Beardmore Inflexible

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Inflexible
Beardmore Inflexible Norwich.png
General information
TypeExperimental Transport
Manufacturer Beardmore
Designer
Dr Rohrbach [1] /W.S Shackleton
StatusRetired
Primary user Royal Air Force
Number built1
History
Introduction date1928
First flight5 March 1928
Retired1930

The Beardmore Inflexible, also known as the Rohrbach Ro VI, was a three-engined all-metal prototype transport aircraft built by William Beardmore and Company at Dalmuir, Scotland.

Contents

Design and development

Beardmore Inflexible photo published in Flight magazine, April 1928 Beardmore Inflexible nose.png
Beardmore Inflexible photo published in Flight magazine, April 1928

William Beardmore and Company had acquired a licence for the use of the Rohrbach principle for stressed-skin construction. Using these principles and drawings supplied by Rohrbach for the RoVI, the Beardmore company built a massive all-metal three-engined transport, the Beardmore Inflexible.

The aircraft was built in sections at Dalmuir between 1925 and 1927 which were shipped by sea to Felixstowe and from there delivered by road to the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at Martlesham Heath Airfield where it first flew on 5 March 1928. [2] It appeared at the Hendon RAF Display later in the year. The aircraft was structurally advanced for its time and had good flying qualities. It was also a very large aircraft for the time, having a wingspan of 157 ft (48 m) - around 16 ft (4.9 m) greater than the Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bomber of World War II. However, with an all up weight of 37,000 lb (17,000 kg) it was underpowered and, with no interest forthcoming from the RAF for a production contract, the aircraft was dismantled at Martlesham Heath in 1930. It was then examined for the effects of corrosion on light-alloy stressed skin structures.

The aircraft's main wheels both survive. One is on exhibit in the Science Museum, London. The other is at the Midland Air Museum.

Operators

Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom

Specifications

Data fromAir Enthusiast International [2]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

Notes

  1. Flight 5 July 1928 p539 "although the design staff at Dalmuir, headed by Mr. W. S. Shackleton...naturally did a large amount of the detail work."
  2. 1 2 Air Enthusiast International March 1974, p.145.
  3. 1 2 Jarrett Aeroplane Monthly March 1990, p. 142

Bibliography