Avro 558
| Avro 558 | |
|---|---|
| Type: | Sport plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Commissioning: |
1923 |
| Number of pieces: |
2 |
The Avro 558 was a relatively small single-seat biplane from the British manufacturer Avro , by Avro chief designer Roy Chadwick , specially made for an endurance event for small aircraft, which took place in the period from 8th to 13th. October 1923 took place in Lympne .
Company boss Roe gave his designer a free hand in the development, but built a second model, the Avro 560 , for the same event .
history
Chadwick built two engine variants of his basic construction, which received the type designation Avro 558. Both aircraft took part in the competition. The first machine was equipped with an air-cooled B & H 2-cylinder V-motorcycle engine, which acted directly on the propeller shaft, the second machine was equipped with a 500 cm³ Douglas motorcycle engine with an intermediate gear (reduction via chain).
The second aircraft performed better and received a prize for the achieved flight altitude of about 4,221.5 m.
The first machine proved difficult to fly. After an emergency landing during the ongoing competition, the engine was replaced - a 698 cc Blackburn Tomtit engine was installed.
Both machines showed problematic landing characteristics in tall grass and on uneven slopes and were equipped with a modified landing gear in October 1923.
On October 27, 1923, the second machine took part in another flight competition in Hendon and achieved third place there.
construction
The Avro 558 was a single-handled biplane with a fabric-covered wooden fuselage, the wooden wings were also fabric-covered and had ailerons on all four surfaces. The landing gear consisted of a two-wheeled rigid main landing gear (depending on the version half embedded in the fuselage or with a long-legged V-landing gear) and a rigid tail spur.
Technical specifications
| Avro 558 | |
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| length | 5.94 m |
| Wingspan | 9.14 m |
| Wing area | 15.43 m² |
| Empty weight | 133.36 kg |
| Max. Weight in flight with a full tank | 217.72 kg |
| drive | a B&H 2 cylinder V motorcycle engine or a 500cc Douglas motorcycle engine or a 698cc Blackburn Tomtit engine (depending on the version) |
| crew | a pilot |
See also
literature
- AJ Jackson: British Civil Aircraft since 1919. Volume 1. Putnam, London 1974, ISBN 0-370-10006-9 .
- AJ Jackson: Avro Aircraft since 1908. Putnam Aeronautical Books, London 1990, ISBN 0-85177-834-8 .