Avro Avenger

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566 Avenger
Avro566-i.jpg
Avro Type 566
RoleFighter
Manufacturer Avro
Designer Roy Chadwick
First flight26 June 1926
Retired1931
StatusCancelled
Primary user RAF (intended)
Number built1

The Avro 566 Avenger was a prototype British fighter of the 1920s, designed and built by Avro. It was a single-seat, single-engine biplane of wood and fabric construction. Although it was a streamlined and advanced design, it never entered production.

Contents

Development

The Avenger was designed as a private venture and Roy Chadwick penned a machine of great aerodynamic cleanliness for its time. As originally built, it was powered by a 525 hp (391 kW) Napier Lion VIII and it first flew on 26 June 1926, [1] but no order was forthcoming; this was partly because by the time it was evaluated, the Air Ministry did not favour the Lion as a fighter engine.

In May 1928, the machine was modified as a racer, with equi-span wings of 28 ft (8.53 m) and revised struts and ailerons; it was fitted with a 553 hp (412 kW) Lion. The machine was subsequently redesignated Avro 567 Avenger II.

The Avenger ended its days as an instructional airframe.

Specifications (Avenger)

Data from The Complete Book of Fighters [2]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Jackson, A.J. Avro Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1990. ISBN   0-85177-834-8.
  2. Green, William. and Swanborough, Gordon. The Complete Book of Fighters. New York: Smithmark Publishers Inc., 1994. ISBN   0-8317-3939-8.