British Aircraft Double Eagle
The British Aircraft Double Eagle, also known as B. A. 4 Double Eagle called, was a light aircraft of the British manufacturer British Aircraft Manufacturing and the fourth built by the company aircraft. The Double Eagle is the only twin-engined machine manufacturer. Only three were built
History
Klemm had 25 a light sports aircraft developed in 1927 brought out Klemm Kl, which sold well in foreign markets. Since the aircraft and the United Kingdom found numerous customers, responsible for the UK dealer Major EF Stephen decided to build a company to license production of this type. The British terminal Aeroplane Company evolved from the Klemm Kl 25, the British clamping Swallow. First self-construction of the company was developed by G. Handasyde British clamping Eagle. That the Klemm Kl 32 similar, but equipped with a retractable landing gear aircraft had its first flight in early 1934. The aircraft was primarily aimed at the market of sports and record aircraft. As the Eagle sold quite well, now renamed British Aircraft Manufacturing Company decided to develop versions for the travel and training aircraft market. With the Double Eagle, the company aimed to the market of the larger travel and record aircraft, while the smaller and lighter Cupid was developed primarily for the training aircraft market. To be competitive in the at that time very popular air race, they put the machine as a twin-engine aircraft with retractable landing gear. With a capacity of five passengers, the Double Eagle was only slightly less than the 1934 published Airspeed Envoy AS.6 and would have been under the existing framework used perfectly well as a smaller airliner.
Construction
The Double Eagle was like all built by British Aircraft Manufacturing Aircraft a wooden structure. The aircraft was designed as a cantilever low-wing monoplane. The main landing gear was retractable and drove into the lining of engines to back. As a de Havilland Gipsy Major engine came with a power of 130 hp ( about 97 kW) used an in-line engine with hanging cylinders. The cabin could accommodate five passengers in addition to the pilot.
Use
The first flight took place in 1936. The first machine built, G - AIN recorded, with Tommy Rose in the same year at the Schlesinger Race from Portsmouth to Johannesburg. instead. In Cairo, the aircraft was badly damaged, however, as the mechanism for retracting the landing gear failed and had to abandon the race. The second machine was equipped with two engines of the type de Havilland Gipsy Six with an output of 200 hp ( about 147 kW). The aircraft was drafted in 1941 by the Royal Air Force and comb as a training aircraft used. The third machine was sold to South Africa and came in 1940 to the South African Air Force. None of the built which still exists.