Due to the importance of Lancaster production, York output proceeded slowly until 1944, after which a higher priority was placed upon transport aircraft.

A number of the type were used as air transports of heads of state and government; VIPs who flew on Yorks included British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, French General Charles de Gaulle, Indian Governor-General Lord Mountbatten and South African Prime Minister Jan Smuts.

The company's decision to embark on this venture was considered to be ambitious, especially as the development project operated with no official backing early on.

[1] Roy Chadwick, Avro's chief designer, had foreseen a need for a transport aircraft that was powered by four engines and would be capable of flying for long distances.

However, flight testing found that the York was unsuited to this role, due to the slipstream wash drawing the parachutes towards the fixed tailwheel, posing an entanglement risk.

[5] Initial assembly and testing of production Yorks, which were principally destined for service with the RAF at that time, was performed at Ringway, reaching its peak in 1945; these activities later being transferred to facilities in Yeadon, Leeds and Woodford, Cheshire, where work was undertaken at a slower pace.

[6] This aircraft would later be purchased by Skyways Ltd.[7] The Avro York was a high-wing cantilever monoplane, using an all-metal construction, with many similarities to the Lancaster from which it was derived.

[8] Each engine drove a three-bladed constant-speed fully feathering metal propeller, manufactured by de Havilland Hydromatic.

Passengers were subjected to very noisy conditions due to the aircraft's engines,[10] but from a pilot's perspective, the York was reasonably pleasant to fly.

[5] In total, in excess of 1,000,000 tons was carried by the York fleet;[12] the type had borne close to half of the British contribution, alongside other aircraft such as the Douglas Dakota and Handley Page Hastings.

Following the end of the Airlift, the RAF retired much of its York fleet; around 40 of these were sold onto civilian operators while many others were scrapped due to the onset of corrosion.

[10] On 21 February 1944, the first civilian York (G-AGJA), initially built for the RAF as MW103, received its airworthiness certificate, thus clearing its delivery shortly thereafter to BOAC.

216 Group RAF; this led to some early Yorks bearing a confusing combination of both civilian registrations and military external markings.

[5] In the post-war years, BOAC expanded its use of the York considerably, such as on its Cairo to Durban service, which had previously been operated by Shorts flying boats.

One of the prototypes, LV633, Ascalon, was custom-built as the personal transport and flying conference room for King George VI and Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

It also had a telephone, an instrument panel, drinking facilities and an ashtray with room for cigars, a thermos flask, newspapers and books.

It was considered for installation in the successor aircraft, a Douglas C-54B but the contractor Armstrong Whitworth decided it was impractical and the project was shelved.

[23] Another York, MW102 was fitted out as a "flying office" for the use of the Viceroy of India and C-in-C South East Asia Command, Lord Mountbatten.

During its first major overhaul by Avro at Manchester (Ringway) in 1945, the aircraft was repainted a light duck egg green, a shade intended to cool down the aeroplane, instead of its former normal camouflage colour scheme.

[34] Displayed at the Imperial War Museum Duxford: Avro 685 York C1, G-ANTK is an ex-Dan Air London aircraft.

It joined the fleet of Allied aircraft engaged in the Berlin Airlift and in May 1947, the York moved to 511 Squadron at Lyneham, where it served until May 1950 when it was used by Fairey Aviation for flight refuelling research.

:[36] Data from Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II,[44] The Avro York[45] & Berlin Airlift[46]General characteristics Performance