Beagle Pup

The Beagle B.121 Pup is a 1960s British two-seat single-engined training and touring aircraft built by Beagle Aircraft Limited at Shoreham Airport and Rearsby Aerodrome.

History

The Pup was designed as a single-engined all-metal two-seat aerobatic aircraft or a four-seat touring aircraft. The prototype Pup (a Series 1 G-AVDF) first flew from Shoreham Airport on 8 April 1967. The second (G-AVLM) and third (G-AVLN) aircraft were Series 2 aircraft fitted with an enlarged rudder which became standard on all production aircraft. G-AVLM was converted during 1968 to become the series 3 prototype aircraft with a further enlarged rudder.

Beagle Aircraft Ltd chose to build the Pup following a market survey which demonstrated a global requirement for a 2-4 seat training/touring aircraft to replace aging Tiger Moths and Pipers used by flying clubs .

The first delivery was to the Shoreham Flying School on 12 April 1968. The aircraft was popular and sold to flying clubs and private users worldwide. A Series 3 variant, a four-seater, was developed for the Iranian Civil Air Training Organisation. By 1969 production had increased at Shoreham to one Pup a day, aircraft were flown to either Rearsby Aerodrome or Cambridge Airport for painting and finishing. One aircraft was evaluated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1969, but was not ordered. In December 1969 the government withdrew financial support for Beagle and the company was placed in receivership. Over 250 Pups were on order but production ceased with the 152nd aircraft. Some remaining nearly completed aircraft were finished at a variety of locations, the last being completed G-BCGV (s/n B121-176) was first registered 17 June 1974

A military version of the Pup was developed as the Beagle B.125 Bulldog with a Template:Convert Lycoming engine. Only one prototype aircraft was built by Beagle before it ceased operations, the design and production was taken over by Scottish Aviation.

Variants

• Pup Series 1 (also known as the Pup 100) powered by a Template:Convert Rolls-Royce Continental O-200A engine
• Pup Series 2 (also known as the Pup 150) powered by a Template:Convert Lycoming 0-320-A2B engine
• Pup Series 3 (also known as the Pup 160) powered by a Template:Convert Lycoming 0-320-D2C engine
• Bulldog - military training version, prototypes only built by Beagle

Aircraft Type Clubs

The Beagle Pup is supported by an active aircraft type club, the Beagle Pup & Bulldog Club.

Operators

Civil operators

Template:IRN

• Iranian Civil Air Training Organisation

Template:UK

• Derby Aero Club
• Shoreham Flying School
• SkySport UK
• Starline Elms Coaches

Military Operators

Template:NZL

• One aircraft evaluated by the RNZAF in 1969, not ordered.

See also

Designation sequence
B.121 Pup • B.125 Bulldog • B.206

References

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. 
• Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN 0 370 10006 9. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Beagle Pup

• Beagle Pup & Bulldog Club

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Beagle Pup".