Editing Avro Manchester (section)

{{Short description|British twin-engine heavy bomber}}
{{About|the Second World War bomber|the First World War biplane|Avro 533 Manchester}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox aircraft
 |name = Manchester
 |image = File:Avro Manchester ExCC.jpg
 |image_border = yes
 |caption = Avro Manchester Mk.1A 'L7486' (with extended tail fins)
 |type = Heavy bomber
 |national_origin = United Kingdom
 |manufacturer = [[Avro]]
 |designer =
 |first_flight = 25 July 1939
 |introduction = November 1940
 |retired = 1942
 |status =
 |primary_user = [[Royal Air Force]]
 |more_users = [[Royal Canadian Air Force]]
 |produced = 1940–1941
 |number_built = 209
 |unit cost =
 |variants =
 |developed_into = [[Avro Lancaster]]
}}

The '''Avro 679 Manchester''' was a British twin-engine [[heavy bomber]] developed and manufactured by the [[Avro]] aircraft company in the United Kingdom. While not being built in great numbers, it was the forerunner of the more famed and more successful four-engined [[Avro Lancaster]], which was one of the most capable [[strategic bomber]]s of the [[Second World War]].

Avro designed the Manchester in conformance with the requirements laid out by the British [[Air Ministry]] [[List of Air Ministry Specifications|Specification P.13/36]], which sought a capable [[medium bomber]] with which to equip the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF) and to replace its twin-engine bombers, such as the [[Armstrong Whitworth Whitley]], [[Handley Page Hampden]] and [[Vickers Wellington]]. Performing its [[maiden flight]] on 25 July 1939, the Manchester entered squadron service in November 1940, just over twelve months after the outbreak of the war.

Operated by the RAF and the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] (RCAF), the Manchester came to be regarded as a failure, primarily as a result of its [[Rolls-Royce Vulture]] engines, which were underdeveloped and hence underpowered and unreliable, and production was terminated in 1941. The Manchester was redesigned as a four-engined heavy bomber, powered by the [[Rolls-Royce Merlin]] engine instead, which became known as the Lancaster.