Avro Andover
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1910 in United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Aircraft |
Template:Infobox aircraft Template:Confused The Avro Andover was a British military transport aircraft from the 1920s, constructed by Avro for service with the Royal Air Force. Only four units were produced, divided into two distinct models. Three aircraft designated as Type 561 functioned as airborne ambulances, while a single Type 563 served as a twelve-seat transport.
Design
In the early 1920s, the Royal Air Force sought to replace the aging Airco DH.10 Amiens used on the "Desert Air Route" between Cairo and Baghdad. Avro responded by developing the Avro Andover, a single-engine biplane intended to fulfill roles both as a passenger carrier and an air ambulance.
The fuselage featured a steel tube framework sheathed in canvas and plywood. Although the fuselage was newly designed, components such as the wings, undercarriage, and tail assembly were adapted from the Avro Aldershot bomber. The pilot and navigator occupied an open cockpit positioned beneath the leading edge of the upper wing, with an internal corridor connecting this cockpit to the passenger compartment. The cabin accommodated twelve passengers arranged six per side along a central aisle or alternatively six stretchers for medical evacuation.
Distinctive features included two prominent fuel tanks mounted atop the upper wings and dual exhaust stacks emanating from the Rolls-Royce Condor III powerplant.
Operations
The Avro Andover's maiden flight took place on 28 June 1924.Template:Fix/category[citation needed] After control of the "Desert Air Route" passed to Imperial Airways, the RAF did not place any orders. Consequently, Avro produced only three Type 561 units, which were assigned to RAF Halton, home of Princess Mary's RAF Hospital. Despite limited commercial uptake, Avro developed a single Type 563 variant featuring an added washroom and baggage space.
Following trial flights in March 1925 at Hamble and Gosport, this transport version was loaned to Imperial Airways for cross-Channel test flights during summer 1925. This marked the first occasion an Avro aircraft entered airline operations. Imperial Airways returned this aircraft to RAF custody in January 1927.
Operators
Specifications (Type 561)
References
- Jackson, A.J. Avro Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-834-8
External links
- Avro Andover – Directory of British Aircraft
- Century of Flight
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- 1920s British military transport aircraft
- Avro aircraft
- Single-engined tractor aircraft
- Biplanes
- Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear
- Aircraft first flown in 1924