Avro 641 Commodore
| Commodore | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Tourer |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Avro |
| Number built | 6 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 24 May 1934 |
| First flight | 1934 |
| Retired | 1942 |
The Avro 641 Commodore was a British single-engine five-seat cabin biplane built by Avro in the mid-1930s for private use. A total of only six were built, including the prototype.
Design and development
After building the three seat
Avro 639 Cabin Cadet, Avro then designed a larger, five seat cabin biplane, the Avro 641 Commodore. The Commodore had a similar steel tube structure to the Tutor, with heavily staggered single bay wings and a spatted undercarriage. The first Commodore was delivered to its owner on 24 May 1934.[1]
Operational history
Only six Commodores were built, with one being sold to the
Maharajah of Vizianagram. This was found to be unsuitable for Indian conditions and was returned to Britain and scrapped.[2] Two were sold to private owners in Egypt and were later taken over by the Egyptian Army Air Force.[1]
The two Commodores that remained in service in England on the outbreak of World War II were impressed into service with the Royal Air Force and the Air Transport Auxiliary. One crashed fatally in 1941, with the last being struck off charge in 1942.[1]
Operators
Specifications (Commodore)
Data from Avro Aircraft since 1908 [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Capacity: 4 pax
- Length: 27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)
- Wingspan: 37 ft 4 in (11.38 m)
- Height: 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)
- Wing area: 307 sq ft (28.5 m2)
- Empty weight: 2,237 lb (1,015 kg)
- Gross weight: 3,500 lb (1,588 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 50 imp gal (60 US gal; 227 L)
- Powerplant: 1 × Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IVC7-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 215 hp (160 kW)
- Propellers: 2-bladed Fairey-Reedfixed-pitch metal propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 130 mph (210 km/h, 110 kn)
- Cruise speed: 110 mph (180 km/h, 96 kn)
- Range: 500 mi (800 km, 430 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 11,500 ft (3,500 m)
- Rate of climb: 700 ft/min (3.6 m/s)
- Wing loading: 11.4 lb/sq ft (56 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 0.061 hp/lb (0.100 kW/kg)
See also
Related lists
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Avro 641 Commodore.
- ^ ISBN 0-85177-834-8.
- ISBN 0-370-10006-9.