Avro 652

A.V. Roe and Company

Industry	Aerospace
Founded	April 1, 1910 (1910-04-01)
Founder	Alliott Verdon Roe
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Aircraft (including Avro 652)

The Avro 652 was a British light airliner from the 1930s, developed by A.V. Roe and Company. This twin-engine, low-wing monoplane featured a retractable landing gear and a tailwheel configuration. Despite only two units being constructed, it served as the foundation for the later successful Avro Anson model.

Design and development

In 1933, Imperial Airways issued a requirement to Avro for a light airliner capable of carrying four passengers over distances up to 420 mi (676 km) at a cruising speed of approximately 130 mph (210 km/h). By August of that year, the design team led by Roy Chadwick had produced an initial concept. This design underwent modifications after Imperial Airways revised its specification to accommodate night mail flights between Karachi, Bombay, and Colombo. Following approval of the updated design, an order for two aircraft was placed in April 1934. The prototype took to the skies on 7 January 1935 and received certification in March of the same year.

Operational history

Both Avro 652 aircraft were delivered to Imperial Airways at Croydon Airport on 11 March 1935. They predominantly operated on the Croydon to Brindisi route. In 1938, these aircraft were sold to Air Service Training Ltd, a civilian firm working under contracts with the Air Ministry. At Hamble airfield, they were utilized by No.3 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School (E&RFTS) as navigation trainers. In November 1939, the two planes were reassigned to No. 11 Air Observers' Navigation School (AONS), continuing their service at Hamble. By March 1941, both were requisitioned by the Air Ministry and incorporated into RAF operations with No. 1 School of Photography. Subsequently, in July 1941, they transferred to the Fleet Air Arm, serving with 811 Squadron based at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus), until being removed from service in March 1942.

Aircraft

G-ACRM

Operated by Imperial Airways under the name Avalon, later assigned to the Fleet Air Arm with serial number DG655.

G-ACRN

Originally named Avatar and subsequently Ava while with Imperial Airways; later transferred to the Fleet Air Arm bearing serial DG656.

Operators

Template:UK

• Air Service Training
• Imperial Airways
• Royal Air Force
• Fleet Air Arm

Bibliography

• Sturtivant, Ray. 1988. The Anson File. Air-Britain ISBN 0-85130-156-8