▁success ▁resulting ▁in ▁eight ▁additional ▁Lanc aster ▁X s ▁being ▁converted . ▁The ▁" spe ci als " ▁were ▁power ed ▁by ▁Pack ard - built ▁Mer lin ▁ 3 8 ▁engines ▁and ▁featured ▁a ▁length ened , ▁stream lined ▁nose ▁and ▁tail ▁cone . ▁Range ▁was ▁increased ▁by ▁two ▁ 4 0 0   gal ▁( 1 , 8 1 8   L ) ▁Lanc aster ▁long - range ▁fuel ▁t anks ▁fitted ▁as ▁standard ▁in ▁the ▁bomb ▁bay . ▁These ▁Lan cast ri ans ▁were ▁used ▁by ▁T CA ▁on ▁its ▁Montreal – Pr est wick ▁route . ▁ ▁The ▁modification ▁of ▁abund ant ▁military ▁aircraft ▁into ▁des per ately ▁needed ▁civil ▁trans ports ▁was ▁common ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁in ▁the ▁immediate ▁post war ▁period : ▁the ▁Hand ley ▁Page ▁Hal ton ▁was ▁a ▁similar ▁conversion ▁of ▁the ▁Hal if ax ▁heavy ▁bom ber . ▁ ▁Oper ational ▁history ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁deliver ies ▁comm enced ▁of ▁ 3 0 ▁British - built ▁Lan cast ri ans ▁for ▁BO AC . ▁On ▁a ▁demonstr ation ▁flight ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁G - A GL F ▁fle w ▁ 1 3 , 5 0 0   mi ▁( 2 1 , 7 0 0   km ) ▁from ▁England ▁to ▁A uck land , ▁New ▁Zealand ▁in ▁three ▁days , ▁ 1 4 ▁hours ▁at ▁an ▁average ▁speed ▁of ▁ 2 2 0   m ph ▁( 3 5