Avro 508
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | April 1, 1910 |
| Headquarters | Manchester , United Kingdom |
The Avro 508 was an early British reconnaissance aircraft prototype developed during the 1910s.
Development
Constructed at Avro’s Manchester facility in December 1913, the Avro 508 was subsequently assembled at Brooklands in January 1914. It was first presented to the public in Manchester that same month. This aircraft featured a distinctive wooden frame covered in fabric and employed a pusher biplane configuration with an unconventional design that appeared as a reversed version of the Avro 504. Both its upper and lower wings were three-bay structures of equal span, built from fabric-stretched wooden components.
Operational history
By March 1914, the Avro 508 had been completed and displayed at the Olympia Aero Show in London. Its maiden flight took place in April 1915 during official evaluations at Brooklands. Despite its development, the Royal Flying Corps did not adopt the sole prototype. Consequently, it served primarily as a training platform and engine testbed at Hendon Aerodrome until it was dismantled in April 1916.
Specifications
References
- "The Olympia Exhibition: Avro (A.V. Roe & Co.) on Display". Flight, 21 March 1914, pp. 295–297.
- Jackson, A.J. Avro Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-834-8.