Avro Lancastrian
Avro · United Kingdom · first flew 1945 · transport aircraft
The Lancastrian was a streamlined civil and VIP transport conversion of the Lancaster, retaining the iconic twin-fin tail and four Merlins but replacing the bomber fuselage with a pressurised passenger cabin.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Streamlined cylindrical pressurised fuselage — no gun turrets, no bomb bay bulge, no greenhouse canopy |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Streamlined cylindrical pressurised fuselage — no gun turrets, no bomb bay bulge, no greenhouse canopy
- Pointed glazed nose replaced by a smooth metal nose cone with small oval passenger windows along the fuselage sides
- Slim elegant profile compared to the Lancaster; tail fins identical but fuselage cross-section appears rounder and taller
Distinguished from the Lancaster at a glance by the absence of all turrets and the smooth metal nose cone; the fuselage sits higher and rounder with row of small oval windows absent from any bomber mark.
Specifications
- The Avro Lancastrian has a length of 23.4 m (77 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 31.1 m (102 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 480 km/h (298 mph).
- Typical crew: 4 crew + up to 13 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
BOAC introduced the Lancastrian on London–Sydney routes in 1945, slashing the journey time to under four days. British South American Airways and Qantas also operated the type, and it briefly held the record for the world's fastest scheduled service.
Variants
The C.1 and C.2 were military transport and VIP variants; the Mk.3 and Mk.4 were civil versions with differing passenger capacities and fuel arrangements.
Where you'll see it
No complete airworthy Lancastrian survives; partial airframes and sections are held by the RAF Museum and Brooklands Museum in the United Kingdom.
Related aircraft
- Avro Tudor
- Avro Lincoln
- Avro Lancaster B.III
- Avro York
- Bristol 170 Freighter
- Bristol Freighter
- Canadian Car and Foundry CBY-3 Loadmaster
- de Havilland Devon
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.