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Armstrong Whitworth A.W.16
| A.W.16 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Armstrong Whitworth |
| Maiden flight | 1930 |
| Variants | Armstrong Whitworth Scimitar |
The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.16 was a British single engined biplane fighter aircraft designed and built by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. A number were sold to the Chinese Kwangsi Air Force.
Contents
Development
The A.W.16 was developed by Armstrong Whitworth to meet the requirements of Specification F9/26. With the first prototype flying in 1930, it was too late for consideration against this specification, and was submitted against specification Specification N21/26[1] for a naval fighter for the Fleet Air Arm.
Problems with the A.W.16's Armstrong Siddeley Panther engine delayed the aircraft, and the competing Hawker Nimrod was purchased before the AW.16 could be delivered for evaluation. When it was evaluated, it showed inferior performance to the Nimrod, and had poor handling on an exposed carrier deck [1].
Armstrong Whitworth continued to try to sell the aircraft, and produced a second prototype (G-ACCD) fitted with a more reliable Panther IIA engine for submission against Specification F7/30 for an order from the Royal Air Force. It competed against the Vickers Jockey, Hawker High Speed Fury and the Gloster Gladiator. However, by this time the A.W.16 was out of date, and was quickly discarded from consideration, which was won by the Gladiator[1]. A number of production aircraft were made, however, with 17 ordered by the Kwangsi Air Force in China [2]
The second prototype was rebuilt into the Armstrong Whitworth Scimitar fighter, four of which were sold to Norway.
One A.W.16 was 1933 experimentally fitted with the 15-cylinder 3-row radial Armstrong Siddeley Hyena, but this engine suffered from cooling problems and was abandoned.
Operational history
The 17 A.W.16 fighters for the Kwangsi air force were produced late in 1931[2], and were delivered via Hong Kong. While initially serving in the air force of the local Warlords, the A.W.16s were (along with the rest of the Kwangsi Air Force) incorporated in the main Chinese Nationalist Air Force in 1937.
Operators
- Kwangsi Air Force
Specifications (A.W.16)
Data from The Complete Book of Fighters [2]
General characteristics
- Crew: One
- Length: 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m)
- Wingspan: 33 ft 0 in (10.06 m)
- Height: 11 ft 6 in (3.50 m)
- Wing area: 261 ft² (24.2 m²)
- Loaded weight: 3,520 lb (1,597 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Armstrong Siddeley Panther IIA 14 cylinder radial engine, 525 hp (391 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 174 knots (200 mph, 322 km/h) at 15,000 ft (4,570 m)
- Range: 235 nm (270 mi[1], 435 km)
- Service ceiling: 26,100 ft[1] (8,000 m)
- Wing loading: lb/ft² (kg/m²)
- Power/mass: hp/lb (W/kg)
- Climb to 10,000 ft (3,050 m): 6 min
- Endurance: 2 hours
Armament
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References
External links
Virtual Aviation Museum]
British Aircraft Directory
Template:Armstrong Whitworth aircraft
Lists relating to aviation | |
|---|---|
| General | Timeline of aviation · Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines |
| Military | Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft |
| Notable incidents and accidents | Military aviation · Airliners · General aviation · Famous aviation-related deaths |
| Records | Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft |
