Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #334462 in Books
• Published on: 1995-09-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 216 pages

Customer Reviews

Best aircraft history I have ever read
I picked up a copy of this book secondhand at a book fair. Midland Counties are always very sound publishers when it comes to their aviation books and this is certainly no exception. I have been reading books on aeroplanes almost from the moment I could read but this is one of the finest of them all.

That the Avro Manchester was a failure but yet spawned the very successful Avro Lancaster is well known by anyone who regards himself as an aviation buff - most of the same will know that the Manchester was let down by its Rolls Royce Vulture engines but how many of us really know and understand the myriad problems that afflicted these engines and the aircraft. How many of us know and understand the trials and courage of the Australian, British, Canadian and New Zealand Bomber Command aircrew who went out night after night on raids over Europe in an aircraft with such an appalling record for reliability.

This book provides a superb explanation of the aircraft's development and its technical dificulties in a way that is easy to understand but without being simplistic nor overly complex. There is yet a further review of the aircraft's operational deployment, the experiences of some Manchester crews and an examination of the cause of the loss of some aircraft. Printed on quality paper with many photos and illustrations it is thoroughly recomended to any student of aviation history, in particular to those with an interest in Bomber Command during WWII and the RAF, RCAF, RAAF and RNZAF aircrew who served in that Command.

I cannot speak highly enough of this book.

Comprehensive and compelling
My great uncle was killed in an Avro Manchester and after some slow research into what he did and what happened this excellent book provided a lot of the answers. From the development of the aircraft to it's deployment in Bomber Command the book is extremely thorough in technical details as well as managing to be personal. With all the fame that it is quite rightly attached to the Avro Lancaster it is important to remember where it came from and even more importantly remember the courage and sacrifices of the young men who flew the Avro Manchester all of whom knew the risks and flew in it rigardless. This book does that superbly!