Armstrong Whitworth Ara
| Industry | Aircraft manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Aircraft |
| name = Ara | aircraft_type = Fighter | national_origin = United Kingdom | manufacturer = Armstrong-Whitworth | designer = Fred Murphy | status = Prototype | number_built = 2 | first_flight = 1919
The Armstrong Whitworth Ara was a British single-seat biplane fighter developed during the First World War by Armstrong Whitworth. Despite its design, it failed to achieve operational success.
Design and development
In early 1918, the British Air Ministry issued RAF Specification Type 1, calling for a new single-seat fighter to supersede the Sopwith Snipe. This specification mandated the use of the ABC Dragonfly, an innovative radial engine that had been ordered for production based solely on projected performance figures, before undergoing any formal testing. To satisfy this requirement, Armstrong Whitworth's lead designer, Fred Murphy, created the Ara, with an initial order placed for three prototypes.
The Ara featured a two-bay biplane configuration with a boxy fuselage. Its engine was enclosed within a streamlined pointed cowling that left the cylinder heads exposed. The upper wing was positioned low to enhance the pilot’s upward field of vision.
Similar to other fighters developed under the Type 1 specification, the Ara was ultimately hampered by the unreliable Dragonfly engine. Of the three prototypes ordered, only two were completed, with the first flight occurring in mid-1919. The project was discontinued later that year following Armstrong Whitworth's decision to close its aircraft division.
Specifications
See also
Notes
References
- Bruce, J.M. (1965). War Planes of the First World War:Volume One: Fighters. London: Macdonald.
- Mason, Francis K. (1992). British Fighters since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1990). Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War I. London: Studio Editions. p. 49.