AVRO 691 Lancastrians in World Service

(Monochrome Photograph showing - The first Lancastrian Mk.1 supplied to British Overseas Airways in February 1945.)

British commitments in the Far East and India were met by the RAF flying Lancastrian C.Mk2's, able to carry nine passengers with services commencing in October 1945. Later these aircraft were supplemented by 10 to 12 seat Lancastrian C.Mk.4's.

The 82nd and last, Lancastrian was delivered from Woodford in May 1947 to go into civilian airline service, with five going to the Italian operator Alitalia while others were delivered to Silver City Airways and Skyways. The latter airline operated Lancastrians on long-distance charters and their East African subsidiary from March 1948 until April 1949.

In 1948 Flight Refuelling Limited (FRL) converted five Lancastrians and a further four from Canada to deliver petrol and diesel in the Berlin Air Lift. In addition, five Skyways tankers combined with those of FRL made almost 6,000 sorties during the blockade.

Lancastrian C.Mk.2s began a new career in the RAF as navigational trainers with the Empire Air Navigation School (EANS) with many long distance record breaking flights including the first aircraft to circumnavigate the world in less than a week.

(Monochrome Photograph showing - One of the three Lancastrian C.Mk.4 supplied to Flota Aerea Mercante, Argentina which were later taken over by the Argentine Air Force and used as VIP transports.)