Avro Lincoln B2
Serial Number:
RF398
Period:
Post-WWII
Collection Ref: 84/A/1182
Location: RAF Museum Cosford, War Planes
Just too late to see service during the Second World
War, the Lincoln became the mainstay of Bomber Command post-war, but was
destined for a short front line career as the Cold War and the jet age
brought the shortcomings of its performance into sharp relief.
The RAF's lack of an aircraft with sufficient range to be deployed in
the Pacific led the Air Ministry to suggest that AV Roe Limited design
an enlarged Lancaster to meet the requirement. The resulting Lincoln first
flew in June 1944. However, the need to maintain supplies of Lancasters
delayed production until 1945; the first production Lincolns reaching
No.57 Squadron in August. Lincolns were intended to join the Tiger Force
in the bombing of Japan but the war ended before they were needed.
583 Lincolns were built to equip around twenty squadrons. However, inferior
performance in the face of jet fighters and the need to be able to reach
targets behind the Iron Curtain saw their partial replacement with Boeing
Washingtons from 1950. The type saw action against communist terrorists
in Malaya in 1950 and Mau-Mau dissidents in Kenya from 1953, but Lincolns
were finally superseded by the jet V-Bomber force from 1955.
The last Lincolns in service were those engaged in radar development trials
with No.151 Squadron, Signals Command until May 1963.
