Avro Type D

Avro

Industry	Aviation
Founded	1908
Founder	A.V. Roe
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Aircraft

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The Avro Type D was an aircraft constructed in 1911 by the British aviation pioneer A.V. Roe. Prior to this, Roe had designed and flown several aircraft at Brooklands, predominantly tractor-configured triplanes. The Type D marked his initial venture into biplane design.

Design

The Type D represented A.V. Roe’s first foray into a biplane layout. Mirroring his earlier Roe IV Triplane, it featured a tractor arrangement and a fuselage with a triangular cross-section crafted from ash, split into two sections bolted together behind the cockpit to facilitate transport. The wings exhibited a high aspect ratio and were supported by an irregular three-bay structure, with the spacing between interplane struts widening from the center outward. Control of lateral movement was achieved through wing warping. The wings were affixed directly to the lower longeron of the fuselage. Positioned at the front was a 35 hp (26 kW) water-cooled engine from the Green company, with its radiator mounted flat behind it, aligned with the direction of travel beneath the upper wing and situated between the fuselage and upper wing. Directly aft of this setup was a small coaming shielding the passenger, while the pilot occupied a seat further back. The tail assembly resembled that of the Roe IV, featuring a low-set D-shaped rudder located behind a small rectangular fixed fin, along with a large triangular tailplane fitted with D-shaped elevators. The landing gear comprised two forward-extending skids, each fitted with a pair of wheels on short axles.

Operational history

The Type D’s inaugural flight took place at Brooklands on 1 April 1911, piloted by C.H. Pixton rather than Roe himself, who described it as straightforward and enjoyable to operate. This positive evaluation was corroborated shortly thereafter when Lt. Wilfred Parke managed to fly it across Brooklands on his very first attempt at piloting an aircraft. On 12 May, Pixton piloted the plane to Hendon to showcase it before the Parliamentary Aerial Defence Committee. During this event, C.R. Samson experienced a passenger flight, and A.V. Roe undertook his inaugural solo flight in this model. Following several additional flights by Pixton, in June the aircraft was sold for £700 to Commander Oliver Schwann of the Naval Airship Tender Hermione. It was transported by rail to Barrow-in-Furness where Schwann converted it into a floatplane.

The second unit produced was an altered version designed for participation in the £10,000 Daily Mail Circuit of Britain Race. Consistent with later models, its fuselage was extended by 2 ft (0.6 m). The single central radiator was replaced with two vertical panels mounted on either side of the fuselage, while the lower wings had their span reduced; their overhang was supported by pairs of diagonal struts on each side. This variant was powered by a 60 hp (45 kW) E.N.V. Type F engine and flown by R.C. Kemp in preparation for the race. Although it demonstrated notable speed, overheating issues arose with the engine and climb performance suffered under load. Without Roe’s consent, extensions were added to restore the lower wings to their original span configuration. During a brief test flight on race day morning, Kemp executed a steep dive when one of these left wing extensions failed. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled spin from approximately 150 ft (46 m), resulting in its destruction; however, Kemp escaped without injury.

Floatplane development

Commander Schwann redesigned the aft fuselage section, altered the tailplane, and relocated the radiator to lie flat atop the wing's center section. A variety of experimental floats were securely attached to the skids. Initial taxiing tests took place in Cavendish Dock using slender, flat-bottomed floats. On 18 November 1911, with Commander Schwann piloting, it became the first seaplane to successfully take off from British saltwater. In 1912, it was rebuilt as the Royal Aircraft Factory H.R.E.3 and subsequently flown as a landplane in 1913.

References

• Lewis, P British Aircraft 1809–1914. London, Putnam, 1962
• Jackson, A.J. Avro Aircraft Since 1908. London, Putnam, 1965

External links

• Painting depicting a 1911 Type D in flight