Avro Lancaster B Mk. I Special Grand Slam

From failure to success.
The Avro Type 683 Lancaster four-engined bomber was developed from the disappointing twin-engined Manchester, which suffered from engine fires caused by the unreliable Rolls-Royce Vulture engine.
The basic Manchester airframe was, however, solidly constructed.
A logical solution was to increase the wingspan and replace the two Vultures with four Merlin engines.
The engine originally developed by Rolls-Royce for the Beaufighter II was quickly adapted and fitted in underwing nacelles.
The prototype BT308 made its first flight on 9 January 1941 and soon proved to be an excellent aircraft with good handling and high lifting capacity.
Originally designated the Manchester III, it was soon renamed the Lancaster.
The general shape of the Lancaster remained the same throughout production, with the exception of the MK II, which used Bristol Hercules radial engines in case there was a shortage of Merlins.
The Mk I and III were similar and only differed in the type of Merlin engine installed.
The Mk III used the Merlin 28 built by Packard.
The Lancaster was used in bomber squadrons from early 1942 and quickly became the backbone of the RAF's Bomber Command.
The Grand Slam weighs over ten tons and is the heaviest aerial bomb used in war to date.
The explosive bomb filled with conventional explosives was developed at the end of 1944 and used by the British Air Force against large targets such as heavily armored bunkers and bridges during World War II.
As this weapon system was not available until the end of the war, it was only used 41 times, mainly against bridges and viaducts.
Its effect was devastating in each individual case: within a radius of about one hundred meters there was practically no chance of survival.
The pressure wave of the explosion caused an earthquake-like tremor when it detonated beneath the earth's surface, which also caused large buildings in the surrounding area to collapse.
On April 9, 1945, No. 617 Squadron attacked the Fink II submarine bunker in Hamburg with Tallboys and Grand Slams and scored several hits.

Plastic model kit
 

• Length 443 mm
• Wingspan 648 mm
• 344 parts
• with Grand Slam bomb
• 1 marking option
• color assembly instructions

Scale 1:48

unbuilt / unpainted

Paint and glue not included