Saunders-Roe Windhover
| Saunders-Roe Windhover | |
|---|---|
| Type: | Amphibious aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
October 16, 1930 |
| Production time: |
1930/1931 |
| Number of pieces: |
2 |
The Saunders-Roe A.21 Windhover was an amphibious aircraft made by the British manufacturer Saunders-Roe in the early 1930s. Only two of the six-passenger aircraft were built.
history
Saunders-Roe originally planned a three-engine version of the Cutty Sark . However, it turned out that the construction was not stable enough for the additional motor. This resulted in an enlarged, only slightly changed design.
The first flight of the A.21 / 1 prototype took place on October 16, 1930. It came into the possession of the Australian Mattews Aviation in 1931 and then operated the route from Melbourne to Tasmania . In 1936 it was badly damaged and was no longer used.
From the series version A.21 / 2 only a single copy was made. The aircraft, which was completed in July 1931, was sold to a private person after minor modifications and later changed hands several times. The last owner, Jersey Airways , put it out of service in 1938.
construction
The A.21 Windhover was a light flying boat with a metal hull and wings made of wood covered with fabric. It was designed as a cantilever high-wing aircraft. Three de Havilland Gipsy II engines were used as propulsion , which were located above the wings and above which an additional short wing was attached. If necessary, a partially retractable landing gear could be mounted on the fuselage. The Windhover had a closed cockpit for two pilots and a cabin for up to six passengers.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 |
| Passengers | 6th |
| length | 12.60 m |
| span | 16.60 m |
| height | 3.80 m |
| Wing area | 41.8 m² |
| Empty mass | 1650 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 2490 kg |
| Top speed | 177 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 3100 m |
| Engines | three four-cylinder in - line engines de Havilland Gipsy II with 90 kW (122 hp) each |
See also
literature
- A. Lumsden, T. Heffernan: Per mar probare (Part 8) - Saro Cloud and Windhover , Airplane Monthly, November 1987
Web links
- British Aircraft Directory
- Drawing and information (English)
- Photo ( Memento from May 3, 2003 in the Internet Archive )