seven men.
Most Lancaster crews consisted of seven men who had to work together to undertake the mission given to them and return home safely. The pilot of a Lancaster crew had the most responsibility. He had to show and install confidence in the six other men of his crew and fly the aircraft.
What was the crew of a Lancaster?
A Lancaster Bomber had a crew of seven: pilot, navigator, bomb aimer, flight engineer, wireless operator, mid gunner and rear gunner. Each role needed a very particular set of skills.
What were the crew positions on a Lancaster bomber?
Meet the Crew
- PILOT (SKIPPER) The Pilot’s seat was on the left hand side of the cockpit.
- FLIGHT ENGINEER.
- NAVIGATOR.
- BOMB AIMER / FRONT GUNNER.
- WIRELESS OPERATOR.
- MID-UPPER GUNNER.
- REAR GUNNER (“TAIL END CHARLIE”)
How many people were in a Lancaster bomber?
seven
A mid-wing design with a twin tail, the Lancaster was powered by four 1,460-horsepower Merlins, had a wingspan of 102 feet (31 metres), and was 69 feet (21 metres) long. It was operated by a basic crew of seven, including the pilot, copilot, bombardier, navigator, radioman, and gunners.
How many Lancaster bombers are in a squadron?
7
207 Squadron RAF (Squadron Leader Noel Challis Hyde) based at RAF Waddington in the county of Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom. The Avro Lancaster heavy bomber took flight for the first time.
B.I.
| Machinery | 4 Rolls-Royce Merlin XX V12 engines, rated at 1,280 hp each |
|---|---|
| Crew | 7 |
| Span | 31.09 m |
| Length | 21.11 m |
| Height | 5.97 m |
What was the life expectancy of a B 17 crew?
Nothing in the peacetime lives of thousands of young Americans had prepared them for the violence that lay ahead. Although such statistics were not circulated among Army Air Forces crews, the average life expectancy of an Eighth Air Force B-17 in late 1943 was 11 missions.
What was the life expectancy of a tail gunner?
They also asked because the average lifespan of a British tail gunner in WWII was less than two weeks or, perhaps more optimistically, approximately 10 missions.
What was the life expectancy of a ww2 pilot?
The Germans generally had better aircraft and more experienced airmen, but the Canadian and Imperial fliers persevered. Historians have calculated that the life span of a pilot in action was about ten weeks.
How many Lancaster bombers lost in ww2?
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).
How many crew are in a Wellington bomber?
five
The Wellington typically had a crew of five. The bomb-aimer was located within the aircraft’s nose.
What percentage of bomber crews died in ww2?
During the whole war, 51% of aircrew were killed on operations, 12% were killed or wounded in non-operational accidents and 13% became prisoners of war or evaders. Only 24% survived the war unscathed.
Can a Lancaster fly on one engine?
There are so many stories of a Lancaster coming back in with just one engine and still being able to land. Pilots and crews loved it for that. Q: Was this the most effective British bomber of the Second World War? A: Yes, by a long way.
What was the most successful bomber in ww2?
The PV-1 bomber, which also bore four guns, flew successful missions throughout the war. One of the best known airplanes of World War II, the B-25 bomber was also one of the most flown, most versatile, and most successful of all the combat planes of the era.
What is a bomber pilot called?
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground combat and sometimes electronic warfare while in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting (close range aerial combat).
How many Lancaster bombers are left in the world?
About the Lancaster
There are only two airworthy Lancasters left in the world – 7,377 were built. Lancaster PA474 was built at the Vickers Armstrong Broughton factory at Hawarden Airfield, Chester on 31 May 1945, just after VE day.
Why is it called a Lancaster bomber?
The Lancaster was named after Lancaster, Lancashire; a Lancastrian is an inhabitant of Lancashire. The Lancastrian was basically a modified Lancaster bomber without armour or armament and with the gun turrets replaced by streamlined metal fairings, including a new nose section.
How cold was it in a ww2 bomber?
He and his crew of Ye Olde Pub were to become participants in an event probably unique at that time in the air war over Europe–a mission that would remain shrouded in mystery for many years. The bombers began their 10-minute bomb run at 27,300 feet, the temperature: negative 60 degrees.
How cold did it get in ww2 bombers?
The planes were unheated and open to the outside air. The crew wore electrically heated suits and heavy gloves that provided some protection against temperatures that could dip to 60 degrees below zero.
How many B-17s were shot down over Germany in WWII?
On 15 Feb 1945, as part of the aerial operation against the German city of Dresden, 311 B-17 bombers dropped 771 tons of bombs, contributing to the killing of 25,000 people committed by both American and British bombers.
B-17 Flying Fortress.
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Primary Role | Heavy Bomber |
| Maiden Flight | 28 July 1935 |
Do B-52 still have tail guns?
Fast-forward to the 1970s and the B-52 was Americans sole remaining heavy bomber. It was also the service’s last aircraft to even feature a tail gun, whatever its utility might have been at that point. Over Southeast Asia, B-52D bombers scored just two kills. Both instances occurred over North Vietnam in 1972.
How did rear gunners not shoot the tail?
The majority of wartime German and Italian aircraft, including smaller ground attack aircraft and dive bombers, lacked a tail gunner position; instead, there was commonly a dorsal gun fitted behind the cockpit or ventral gun along the belly of the aircraft replaced the tail gunner position covering the tail.