Airspeed Ferry
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| AS.4 Ferry | |
|---|---|
| Type | 10-Passenger Airliner |
| Manufacturer | Airspeed Limited |
| Designed by | N.S. Norway/A.H. Tiltman |
| Maiden flight | 1932 |
| Introduced | 1932 |
| Retired | Late 1941 |
| Number built | 4 |
The Airspeed AS.4 Ferry was a 1930s British three-engined 10-seat biplane airliner built by Airspeed Limited at York.
Contents |
[edit] Design and development
Designed to meet a requirement for a pleasure flying airliner from Sir Alan Cobham, the Ferry was an unusual configuration biplane with a third engine mounted in the upper wing (it was usual to mount a third engine in the nose). The engine arrangement was designed to give the pilot a better view. Not all three engines were the same, the lower engines were de Havilland Gipsy IIs, and the upper wing had an inverted de Havilland Gipsy III.
[edit] Operational history
The first aircraft G-ABSI Youth of Britain II first flew on 10 April 1932 from Sherburn-in-Elmet, followed soon after by the second aircraft G-ABSJ Youth of Britain III. In two years the two aircraft carried 92,000 passengers.
The outbreak of war caused the first aircraft (G-ABSI) to be impressed into service with the Royal Air Force in 1940 as AV968 and used at Halton until November 1940. It later became an instructional airframe registered as 2758M[1].
The second aircraft was sold in India to Himalaya Air Transport and Survey Company Limited in 1934 as VT-AFO. It was used to ferry pilgrims from Hardwar to Gaucher. It was destroyed by vandals in a hangar fire in 1936.
The third (G-ACBT) and fourth (G-ACFB) aircraft were built for the Midland and Scottish Air Ferries Ltd and used on services from Renfrew to Campbeltown, Belfast and Speke. The firm closed in 1934 and the aircraft were put up for sale. G-ACBT was not sold and was dismantled in 1941. G-ACFB returned to England to be used in pleasure flying for Air Publicity Ltd. It was impressed into service with the Royal Air Force in 1941 and later became an instructional airframe.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Civil operators
- Himalaya Air Transport and Survey Company Ltd
- Air Publicity Ltd
- Midland And Scottish Air Ferries Ltd
- National Aviation Day Displays Ltd
- Portsea, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation Ltd
- Sir Alan Cobham
[edit] Military operators
- Royal Air Force
- Halton Station Flight
[edit] Specifications
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 39 ft 8 in (12.09 m)
- Wingspan: 55 ft 0in (16.76 m)
- Height: 14 ft 3 in (4.34 m)
- Wing area: 641 ft² (59.55 m²)
- Empty weight: 3,440 lb (1560 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 5,600 lb (2540 kg)
- Powerplant: 3× de Havilland Gipsy inline piston, 120 hp (89 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 108 mph (174 km/h)
- Range: 320 mi (515 km)
- Service ceiling 13,000 ft (3960 m)
[edit] See also
Related lists
[edit] References
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
- Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919. London: Putnam. ISBN 0 370 10014 X.
[edit] External links
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