous.
Who was the deadliest pilot in ww2?
Erich Hartmann
Erich Hartmann, sometimes referred to as the ‘Black Devil’, is the deadliest fighter pilot in history, having downed 352 Allied planes during World War Two over the course of some 1,400 missions.
Which plane dropped the most bombs in ww2?
Developed by the Boeing Company in the 1930s, the B-17 was a four‑engine heavy bomber aircraft used by the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. It was a very effective weapons system, dropping more bombs during the war than any other American aircraft. Why was the B-17 called the “Flying Fortress”?
How long did it take a Lancaster bomber to fly to Germany?
seven and a half hour
On the night of 16th December 1943 RAF Bomber Command mounted another raid on the German capital of Berlin, this time with 483 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitos. The Lancasters took off from their bases in England between 16:00 and 17:00 for the seven and a half hour flight to Berlin and back.
What was the most used British bomber in ww2?
The Avro Lancaster bomber
The Avro Lancaster bomber was one of the most effective aircraft of World War II. They were used by the British Royal Air Force to carry 14,000lb (6,350kg) of bombs to Germany and even further. The Lancasters flew from Bomber Command’s bases in the east of England.