Biggest bird

The made-in-Australia Avro Lincoln

The Avro 694 Lincoln prototype, RAF serial PW925, had its maiden flight from Ringway, Manchester on June 9 1944. Developed from the Lancaster, the aircraft was originally intended to be designated Lancaster Mk. IV or V depending on powerplants, but was renamed Lincoln. Lincolns were built in Britain by Avro, Metropolitan-Vickers and Armstrong-Whitworth, in Canada by Victory Aircraft (one example only) and in Australia by the Government Aircraft Factories (GAF) in Melbourne.

Australia built two basic Lincoln versions, the Mk. 30 and Mk. 31 long-nose derivative. Initial Australian Mk. 30 production comprised five aircraft assembled from British-built components with the first aircraft, A73-1, first flown on March 12 1946. The first fully Australian-built example, A73-6 saw its logbooks handed over to AVM G Jones by GAF Director M B Woodfull on November 6 1946. A total of 73 Australian-assembled/built Lincolns were delivered, with the final aircraft A73-73 on September 23 1953. The Lincoln was the largest aircraft built in Australia.