Avro 558

Last updated

Avro 558
General information
TypeUltralight Biplane
Manufacturer A.V.Roe and Company Limited
Number built2
History
Introduction date 1923
First flight 1923

The Avro 558 was a British single-engined ultralight biplane built by Avro at Hamble Aerodrome.

Contents

Design and development

The Avro 558 was designed for the 1923 light aircraft trials for single-seaters at Lympne Aerodrome. Two Avro 558 biplanes were built, they were biplanes powered by motorcycle engines (one with a B&H twin-cylinder air-cooled engine, the second with a 500 cc Douglas engine). The first aircraft was modified with a 698 cc (42.6 in³) Blackburne Tomtit and both had modifications to the landing gear.

Operational history

The aircraft did not win the competition, but the second aircraft went on to establish a world record for its class of aircraft of 13,850 ft (4,222 m) over Lympne on 13 October 1923. [1] It is not known what happened to the two aircraft, not having been reported since 1923.

Operators

Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom

Specifications

Data from Avro Aircraft since 1908 [2]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro Andover</span>

The Avro Andover was a 1920s British military transport aircraft built by Avro for the Royal Air Force. Four aircraft were built, in two versions. Three aircraft, the Type 561, were used as flying ambulances. The sole example of the Type 563 was used as a 12-seater transport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro 549 Aldershot</span>

The Avro 549 Aldershot was a British single-engined heavy bomber aircraft built by Avro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro Bison</span>

The Avro 555 Bison was a British single-engined fleet spotter/reconnaissance aircraft built by Avro.

de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird

The de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird is a British single-seat, single-engine, low-wing monoplane light aircraft first flown in the 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro Avenger</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English Electric Wren</span>

The English Electric Wren was a 1920s British ultralight monoplane built by the English Electric Company Limited at Lytham St Annes, Lancashire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro 560</span>

The Avro 560 was a British single-engined ultralight monoplane built by Avro at Hamble Aerodrome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro Club Cadet</span> British biplane trainer aircraft

The Avro Club Cadet was a 1930s single-engined British biplane trainer aircraft, designed and built by Avro as a development of the earlier Cadet. It was planned for private and club use and, unlike the Cadet, was fitted with folding wings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro 571 Buffalo</span>

The Avro 571 Buffalo was a prototype British carrier-based torpedo bomber biplane, designed and built by Avro in the 1920s. It was not selected for service, the Blackburn Ripon being ordered instead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro 627 Mailplane</span>

The Avro 627 Mailplane was a British biplane developed in 1931 by Avro from the Avro Antelope bomber as a mail plane for use in Canada. Only one was built which ended up being used as a test bed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro 641 Commodore</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro 510</span>

The Avro 510 was a two-seat racing seaplane designed by Avro to compete in the 1914 Circuit of Britain Race. It was a conventional two-bay biplane of greatly uneven span, equipped with two large central floats and two outriggers. The race was called off at the outbreak of the First World War, but the British Admiralty was aware of the type and ordered five examples, with modified floats and tail. In service, these proved completely unsuitable, and it was discovered that with a second person aboard, the aircraft could barely fly. In October 1915, the 510s in service were sent to Supermarine for modification and improvement, but by March the following year all were removed from service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackburn Bluebird</span>

The Blackburn L.1 Bluebird was a British single-engine biplane light trainer/tourer with side-by-side seating, built in small numbers by Blackburn Aircraft in the 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro 557 Ava</span> Type of aircraft

The Avro Type 557 Ava was a British twin-engined biplane torpedo bomber of the 1920s. It was developed by Avro to meet a requirement for a heavy torpedo bomber for the Royal Air Force but was unsuccessful, only two prototypes being built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro 530</span> Type of aircraft

The Avro 530 was a British two-seat fighter biplane designed in 1916 to compete with the Bristol F.2A. The plane was first flown in July 1917. It was of fabric-covered wooden construction, powered by a 200 hp (150 kW) Hispano-Suiza engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro Avis</span> Type of aircraft

The Avro 562 Avis was a two-seat light biplane designed and built by A.V.Roe and Company Limited at Hamble for the 1924 Lympne Light Aeroplane Trials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro 508</span> Type of aircraft

The Avro 508 was a prototype British reconnaissance aircraft of the 1910s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackburne Tomtit</span> 1920s British aircraft piston engine

The Blackburne Tomtit was a 670 cc V-twin aero engine for light aircraft that was designed and produced by Burney and Blackburne Limited. Burney and Blackburne was based at Bookham, Surrey, England and was a former motorcycle manufacturer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vickers Viget</span> Type of aircraft

The Vickers Viget was Vickers' entrant for the first Lympne light aircraft competition, held in 1923. It was a single-seat, single-engined biplane with folding wings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parnall Pixie</span> Type of aircraft

The Parnall Pixie was a low powered British single-seat monoplane light aircraft originally designed to compete in the Lympne, UK trials for motor-gliders in 1923, where it was flown successfully by Norman Macmillan. It had two sets of wings, one for cross-country flights and the other for speed; it later appeared as a biplane which could be converted into a monoplane.

References

  1. Jackson 1974, p.292.
  2. Jackson 1990, p.215.
  3. Flight 4 October 1923, p.607.