https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Tutor
A.V. Roe's Type 621 Tutor was a two-seat British radial-engined biplane from the
interwar period. It was a simple but rugged initial trainer that was used by the
Royal Air Force as well as many other air arms worldwide.
The Avro Model 621 was designed by Roy Chadwick as an Avro private venture metal
replacement for the Avro 504. Conceived as a light initial pilot trainer, the
biplane design featured heavily staggered equal-span, single-bay wings; the
construction was based on steel tubing (with some wooden components in the wing
ribs) with doped linen covering. A conventional, fixed divided main
undercarriage with tailskid was used in all but the latest aircraft, which had a
tailwheel.
The Model 621 was powered either by a 155 hp (116 kW) Armstrong Siddeley
Mongoose or Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IV (180 hp/130 kW) or IVC (240 hp/179 kW)
engine; later Lynx-powered models had the engine enclosed in a Townend ring
cowling. The Mongoose-powered version was called the 621 Trainer and the more
numerous Lynx-engined aircraft the Tutor. The Tutor also differed by having a
more rounded rudder.
The first flight of the prototype G-AAKT was in September 1929, piloted by Avro
chief test pilot Captain Harry Albert "Sam" Brown.
Role
Trainer
Manufacturer
Avro
Designer
Roy Chadwick
First flight
1929
Introduction
1933
Retired
1941
Primary user
Royal Air Force
Number built
606
Variants
Avro 626, PWS-18
Production was started against an order for three from the Irish Free State and
21 Trainers from the Royal Air Force. The RAF required a replacement for the
wooden Avro 504, and after three years of trials against other machines such as
the Hawker Tomtit it was adopted as their basic trainer, supplanting the 504 in
1933 and remaining in this role until 1939. As well as the 21 Trainers a total
of 381 Tutors and 15 Avro 646 Sea Tutors were eventually ordered by the RAF. RAF
units to operate the type in quantity included the Royal Air Force College, the
Central Flying School and Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 Flying Training Schools.
Known for its good handling, the type was often featured at air shows. Over 200
Avro Tutors and five Sea Tutors remained in RAF service at the beginning of the
Second World War.
The 621 was designed as a military trainer and few reached the civil registers.
In the 1930s, in addition to ten prototypes and demonstrators, two were used by
Alan Cobham's Flying Circus and two trainers were retired from the RAF into
private use. One 621 was used from new by Australian National Airways. After the
war another four ex-RAF 621s appeared on the civil register.
Specifications (Tutor)
General characteristics
Crew: two (student and instructor)
Wingspan: 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m)
Height: 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m)
Empty weight: 1,844 lb (836 kg)
Loaded weight: 2,493 lb (1,131 kg)
Performance
Maximum speed: 104 kn (120 mph, 193 km/h)
Cruise speed: 84 kn (97 mph, 156 km/h)
Range: 250 mi (402 km)
Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,877 m)
Rate of climb: 910 ft/minute (4.6 m/s)
*
|
|