Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle
| Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | bomber |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
March 20, 1940 |
| Production time: |
1941-1945 |
| Number of pieces: |
602 |
The Armstrong Whitworth AW41 Albemarle was a British bomber from the time of World War II , that of Armstrong Whitworth in accordance with specification B.18 / 38 of the Air Ministry ( Air Ministry ) was designed.
Construction and construction
The twin-engined medium bomber should be made of wood and metal , because its manufacture should also be possible by companies that did not belong to the aircraft industry. Two prototypes were produced, the second (RAF serial number P1361) made its maiden flight on March 20, 1939. The production of all 600 aircraft was transferred to AW Hawkesley Ltd in Gloucester . Only the first 32 ("Mk I Series I") were designed as bombers. A crew of six men was planned, including a gunner for the quadruple turret on the back of the hull and the retractable twin turret on the underside of the hull. The hull back tower was shifted slightly to the left to enlarge the passage in the hull. The Albemarle was the first English war aircraft with retractable nose wheel landing gear , but it also had a rigid tail wheel , which was supposed to protect the stern from damage in the event of any ground contact. The first aircraft in the series was completed in December 1941.
commitment
As the first transport unit, the 511 Squadron in RAF Lyneham received the Albemarle in November 1942. In January 1943, deliveries as reconnaissance bombers to the 295th Squadron in Harwell began . The albemarle was never used in its intended way. As more seasons that put the 296th , 297th and 570th Squadron in England and North Africa an Albemarle.
Many Albemarle were used in the Allied landings in Sicily (July 1943), Normandy (June 1944) and near Arnhem (September 1944). The 297th Squadron served from August 1943 in the run-up to Operation Overlord of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the 295th 296th and 570th Squadrons dropped equipment for the Resistance over France. In addition to paratrooper missions on D-Day, the guy was also used as a tug by the 296th and 297th squadrons in Operation Market Garden.
It was also used in small numbers by the 161st and 511th Squadron . 14 Albemarle were delivered to the Soviet Air Force in March and April 1943 , two of which were lost in the transfer.
variants
- Albermarle Mk.I : The first 32 aircraft were designed as bombers. There were also the versions GT (General Transport) and ST (Special Transport), the latter with a starboard cargo loading door; 99 ST.Mk.1 and 69 GT.Mk.1. These were further divided into series according to their tasks or their equipment. The eight ST Mk I Series 1 had only two rear MGs , which were covered by a sliding roof, and the 14 ST Mk I Series 2 had Macolm devices for towing gliders .
- Albermarle Mk.II : The Mk.II, an ST version for ten paratroopers and equipped with Bristol Hercules XI engines; 99 converted ST.Mk.II.
- Albermarle Mk.III : There was, however, a project for a Mk III with Merlin engines.
- Albermarle Mk.IV : A Mk IV was built with a 1600 hp Wright R-2600 -A5B Double Cyclone.
- Albermarle Mk.V : The Mk.V was similar to the Mk.II but had a device for draining fuel and was fitted with Bristol-Hercules XI engines; 49 converted ST.Mk.V.
- Albermarle Mk.VI : The ST Mk VI were similar to the Series 1, only they had a cargo door on the rear right side of the fuselage. The GT Mk VI corresponded to the Series 2, but with additional radio equipment and without armament on the top of the fuselage; 133 ST.Mk.VI and 117 GT.Mk.V1 built
Production numbers
The Albemarle was built in Great Britain at AW Hawksley in Gloucester.
| version | number |
|---|---|
| Mk I | 199 |
| Mk II | 99 |
| Mk IV | 1 |
| Mk V | 48 |
| Mk VI | 251 |
| total | 598 |
| year | number |
|---|---|
| 1941 | 3 |
| 1942 | 163 |
| 1943 | 132 |
| 1944 | 219 |
| until July 31, 1945 | 81 |
| total | 598 |
Military use
-
Soviet Union
- 12 copies were delivered
-
United Kingdom
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 4th |
| Passengers | 10 parachutists as dropping aircraft |
| length | 18.26 m |
| span | 23.47 m |
| height | 4.75 m |
| Wing area | 74.6 m² |
| Empty mass | 10,270 kg |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 16,556 kg |
| Cruising speed | 274 km / h |
| Top speed | 426 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 5486 m |
| Range | 2092 km |
| Engines | 2 × radial engines Bristol Hercules XI with 1190 kW each |
| Armament | 4 × 7.7 mm Browning machine guns 2041 kg bombs |
See also
literature
- Michael JF Bowyer: Aircraft for the Royal Air Force. The "Griffon" Spitfire. The Albemarle Bomber. The Shetland Flying Boat. Faber & Faber, London 1980, ISBN 0-571-11515-2 .
- Tony Buttler: British Secret Projects. Fighters and Bombers 1935-1950. Midland Publishing, Hinckley 2004, ISBN 1-85780-179-2 .
- Francis K. Mason: The British Bomber since 1914. Putnam Aeronautical Books, London 1994, ISBN 0-85177-861-5 .
- Eric B. Morgan: Albemarle. Twentyfirst Profile, Volume 1, No. 11., 21st Profile Ltd. New Milton, ISSN 0961-8120 .
- Oliver Tapper: Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft since 1913. Putnam, London 1988, ISBN 0-85177-826-7 .
- Ray Williams: The Unloved Albemarle. Air Enthusiast, Thurty-nine, May-August 1989, ISSN 0143-5450 , pp. 29-42.
- Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle. Flight, Jan 27, 1944, pp. 87-91.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Archive link ( Memento from April 25, 2017 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Hans-Joachim Mau, Hans Heiri Stapfer: Under the Red Star - Lend Lease Aircraft for the Soviet Union 1941-1945. Transpress, Berlin 1991, ISBN 3-344-70710-8 , pp. 139-141.
- ↑ a b National Archives, Kew, stock AVIA 10/311