Avro Lancaster Modification plate help

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Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 10,168

Hi Guys,
Can anyone shed any light as to what the mods that were listed on this mod plate are that was found during a Lancaster bomber dig??
[ATTACH=CONFIG]236903[/ATTACH]

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Original post

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 10,168

Bumping this to the top.. Of significance is the 101 in the upper right hand side I havent noticed on any other plates could this be squadron number?

Member for

16 years 2 months

Posts: 1,911

Hi Peter,

I don't have a complete Mod. List for the Lancaster and can only recognise one from those on the plate:-

Mod. 1065 Introduction of stiffening on outboard engine nacelle. My copy of AP2062A & C (original copy, updated later than the RAF Museum copy) also refers to, but does not describe Mod. 1023.

I don't recognise any of the Cxx Mods - they don't look A.V. Roe at all to me. That leads me to speculate whether this plate is actually from a sub-component, rather than part of the airframe? Maybe it's been stamped "683" to differentiate it from another, similar component from another airframe? Maybe the engine power egg (e.g. Lancaster, not Beaufighter)?

It's only a wild guess, though!

As for "101" referring to the Squadron, I'd be very surprised if it were.

As a last comment, I usually think Dowty when I see Part Nos, starting C.xxxx. I wonder if the Cxx Mods. might be for Dowty equipment incorporated in this component?

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 10,168

Thank you very much Alan for identifying at least one of the mod's listed. Do you know what the 1023 is at all? I found the C.xx reference a bit odd as nothing in the list I had hear came close. I am not sure where all of these were fitted to I do recall seeing them on the fin's rudders wing areas etc. I guess the mystery deepens somewhat?

Member for

18 years 3 months

Posts: 1,216

Peter
I concur with Air Min that this is a component data plate. The TYPE No. 683 is obviously the Avro type number for the Lancaster. What puzzles me is that the component part number does not appear on the plate just the serial number which would be a serial for that particular component, the small 2 at the top of the plate may mean that an adjacent plate had all the p/n data on it.. The mod plate looks as if it reflects the mods incorporated when the component was built, it would be difficult (without removing the plate)to stamp any new mod numbers so they were often written on by hand using a vibro etcher, just those incorporated during build being stamped.
Mods could be very minor changes in build such as one rivet hole being in a different position or different paint finish.
Richard

Member for

16 years 2 months

Posts: 1,911

Do you know what the 1023 is at all?

Nope, except that, whatever it is, it has a negligible effect on the C.G. (that's the only reference in Vol. I)

Member for

24 years 2 months

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Was it a Canadian Lanc Peter?

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 10,168

Thanks for the comments Richard and thanks Alan for the clarification. Elliot no it was a RAF lanc built at Metro Vickers.

Member for

11 years 3 months

Posts: 119

Hey,

Does anyone know if there a 'main' modification plate for the Lancaster, or would the wings/fuselage have their own plates etc?

Would you have to go a maintenance log/form to find out what modifications were done to a particular airframe for example?

Or is there anywhere on one of the surviving Lancasters you could see what mods were done that aircraft?

Thanks