Avro 504
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Avro 504 | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Type | Trainer, Fighter, Bomber |
| Manufacturer | Avro |
| Introduced | 1913 |
| Retired | 1934 |
| Primary users | RFC RNAS |
| Produced | 1913 - 1932 |
| Number built | ~8500 |
The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others.
The first 504 was built in 1913. Production totalled 8,340 and continued for almost twenty years. It was used by both the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service as a trainer, bomber and reconnaissance plane. The plane was withdrawn from frontline service in the summer of 1915 but remained the standard British trainer for the rest of the war. Was Billy Bishop's first army aircraft.
The 504 was the first airplane to strafe troops on the ground as well as the first to make a bombing raid over Germany. It was also the first Allied airplane to be downed by enemy anti-aircraft fire.
The 504 is easily recognisable because of the single skid between the wheels.
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[edit] History
First flown in July 1913, powered by a 80 hp Gnome Monosoupape engine, the Avro 504 was a development of the earlier Avro 500, designed for training and private flying.
Small numbers of early aircraft were purchased both by the RFC and the RNAS prior to the start of World War I, and were taken to France when the war started. The RNAS used four 504s to form a special flight in order to bomb the Zeppelin works at Friedrichshafen on the shores of Lake Constance. Three set out from Belfort in southern France on 21 November 1914, carrying four 20 lb bombs each. While one aircraft was shot down, the raid was successful, with several direct hits on the airship sheds and destroying the hydrogen plant[1] .
While soon obsolete as a front line aircraft, it came into its own as a trainer, with thousands being built in the war, with major production types being the 504J and the mass production 504K, which was designed with modified engine bearers to accommodate a range of engines, in order to cope with engine shortages. More than 8000 504s had been produced by the end of 1918.
In the winter of 1917-18, it was decided to use converted 504Js and 504Ks to equip Home Defence squadrons of the RFC, replacing aging B.E.2cs, which had poor altitude performance. These aircraft were modified as single seaters, armed with a Lewis gun above the wing, and powered by 100 hp Gnome or 110 hp Le Rhône engines. 274 converted Avro 504Js and Ks were issued to eight home defence squadrons in 1918, with 226 still being used as fighters at the end of World War 1[2] .
Following the end of the war, while the type continued in service as the standard trainer of the RAF, large numbers of surplus aircraft were available for sale, both for civil and military use. More than 300 504Ks were placed on the civil register in Britain. Being used for training, pleasure flying and banner towing, civil 504s continued flying in large numbers until well into the 1930s.
The improved, redesigned and radial engined 504N was produced by Avro in 1925. After evaluation of two prototypes powered by Bristol Lucifer and Armstrong Siddely Lynx engines respectively, the Lynx powered aircraft was selected by the RAF to replace the 504K. 592 were built between 1925 and 1932, equipping the RAFs five flying training schools, with being used as communication aircraft. The 504N was also exported to the militaries of Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Greece, Thailand and South Africa, with licenced production taking place in Denmark, Belgium, Canada and Japan.
The 504N was finally replaced in 1933 by the Avro Tutor in RAF service, with small numbers continuing in civilian use until 1940, when seven were impressed into RAF service, where they were used for target towing.
[edit] Variants
- 504: 80 hp Gnome engine.
- Original model
- 504A:
- Modified with smaller ailerons and broader struts. 80 hp Gnome engine.
- 504B
- Version for RNAS with larger fin. 80 hp Gnome or Le Rhône engine.
- 504C
- Single-seat anti-zeppelin aircraft for the RNAS. The 504C was fitted with an extra fuel tank, in place of the observer.
- 504D
- Single-seat anti-zepplin aircraft for the Royal Flying Corps. Six built.
- 504E: 100 hp Gnome engine.
- 504F: 75 hp Rolls Royce Hawk engine.
- 504G: 80 hp Gnome engine.
- 504H
- Used for catapult trials. 80 hp Gnome engine.
- 504J
- Used as a trainer. 100 hp Gnome or 80 hp Le Rhône engine.
- 504K
- Two-seat training aircraft. The 504K had a universal mount to take different engines. Single seat fighter conversion used for anti-zeppelin work, . Several were assembled in Australia by Australian Aircraft & Engineering. 130 hp Clerget, 100 hp Gnome or 110 hp Le Rhône engines.
- 504L
- Floatplane version. 150 hp Bentley BR1, 130 hp Clerget or 110 hp Le Rhône engines.
- 504M
- Three-seat cabin biplane. Only one was ever built. 100 hp Gnome engine.
- 504N
- Two-seat training aircraft.: Redesigned postwar trainer for RAF with 160 hp Armstrong Siddely Lynx engine. 598 built.
- 504P
- Unbuilt version of the 504N.
- 504Q
- Three-seat cabin biplane. The 504Q was built for the Oxford University Arctic Expedition. Only one was ever built. Armstrong Siddely Lynx engine.
- 504R Gosport
- Reworked trainer. Ten were sold to Argentina, and 100 more were built by FMA under licence in Argentina. Three were exported to Estonia, and an unknown number to Peru.
- 504S
- Two-seat training aircraft. Built under licence in Japan by Nakajima.
- Yokosuka K1Y
- Two-seat training aircraft for the Japanese Navy. Japanese version of the 504K. 104 were built in Japan.
- Yokosuka K2Y1
- Yokosuka K2Y2
- U-1
- Russian copy of the 504K.
- NU-1
- Russian seaplane version.
[edit] Specifications (Avro 504K)
Data from {The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft}[3]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 29ft 5in (8.97m)
- Wingspan: 36ft 0in (10.97m)
- Height: 10ft 5in (3.17m)
- Wing area: 330ft² (30.7 m²)
- Empty weight: 1231lb (558kg)
- Loaded weight: lb (kg)
- Useful load: lb (kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 1829lb (830kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Le Rhône Rotary, 110hp (82kW)
Performance
- Never exceed speed: knots (mph, km/h)
- Maximum speed: 90mph (145 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 75mph, (126 km/h)
- Stall speed: knots (mph, km/h)
- Range: 250 mi (402 km)
- Service ceiling: 16000ft (4875m)
- Rate of climb: 700 ft/min (3.6 m/s)
- Wing loading: 5.54 lb/ft² (18.2 kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 0.06 hp/lb (0.099 kW/kg)
- Climb to 3500 ft (1065 m) in 5 min
[edit] Operators
- Argentina, Australia (RAAF), Belgium, Brazil, Canada (RCAF), Chile, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Japan, Malaya, Mexico, Netherlands, Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia), New Zealand (NZPAF), Norway, Peru, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Soviet Union, Sweden, Switzerland, Siam (Thailand), United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay.
[edit] See also
- La Cierva C-6 autogyro, which had the Avro 504's fuselage.
[edit] References
- ^ Mason, Francis K (1994). The British Bomber since 1914. Putnam Aeronautical Books. ISBN 0 85177 861 5.
- ^ Mason, Francis K (1992). The British Figher since 1912. Naval Institite Press. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.
- ^ Donald, David (Editor) (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Aerospace Publishing. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
- Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation, M J H Taylor (Editor), 1980, Jane's Publishing Company
- Bruce, J. M., Warplanes of the First World War - Fighter, Volume One, Great Britain, 1965 MacDonalds and Co.
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