Armstrong Whitworth A.W.23

Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft

Industry	Aerospace
Founder	John Lloyd (chief designer)
Headquarters	Coventry , United Kingdom
Products	Aircraft, including the A.W.23

Design and development

Specification C.26/31 called for a versatile aircraft capable of serving both as a bomber and transport, with an emphasis on the transport function, intended for use by the Royal Air Force (RAF). To satisfy this requirement, John Lloyd, Armstrong Whitworth’s chief designer, developed the A.W.23, which competed against the Handley Page H.P.51 and the Bristol Bombay.

The A.W.23 featured a low-wing monoplane configuration powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Tiger radial engines. Its fuselage was constructed from steel tubing covered with fabric, designed to accommodate a spacious cabin for transport duties while also incorporating internal bomb racks beneath the floor to fulfill its bombing role. The wings employed an innovative structure patented by Armstrong Whitworth, consisting of a robust light alloy box spar reinforced internally with steel tubing. Although this design provided exceptional strength, it necessitated a thick wing profile that increased aerodynamic drag. This wing construction was later utilized in the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bomber. Notably, the A.W.23 was Armstrong Whitworth’s first aircraft to incorporate retractable landing gear.

The sole prototype, registered as K3585, had its maiden flight on 4 June 1935. Delays in delivery to the RAF for evaluation were caused by issues with the reliability of its Tiger engines, ultimately leading to the Bristol Bombay being selected to fulfill specification C.26/31. In May 1939, the prototype received the civil registration G-AFRX and was subsequently employed by Flight Refuelling Ltd in developing inflight refuelling techniques alongside the Short Empire flying boat. In February 1940, it participated in pioneering night refuelling trials—the first of their kind globally. The aircraft met its end during a German air raid on Ford airfield in June 1940.

Operators

• Flight Refuelling Ltd
• Royal Air Force