Avro Lancaster - Flight Engineer’s Position

[@DDubya004]

Thank you for this video. I'm a Flight Engineer and I just wanted to say these guys were legends. I feel Flight Engineers never get much credit. Thank you, those men were heroic.

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

Thanks for watching

[@donvanvliet9477]

This is superb, many thanks. The Canadian panel seems to be a foretaste of the flat screen displays we now see in cars!.

[@tobiasjay5948]

I would like to say a big thank you for putting your time into this video. For years I have wanted to find a video like this. my reason is my grate grandfather was an flight engineer and he was kia in a Lancaster over Norway. thank you so much 👍

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

You're very welcome, Toby! Thanks for watching - I have many more videos coming in the future.

[@greybeardmodels]

Another great video Bryan, more useful information. Thanks for sharing 👍🍻

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@pontymike56]

another great video

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

Thanks for the visit

[@scratchdog2216]

4:40 The old surplus instruments I've played with glow bright orange when illuminated. Argon bulb I believe but correct me if I'm wrong.

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

Sounds correct, thanks for watching

[@davegoldsmith4020]

Good one Bryan, I always thought the Engineers seat a bit flimsy. Imagine sitting on that if the pilot had to corkscrew!

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

Thanks Dave

[@judebrad]

So important, that they gave him the Dicky seat.

[@judebrad]

Interesting to see the temperatures are in Centigrade.

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

Thanks for watching

[@patfontaine5917]

These just keep getting better and better. I really liked how you first showed the book view of the gauges, and then a photo of the same. Thanks! A quick question - how long did it take to fully train up a flight engineer?

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

A good question, if I find out, I'll let you know. Thanks for watching

[@craigdavid7792]

The Flight Engineer was a busy man.

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

He sure was, and so am I! Thanks for watching!

[@markorollo.]

I've said this on so many Lancaster videos I'm not sure I've already said this on yours so apologies if I'm repeating myself. But I live in Chadderton, Oldham, about a mile from an old Avro factory where they built Lancasters, I think it's an electrical company or something that owns it now, if you didn't already know the history of it and visited the area you wouldn't have a clue about it. Nothing commemorates it except maybe a blue plaque on the factory wall. Needs something.

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

Yes it does, and thanks for watching

[@tonymax6632]

Excellent series of videos you’ve produced on the Lancaster. The Flt Eng video particularly interests me. One question I have though. The Flt Eng usually has to synchronise the engines shortly after take off (and monitor them hereafter). I am guessing that this is simply adjusting the throttles of individual engines such that they show all the same RPM on their appropriate dials. Or is there something more complex involved?

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

You pair engines in turn by ear until they all are in synch. The noise from out of sync props is extremely loud. Move one prop lever of the pair to slow the beat to zero, if the beat goes faster move the prop lever the other way. For some bouncing bomb test drops the props were also in phase in the recorded cine film, perhaps test aircraft had engine oscilloscopes. [If the props have a 2Hz beat the blades per second are 2 out, = 2 X 60/(3 X 0.42) = engine 95 rpm difference (2 blades difference, 60 seconds, 3 blade propeller and 0.42 reduction gearbox)].

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

The Flight Engineer's tasks would include assisting the Pilot during start-up and take off, and to continually monitor the engines, pressures, temperatures, propeller and electrical systems. During operations, his job was very complex, ensuring the aircraft was functioning correctly, and in an emergency, to quickly determine the correct course of action and advise the pilot. Thanks for watching.

[@tonymax6632]

@@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935 Thank you very much. Great in depth answer. Just what I was hoping for. I will have a play with the math and see what various answers I can get with with various RPMs. (Hope maybe, to graph it in my laptop’s spreadsheet..!). Thanks once again.

[@tonymax6632]

@@ukaircraftexplored6556 Thank you for your answer. I did try to get in to RAF as Air Eng (the contemporary label at that time). I hoped that my engineering qualification would give me a bit of a leg up. Keen to get in as my father refused to endorse me to go in when I left school (under 18 thing at the time). But alas, I had one school qualification amiss, so went back to college to fix that up. Two years at night school failed to produce the qualification and then my age was past the 23 & 2/3years (odd age cut off!!). So I stayed grounded and in civi street.. ce est la vie…!!! Thank you once again for your excellent videos. Take care.

[@LaMiltonTheHoodrat]

They still have this job for some larger, older cargo gets and older C-130s. Plan's to finish this enlistment with the Army and go Air Guard to do this job

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

Thanks for sharing!

[@gerryellis3847]

What are oil dilution buttons for?

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

Please see my Video - Avro Lancaster - The Oil System, it answers your question. Thanks for watching

[@richardschaffer5588]

The engine oil was diluted with fuel to temporarily reduce the viscosity of the oil when starting in cold weather. The fuel evaporates when the engine reaches operating temperature. Modern oils often have additives to do this.

[@PeteBetter]

I don't know how the flight engineer was supposed to be able to see the control panel, let alone work the controls.

[@ukaircraftexplored6556]

There was a filtered lamp attached to the Flight Engineer's panel at the top. Thanks for watching Peter!

[@PeteBetter]

@@ukaircraftexplored6556 Thanks for the information. I was more concerned with the location of the control panel. It appears to me that it is behind the engineers seat, where he can see or touch it easily.