In the 1980s, Jane's of London initiated an art project. It teamed great writers and a magician of light and shadow to profile famous WW II airplanes while telling combat episodes of their pilots. This is the workhorse of the RAF night campaign against Germany. Successor to ill-fated Manchester, it was like other British heavies in having one very large bomb bay, enclosed by two doors. This allowed a wide variety of loads: 250, 500, 1000, 4000, 8000 lb, all the way up to 22,000 lb 'Grand Slam' bomb (not to forget the Dam-buster bombs). Even the B-29 Superfortress used two separate bays. (See bay sideviews on p.23) Lancs were equipped with either four superb RR Merlin, or Bristol Hercules engines. It carried great loads, was economical and loved by its crews.
Its' adversaries flew an assortment of radar and non-radar aircraft: FW 190s, Me 109s, 110s, Ju 88s, 188s, Heinkel 219s, and a few advanced types late in the war. In a chase, you could duke it out with the tail gunners, or try to approach the bomber undetected. Those painted to blend into the gray/white view below could approach the undefended belly of most and shoot special guns (called Shrage Musik- Jazz Music) upward into the vulnerable wings. The best defense was alertness and readiness to fly a wild path and so lose the pursuer.
Good foldout on pages 10-16, and different versions in sideview on pgs 33-40.
See also: Legend of the Lancasters: The Bomber War from England 1942-45,The Dambusters,Other Battle: Luftwaffe Night Aces vs. Bomber Command.