This book, the most comprehensive chronicle of a British bomber ever attempted, with over half a million words, details how the Lancaster came into being and fulfilled the high expectations of those who designed it. Characteristics Book cover finish Hardcover ( square back binding ) Special features Dust jacket Condition Used good Number of pages 440 Published date 1989 Language English Size 20.5 x 28 x 3 cm Author Francis K. Mason Editor Aston Publications Ltd Description For more than three years during the Second World War, the Avro Lancaster heavy bomber was Britain’s primary weapon against Nazi Germany. Royal Air Force Bomber Command was the only force capable of carrying the war continuously—day after day, night after night—into the heart of enemy territory. More than one million men and women were involved in designing, building, flying, servicing, and supporting these mighty bombers, which, along with their legendary crews, gained fame for their devastating attacks on the European mainland. Synonymous with the Lancaster were the great bomber battles: the Ruhr, Hamburg, and Berlin raids; the famous Dam Busters raid; and missions against Augsburg, Le Creusot, Nuremberg, Peenemünde, Düsseldorf, Essen, and Munich. In the pre-nuclear age, weapons like the Tallboy and Grand Slam bombs represented the ultimate force for destroying heavily fortified targets such as the battleship Tirpitz and U-boat pens that threatened Britain’s control of the seas. Only the Lancaster could deliver these powerful bombs. Equally unforgettable are the men who flew the Lancaster night after night, enduring long flights into perilous skies filled with enemy fighters, flak, and severe weather, risking collision and enduring hours of cold, cramped discomfort. Some names are etched in history: more Victoria Crosses were awarded to Lancaster aircrew than to any other Allied airmen. Who has not heard of Leonard Cheshire, Guy Gibson, or John Nettleton? These courageous crews—from all walks of life, from every Commonwealth nation, and beyond—flew over 150,000 sorties into enemy skies, suffering the highest casualty rate of any branch of the British armed forces. For those who survived and can say, “I flew in Lancasters during the war,” that alone is a badge of unwavering courage and determination in the face of daunting odds. Nor should we forget the countless ground personnel—men and women working long hours, often in primitive conditions and harsh weather, whose dedication and skill saved countless lives. This book, the most comprehensive chronicle of a British bomber ever attempted, with over half a million words, details how the Lancaster came into being and fulfilled the high expectations of those who designed it. It traces the unwavering belief of men like Trenchard between the wars that the heavy bomber was the Royal Air Force’s ultimate purpose. By 1936, as the threat of war with Germany loomed, Britain had no aircraft capable of delivering a meaningful payload to enemy targets. Out of this need came the famous trio of British heavy bombers: the Stirling, Halifax, and Lancaster. By the end of the war, 60 of Bomber Command’s 80 heavy bomber squadrons were equipped with Lancasters; over 1,300 of the 1,850 British heavy bombers were Lancasters. Though the Lancaster may not have won the war alone, in the hands of thousands of young men, it was undoubtedly Britain’s single most decisive weapon. Even a book of this size cannot possibly capture every act of courage and adventure, even if all were known. Each of over a million "man-sorties" represented an individual’s journey into the unknown, yet the author has included references to all the most significant raids in an extraordinary compilation of individual "histories" for every Lancaster ever built—over 7,000 in total—with mention of several thousand individual crew members for easy reference, separately indexed. The book is richly illustrated, featuring hundreds of photographs (many from previously untapped sources), along with maps and diagrams. A dedicated chapter includes cutaway and general arrangement drawings, created by the author in color, offering detailed insights into the Lancaster. More than a thousand hours of meticulous research among official records were supplemented by hundreds of letters from Lancaster veterans—the men who built and flew this remarkable aircraft. To these individuals, and to the tens of thousands who sacrificed their lives in the dark skies over Nazi Germany almost half a century ago, this book serves as a fitting tribute. Frank Mason, with over eighty hardback titles to his name, ranks among the foremost aviation historians. Over the past forty years, he has designed, built, flown, restored, unearthed, painted, written about, broadcast on, and lectured on aircraft. He modestly claims to only now be writing with true authority! His extensive privately-owned archive includes biographical entries for more than 60,000 figures in global aviation since 1896, amassed through extensive travels for research. Among the companies he founded is the renowned Profile Publications Ltd., established in the 1960s. Having served eight years in the Royal Air Force—during which he flew night fighters—and another eight years at Hawker Aircraft Ltd. under the legendary Sir Sydney Camm, Mason became particularly known for his writing on fighter aircraft, a reputation supported by his bestselling book Battle Over Britain, soon to be reissued by Aston Publications Ltd. When approached to write the Lancaster book, he initially hesitated, remarking, “The Lancaster wasn’t just an aircraft; it was an institution, and it had too many engines.” Mason is married and has three grown children; one of them, Christopher, introduced him to the wonders of the computer—without which this book could not have been undertaken. Although he resides in rural Norfolk, deep in “bomber country,” he is a Freeman of the City of London and holds fellowships with several esteemed institutions. Source: Publisher's summary printed on the cover
