Air Pictorial 1990-02
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R.Swain - The Avro Lincoln Story (2)
RA657 was one of the Lincolns converted for flight refuelling trials and here it demonstrates with a Meteor F.4 at the Farnborough Show in September 1950.
The first photograph of a Lincoln issued by Avro, dated September 13 1945, shows RA638, described as a Mk.l. Note omission of fairings from spinners and incomplete starboard wing roundel caused by repairs and repaintings.
Avro Lincoln RF330 ‘Cocos Queen' flown by a 97 Sqn crew, at West Island, Cocos, on arrival with supplies for the RAF detachment. The classic RAF Thorneycroft 3-ton truck is collecting the stores. Note the very clean condition of the aircraft.
Numerous variations of the Lincoln appeared as test beds for different engines and equipment were produced in the post-war years. Derwent Lincoln, SX971, had a Derwent engine underneath to test re-heat characteristics of jet engines. The underside of the fuselage was sheathed with stainless steel for protection and a twin retracting tailwheel replaced the fixed wheel. Date, October 1950.
Ron Swain pictured while checking the controls of RE347 at Upwood in January 1954.
Close view of the mid-upper turret and guns on a 97 Sqn machine with the Rigger hard at work polishing. Note VHF aerial aft of turret. Date is May 1948, at Hemswell.
Numerous variations of the Lincoln appeared as test beds for different engines and equipment were produced in the post-war years. The Tyne Lincoln was RF530 (G-37-1) with the Tyne engine faired to the nose, and flew in August 1954.
Though of poor quality, and enlarged from a snapshot, this view is of interest as it shows RF330 'Cocos Queen' en route to Cocos with supplies in September 1953. Picture was taken from the RAAF Neptune which met up with RF330.
One of several special duty Lincolns was 'Mercury II' of the Empire Radio School. Note the faired over nose positions and natural metal finish. Here crew and passengers are seen on a deployment to Malta in March 1948.
Not a holiday trip, despite the skis. This is one of the five Lincolns (RF351:C) from the RAF Flying College, Manby, which flew over the North Pole from Keflavik, Iceland, to Alaska (in the case of Aries III) or Shannon Island and Greenland. Skis and other survival gear were carried in case of forced landings in the polar regions. Date is July 1951.
The 148 Sqn photograph, taken at RAF Upwood, January 1953. The aircraft in B.2 RE357. The propellers are lined up this way not primarily for neatness, but to enable rain water to drain from the spinners. A fabric weather seal covers the ports for the 0.5 Brownings in the nose barbette. Second row third from the left S.W.O. Speed, centre Sqn Ldr Dunmore (face obscured); to his left is Flt Lt Pritchett and tenth from right is Flt Lt Whittaker. Front row, fourth from left LAC Swain (author of this article), centre Flt Sgt Hadlee, and fifth from right LAC Glover, all personnel mentioned in the text.
The Tyne Lincoln, G-37-1, in flight showing the jet pipe position below the fuselage.
The overload fuel tanks which were carried in the bomb bay for long haul flights such as deployment from the UK to Singapore.
RF402 was used for several trial installations, notably for de-icing experiments on wings of new types. Here it has a section of Buccaneer wing in place but also carried wing and tail sections of the Argosy, Caravelle, and Avro 748 on different occasions. Associated fittings were the nozzle mast, droplet sampler probes, and a camera housing.
RE347, Ron Swain's charge, shows the D type roundels and large serials applied in the early 1950s.
Lincoln RF402 had a long career as a test-bed. In September 1948 it first appeared at Farnborough with a Napier Naiad turbo-prop engine in the nose.
A fine view of the Derwent Lincoln in flight on September 13, 1950. The stainless steel sheath below the fuselage is clearly shown. Note retracted tailwheel.