Lancaster TW659 TL-M of No. 35 Squadron RAF, New York July 1946
Here are some ways the British Royal Air Force used the Avro Lancaster after World War II ended:
- Photo Reconnaissance: Lancasters were stripped of their military equipment and modified for photo reconnaissance missions. These modified aircraft, designated PR.Is, served with squadrons like No. 82 Squadron, which used them to conduct extensive aerial surveys of East, Central, and West Africa from 1946 to 1952.
- Maritime Patrol: The RAF converted Lancaster B. Mark IIIs into maritime patrol aircraft, removing the mid-upper turret and installing external attachments for a lifeboat. Known as A.S.R. 3s, these aircraft were fitted with H2S radar and eventually redesignated first as GR (General Reconnaissance) and then MR (Maritime Reconnaissance) aircraft. The last Lancaster to fly a frontline maritime sortie for the RAF was a GR.3.
- Repatriation of Prisoners of War: After the war ended, the RAF used Lancasters to bring home prisoners of war. One example cited in the sources involved using Lancasters to repatriate around 75,000 prisoners of war. Another example involved Operation Exodus, where specially modified Lancasters flew prisoners of war from Italy. These aircraft were stripped of all but the rear turret and could carry up to 25 passengers.
- Training: The RAF continued to use Lancasters for training purposes, including navigation training and as engine testbeds. One notable example was Lancaster I PD328, nicknamed “Aries,” which served with the Empire Air Navigation School. The RAF also used Lancasters in Heavy Conversion Units, which helped transition pilots from two-engine to four-engine aircraft. Our previous conversation explored some of the challenges involved in this conversion process.
- Humanitarian Relief: During Operation Manna, the RAF used Lancasters to drop food and supplies to civilians in the Netherlands.
- Testbed for New Technologies: The sources detail several instances where the RAF employed Lancasters as testbeds for new engine types and other technologies.
- These included using a Lancaster to test Rolls-Royce Merlin 85s with annular cowlings (normally found on the Lincoln).
- A Lancaster was even modified with an Armstrong Siddeley ASX turbojet mounted in the bomb bay for experimental purposes.