Avro Athena

Avro

Industry	Aerospace, Defence
Founded	1910
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Aircraft

The Avro 701 Athena was a British advanced training aircraft developed by Avro during the late 1940s. Intended to succeed the North American Harvard in service with the Royal Air Force, it ultimately saw limited procurement, as the competing Boulton Paul Balliol was favoured.

Design and development

Created to satisfy the Air Ministry Specification T.7/45, the Athena was specified as a three-seat advanced trainer powered by a turboprop engine for RAF use. It featured an all-metal construction with a low-wing monoplane design and a side-by-side cockpit configuration. However, in 1947, the Air Ministry revised its requirements, replacing the initial specification with Specification T.14/47, which called for installation of a Rolls-Royce Merlin 35 piston engine, reflecting the availability of substantial Merlin engine reserves.

Despite this shift in specification, the first three prototypes remained turboprop-powered Athena T.1 models, with the initial prototype powered by an Armstrong Siddeley Mamba engine making its maiden flight on 12 June 1948 at Woodford Aerodrome. The Merlin-powered Athena T.2 followed, taking to the air on 1 August 1948, and underwent evaluation alongside the similar Boulton Paul Balliol.

Although an initial production batch of 15 Athenas was commissioned by the RAF, preference was ultimately given to the Balliol, resulting in no further orders for the Athena.

Operational history

From 1950 onwards, the RAF operated the 15 production Athenas primarily for armament training at the RAF Flying College based at RAF Manby. One aircraft was temporarily loaned to Avro, receiving the civil registration G-ALWA for a promotional tour across India. This effort did not lead to any sales, and the aircraft was subsequently returned to RAF service.

Variants

Athena T.Mk.1

Prototype featuring a turboprop engine. Equipped with a single 1,010 hp (750 kW) Armstrong Siddeley ASM.3 Mamba powerplant. Two units constructed.

Athena T.Mk.1A

Single prototype powered by a 1,400 hp (1,000 kW) Rolls-Royce RDa.1 Dart engine. This was the second prototype to take flight.

Athena T.Mk.2

Trainer developed to meet Specification T.14/47, utilizing a 1,280 hp (950 kW) Rolls-Royce Merlin 35 engine. Comprised of four prototypes and 15 production models.

Operators

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• Royal Air Force
  • Aircraft Instrument Experimental Unit, Martlesham Heath (operated one T2 in 1951)
  • Central Flying School, Little Rissington (operated two T2s during 1949-1950)
  • Empire Test Pilot's School, Farnborough (utilized one T2 for development purposes)
  • Royal Aircraft Establishment (operated two aircraft)
  • RAF College at Manby (employed ten aircraft from 1950 to 1955)

Accidents and incidents

Out of 22 produced aircraft, two were lost due to accidents:

• T2 VR569 from the Aircraft Instrument Experimental Unit was destroyed in an accident at Wilby, Suffolk on 27 June 1951. The aircraft disintegrated during a spiral dive after control was lost in cloud cover, resulting in the deaths of both crew members.
• T2 VR570 crashed prior to its delivery on 20 March 1950.