Lancaster engines?

[chips101]

Having enjoyed my Birthday the other day, I noticed I had a card which showed 5 Lancasters painted by Alex Williams. One of the Lancasters had radial engines! Did this ever happen?

[stevef]

Yes, it's right. the Lancaster MkII had Bristol Hercules radial engines.

[NutLoose]

As said yep, but its ceiling was lower if memory serves me right, meaning you would run into the target with everyone bombing above you........... yikes !!!!

[Maverick Laddie]

Yep but feel sorry for the guys in the Stirlings they had an even lower ceiling they had to risk bombs falling from Merlin and Hercules Lancs and the Halifax's

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

Halifax B Mk II

Interesting to note too that the 300 Halifax B Mk IIs built had Rolls-Royce Merlins instead of Bristol Hercules.

[CV880]

Bristol Hercules I worked on in my youth (from Bristol Freighters and HP Hastings) only had a single stage, single speed supercharger which reduced their power at altitude and limited their useful ceiling.
RR Merlins (at least later models) had a 2 stage, 2 speed blower system with intercooler which shifted to high speed at altitude to compendsate for reducing air density and restore power.