Armstrong Whitworth Argosy

Armstrong Whitworth AW154 Argosy was a British three -engined biplane airliner that first flew in 1926 and was used until the end of 1935 on routes in Europe and in Africa. With it, the world's first designated by the name of luxury air service ( " Silver Wing " ) was opened with a flight attendant and a bar between London and Paris on May 1, 1927 by Imperial Airways. The last Argosy in 1936 and scrapped placed out of service. The aircraft was known in his time not under the manufacturer's designation AW154 but commonly called Argosy. This visually appealing and not necessarily very slow machine was on the other hand, however, a very safe passenger aircraft.

History

Prehistory

After its establishment on 1 April 1924, the British Imperial Airways took over from their predecessor companies, mainly Daimler Airway, an aircraft fleet, in which a considerable number of single engine airplanes by De Havilland was. At the very beginning decided the new carriers in future to purchase only multi-engine aircraft and was saying, that occupied the paramount position for this flight safety. Subsequently, the British aircraft industry began with the development of appropriate machines. This new procurement policy was first introduced to the multi-engine designs of the Armstong Whitworth AW154 Argosy and the De Havilland DH66 Hercules apply. The Argosy was the first product by Armstrong Whitworth in the airliner market. This aircraft model has been specifically developed for overseas sections of the Empire routes of Imperial Airways, the airline acquired from the seven machines.

Argosy Mk I

As the first Argosy had in the spring of 1926 with the registration G- EBLF its first flight, it was from a pre-series of three machines. She later received the name City of Glasgow and was delivered to the airline the following September 1926. The machines in this first series were called Argosy Mk I (also: Argosy I). Although the Argosy had an unflattering appearance, but should prove to be indeed slow but very safe airliner. The Argosy was used at the beginning on routes in Europe and later to South Africa, where all machines were named after famous cities.

The second aircraft, G - EBLO City of Birmingham, came before commissioning of the first build Argosy on August 5, 1926 at the prestigious London-Paris route used. Later, the aircraft type was tentatively used on routes to Basel, Brussels, Cologne and Thessaloniki.

The third Argosy, G EBOZ, received at the Imperial Airways the name City of Wellington, later City of Arundel, wrong at the beginning also in Europe, and later in 1930 temporarily mainly on routes in Africa and Asia Minor, and from the end of 1931 along with G- EBLO back on the European network.

The first three designated as Argosy Mk I aircraft were fitted with three Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar III 14 - cylinder twin-row radial engines without charging each with 385 PS ( 283,10 kW ) from the actuator ago. These engines were considered to be tested and proved in the Argosy as very reliable.

On May 1, 1927 Imperial Airways Argosy aircraft opened with a luxurious air link from London to Paris, the world's first name - wore ( = Silver wings) and when a flight attendant on board was - " Silver Wing ". For this purpose, the two rear passenger seats were removed and installed a bar. First machine so used was the G- EBLO City of Birmingham. A flight from London to Paris took about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Argosy Mk II

In the first half of 1929, the airline was awarded the second contract section of four Argosy aircraft (also: Argosy II) as Argosy Mk II were designated. They were with reduction gearbox with an output of 420 PS ( 308,80 kW) and Townend rings - hood equipped with three improved Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IVA double radial engines that were placed in conical gondolas. To improve the stability of the wing were Handley -Page slots (fixed slats or slots), and the number of passengers increased to up to 28 in close seating ( for Europe ) services. The three machine it was G- AACH City of Edinburgh, G- AACI City of Liverpool and G- AACH City of Manchester. The fourth machine later G- AAEJ City of Coventry was added.

1930 Argosy all I have been brought by motor conversion to the standard of Argosy II. Two of these machines flown overseas leg of the Cairo - Khartoum the South line; G- EBLO had to be written off due to total loss in June 1931 after an emergency landing in Aswan (Egypt), previously had been G- AACH in Croydon in London in April 1931 crashed in a training flight and was destroyed. In both cases, all occupants were uninjured. G- EBLF then flew as a replacement for G- EBLO, but the end of 1931 was this machine, along with G- EBOZ used again on European routes. In March 1933, another Argosy accident occurred when G- AACI about Dixmude (Belgium ) caught fire and crashed, the entire three -man crew and all 12 passengers were killed. Overall, there was only this one fatal accident with the Argosy.

In the same year 1933 appeared on the European main lines ( "Trunk Routes" ) have the new four-engined Handley Page HP42 Heracles ( HP42W ) and the four remaining Argosy were asked at the end of 1934 Imperial Airways out of service. A Argosy was sold at the beginning of the following year at United Airways.

End of career

In 1935 were scrapped three of the four remaining aircraft, the fourth followed in the late summer of 1936, after they (the beginning of 1936, British Airways was renamed ) came for the short period of just over a year at United Airways in Blackpool for pleasure flights used.

Description

All Argosy aircraft were designed as large braced biplane and had a triple -tail, also with two levels and a fixed tailwheel landing gear without fairings. The interpretation as a biplane with large wings caused on the one hand because of the low wing loading and large control surfaces for good flight characteristics and good maneuverability, caused, however - along with those in the first series, not clad double star motors without charge type Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar III with 385 hp / 283,10 kW ( later Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IVA with 420 PS/308, 80 kW and a Townend ring - hood fitted ) and the fixed landing gear - a considerable drag. This so-called " built-in headwind " made ​​the Argosy aircraft with modest flight performance, both the maximum speed 177 km / h and climb performance were extremely limited. The two -man crew of pilot and copilot / navigator sat side by side in an open cockpit, the continuous enclosed cab summed up to 20 passengers, in the second series of up to 28 in close seating specifically for European services. In the rear fuselage a toilet and luggage space were housed.

The color of the Argosys at Imperial Airways was initially from 1926 ivory with royal blue contrasting edges and partly also the engine nacelles, the front panel behind the central radial engine was usually silver to chrome color held, sometimes in ivory as the rest of the fuselage. Later, from about 1931, especially the machines used in Europe dark blue with medium gray wings were sold.

Variants

• Argosy Mk I - three double radial engines Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar III with 385 PS ( 283,10 kW), later converted to Jaguar IVA engines - built 3
• Built 4 - Argosy Mk II - three double radial engines Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IVA with 420 PS ( 308,80 kW)

Operator

The Armstrong Siddeley Argosy was flown by airlines from the UK:

• Imperial Airways
• United Airways, later British Airways ( this has no connection with the modern British Airways)

Specifications