Library Reference Number: 068
Manchester L7300
Why this aircraft? Firstly, it was one of the six Manchesters that carried out the first operation by this aircraft type, on the 24th February 1941. The target was Brest. It was one of the first 27 Manchesters delivered to squadrons. They had no mid-upper turret and were considered to be not fully operational, and were packed off to OTUs, having completed only one or two operations, in some cases none at all. However, L7300 was fated to soldier on!
Secondly, as with all Manchesters it was fitted with the notorious Vulture engines which were subject to crankshaft bolt failure, piston rods smashing through the crankcase, fires erupting in engines, manifold burn-outs, the mechanism to feather the props often damaged and props could not be feathered. Another major failure occurred in the hydraulic system, a change in the pipe connections, these failed and leaks occurred. Turrets, bomb-doors, undercarriage etc were inoperable. L7300 defied all those hazards.
I first became acquainted with the Manchester in April 1941, and completed two ops with F/O Pinchbeck, DFC, then on 25th April was instructed to report to RAF Farnborough for an altitude test, along with another navigator. On our return I was dismayed to discover that my crew had failed to return from a bombing mission to Hamburg. It turned out that the aircraft had been hit by flak, one engine caught fire and the crew bailed out, all except Derek Pinchbeck who crash-landed the aircraft on a field, having leap-frogged a farm building before coming to rest! All the crew survived with minor injuries, but became P.O.Ws for the rest of the war.
My next skipper was F/O Stenner, DFC, and due to the misgivings of the Manchester, we operated as a test crew, carrying out 15 test flights in all, one with L7300. This was a 5 hour flight with full bomb-load at maximum height, experiencing engine problems on the flight. The serious engine problems had to be sorted out by Rolls-Royce, and after a further trip to Dusseldorf, the Manchester was grounded.
A posting to 49 Squadron followed, where I was promptly crewed up with a new crew and heading off to Bremen in an aircraft in which I had never flown before. A further 7 ops in 28 days and a return to 207 Squadrons' Manchesters, and the next trip to Berlin with F/O Bill Hills, DFM, our new skipper. Next trip to Duisberg with L7300, then a further 5 trips, all to major targets with this aircraft.
We had by this time taken a liking to this aircraft, despite it being one of the earliest produced. Possibly the lack of a mid-upper turret improved its performance. Then disaster struck! On a local flight from Bottesford to Waddington shortly after take-off, with a loud rumble and clatter the port engine failed. The prop was feathered, but the mechanism failed, leaving the prop windmilling. The throttle was advanced on the other engine, which brought about severe vibration of the engine and airframe, and this engine also packed up!!
A forced landing was inevitable, executed on a flat piece of ground bordering a small tree-lined lake. The Manchester ploughed on, straight into the lake. Its adventures in the skies were over. It gave the appearance of a beached whale, a sad end to an aircraft that had carried out 17 operations, including the most heavily defended targets. Such was the nature of this Jekyll and Hyde aircraft.
With an extended wing and four Merlin engines, the same aircraft was elevated in stature, and renamed the 'Lancaster.' - - Roy Chadwick's design was vindicated!
Manchester L730 was to gain notoriety for the wrong reason. It was in this aircraft when taking part in the Thousand' raid on Cologne on 30th May 1942, that P/O Leslie Manser displayed such heroism in staying with his crippled aircraft, long enough for his crew to bail out safely. For this selfless act of courage, P/O Leslie Manser was awarded a posthumous VC.