Avro 539
| Avro 539 | |
|---|---|
| Type: | Sport plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
August 29, 1919 |
| Number of pieces: |
1 |
The Avro 539 was a single-engine, single-seat biplane - racing aircraft of the British manufacturer Avro . It was built to take part in the Schneider Trophy in 1919 .
history
The single-handled double-decker equipped with double floats, powered by a 240 hp (243.33 hp) Siddeley Puma engine, took off on its maiden flight on August 29, 1919. After the first test flights there was a need for changes in the area of the tail units, after these modifications the machine was given the designation 539A .
On September 19, 1919, the Schneider Trophy should take place in Bornemouth ; the 539A was intended as a reserve machine for the British crew. The event had to be canceled due to fog, and so the potential of the small plane could not be demonstrated on this occasion.
So Avro decided to use the machine at the Aerial Derby in Hendon on July 24, 1920. During the conversion to a land plane required for this, in addition to the landing gear assembly, the vertical stabilizer was modified and a streamlined headrest was installed.
Problems with the fuel supply occurred during the race, which resulted in an emergency landing. Then the machine was rebuilt again, which was then given the designation Avro 539B . A 450 hp (456.24 hp) Napier Lion engine with a 10 ft (3.05 m) propeller was installed, accompanied by a change in the cooling system.
The Napier engine had almost twice the power of the previously installed unit, but it also weighed twice as much as the Siddeley engine. In order to shift the center of gravity, the aircraft nose was shortened, the fuselage was reinforced with plywood and a stronger landing gear with rubber shock absorption was installed.
Equipped like this, Avro expected a success at the Aerial Derby 1921 . On July 13, 1921, three days before the race, the 539B took off on its first test flight. That was also the last flight of this hapless machine; on landing, the pilot touched down too late and, while coasting at high speed, got caught in the railroad tracks in front of the runway. The only Avro 539 ever made was completely destroyed.
Technical specifications
| Avro 539 | |
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| length | 6.50 m |
| height | 2.92 m (version with Siddeley Puma engine) 2.59 m (version with Napier Lion engine) |
| Wingspan up | 7.77 m |
| Wingspan below | 7.47 m |
| Wing area | 18.12 m² |
| Empty weight | 757.5 kg (float version) |
| Max. Weight in flight with a full tank | 961 kg (float version) |
| drive | a Siddeley Puma engine with an output of 243.33 PS (179.1 kW) (539, 539A) a Napier Lion engine with an output of 456.24 hp (335.6 kW) (539B) |