Engineering:Avro 558
| Avro 558 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Ultralight Biplane |
| Manufacturer | A.V.Roe and Company Limited |
| First flight | 1923 |
| Introduction | 1923 |
| Number built | 2 |
The Avro 558 was a British single-engined ultralight biplane built by Avro at Hamble Aerodrome.
Design and development
The Avro 558 was designed for the 1923 light aircraft trials for single-seaters at Lympne Aerodrome. Two Avro 558 biplanes were built, they were biplanes powered by motorcycle engines (one with a B&H twin-cylinder air-cooled engine, the second with a 500 cc Douglas engine). The first aircraft was modified with a 698 cc (42.6 in³) Blackburne Tomtit and both had modifications to the landing gear.
Operational history
The aircraft did not win the competition, but the second aircraft went on to establish a world record for its class of aircraft of 13,850 ft (4,222 m) over Lympne on 13 October 1923.[1] It is not known what happened to the two aircraft, not having been reported since 1923.
Operators
United Kingdom
Specifications
Data from Avro Aircraft since 1908 [2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 19 ft 6 in (5.94 m)
- Wingspan: 30 ft 0 in (9.14 m)
- Wing area: 166 sq ft (15.4 m2)
- Empty weight: 294 lb (133 kg)
- Gross weight: 480 lb (218 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Douglas 500cc air-cooled motorcycle engine, 18 hp (13 kW) [3]
- Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller
Performance
- Service ceiling: 13,850 ft (4,220 m)
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
References
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). Orbis Publishing.
- "The Light 'Plane Competitions at Lympne, Oct 8–13: Twenty-Eight Machines Entered". Flight XV (771): 602–611. 4 October 1923. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1923/1923%20-%200602.html.
- Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10006-9.
- Jackson, A.J. (1990). Avro Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books. ISBN 0-85177-834-8.
- Riding, Richard (July 1984). "British pre-war ultra-lights: No. 40: Avro 558". Aeroplane Monthly 12 (7): 386–388. ISSN 0143-7240.
External links
- Avro 558 – British Aircraft Directory
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