"It deserves to be called the British He-177 and it's engines the British DB-606" That's a very appropriate comparison. As with the DB-606, the R-R "Vulture" engine was created by combining two V-12 engines on a single drive shaft to make an "X-24". Both the German and British engines had many problems, and neither ever worked out as well as expected. However, the British had the good sense to replace the two unsatisfactory "Vulture" engines in the Manchester with four very satisfactory "Merlin" engines to create the Lancaster, while the Germans persisted with the unsatisfactory DB-606.
Incidentally, the Hawker was also planning to use the "Vulture" engine in a fighter, which was to be called the "Tornado". Just as with the Manchester, however, that project was dropped and the aircraft became successful with a different engine, becoming known as the "Typhoon".
BHH, 27.08.2013 11:37
@dwaite A great bomber sure, but not better than the B-29.
Ruben de Jong, e-mail, 19.08.2013 19:05
replace the bad engines by Twin Wasps and you got the perfect medium bomber! i would call it " Lilicaster"
bombardier, e-mail, 25.05.2011 11:57
It deserves to be called the British He-177 and it's engines the British DB-606
dwaite, e-mail, 17.01.2011 21:40
take away two vulture engines & add four merlin engines & Uget the best heavy bomber of ww2 the AVRO LANCASTER better by far than any yank heavy bomber
paul, e-mail, 12.08.2010 23:19
My uncle was shot down flying a manchester bomber in the second world war he was flying over Essen
Chris, e-mail, 22.02.2010 19:26
I agree that the engines were not the best course of action also the colant pipes were not ataquitlly armord causing engine overheat.
APJones, e-mail, 03.02.2010 18:59
Silly me the plane in Cosford air museum is an AVRO Lincoln , similar loking but came into service at the end of the WW" not at the beginning like the Manchester
APJones, e-mail, 01.02.2010 18:51
There is a Manchester in RAF Cosford air museum (well worth going to - FREE entrance ) I was priveleged to sit in the pilots seat, would not like to have got out the plane in a hurry with a parachute on !
Graham Barnard, e-mail, 14.11.2009 23:48
Hi, An old friend of mine flew the Manchester bomber crashing in Norway at the beginning of WW11 He talked about reverse propellors, can you help me on that topic? Thanks Graham Barnard
stuart renshaw, e-mail, 13.05.2008 16:39
could you tell me there are any manchester bombers still flying as i was at my mums in romiley stockport on sat the 10/05/08 when an old bomber flew over but i couldnt quite make out what it was it looked like a manchester as it only had two engines could anyone help me
EMBER, e-mail, 23.12.2007 00:35
THE 'VULTURE' ENGINES WERE PROBABLY THE MOST DISSASTEROUS ENGINES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN INSTALED. UNDER-POWERED, PRON TO CUTTING OUT, AND OFTEN GIVING THE AIRCRAFT UNWANTED YAW, THE COMPANY WAS FORCED TO TRY NEW OUT FITTINGS AND ,IN THE END' BUILD ANOTHER AIRCRAFT ALL TOGETHER.
