504 • Barnstormer • Trainer • Pleasure flyer A vro's 504 is remembered as the finest trainer design of the early years of aviation. Despite serving with great success in World War I, its main contribution to aviation was to popularize flying in postwar Britain, where hundreds were sold on to the civil market after the Armistice. With its combination of safe handling, powerful rotary engine and tough structure, the 504 was a classic design. VINTAGE AND VETERAN ..... • Avro 504s seemed to turn up in eve,y aviation situation in inter war Britain, whether it was introducing pleasure flights, wing-walking or flying film containers during a rail strike. PROFILE _ Britain's Classic 1920s trainer g<:n1:r,J11on <)r I~rill:--h pil<)t.., lc:.1rnl'd t<) fly \\ ith the \ r<) 50 i during \\<)rid \\ :1r I :1nd 1n thl' 1920s. The dL•..,1gn g,11ned ,1 rc11u1.1tic)n a.., the ftn<:..,l train<:r of ,t.., cla) {)en, l'd r r()lll thl' pre\\ .lr \TO "iOO. thl' "iO 1 ,, ,1.., J L<)n..,ideral1lc .1d,;111ce <)n <)thcr pre,, ar . 11rcraft, ,, 1th .111 efftci<:nt ,, ing "L'Cti<)n and (~n<)llle rot.if) engine .... The "i0--1 n1.1dc .1 dr:.1n1.1tic entl) intn R<)).11 ·.1,, Air Sen1ce pilot..., ra1clecl the leppeltn l);tllo<)ll ..,h<:ds Jt Fnedrichshafen 111 191 f, .1nd then .1t1ackec.i and sank li-l)O.l[S , t t o ... tend thl' fc)llov. ing ) car. ,'e, era! , ers1ons. huilt h) n1an) subcontractors. v. ere u ..,ed .1s scout..., , gunner) trainers and patrol .1ircrafr. After the ,, ,1r. , .tst nun1l L'r.., c1f -o t s ,,· 'fl ' sold le> c1, ilian u..,c.: r ...... 1nd thL' t ' I c I) ·can1e the first re.i i J)IC'a 11re flying .1ircrat1 in l11it.1in a..,,, 1: II as the lt-\ F's 111:iin trainer, unt il r<)t,trie, \\ ere liannetl l1v tht• ,\ ir , \li nistf)· in 19:\•1. AVRO 504K This Avro 504K was produced by A.V. Roe's own Miles Platting Works at Manchester. As the main production variant, over 6,350 "Ks" were built and the type was even copied by the USSR. The main undercarriage consisted of ash skids, attached by a steel tube framework. ---- A shock absorber was fitted, consisting of wound rubber bungees. ■ POHIUGftf !-32A-M>fi04KIW4d Vickers and reoondllloned by Awo.,,.,,. the Cintra flying school. and four WBR!. di tt,illl, -• de Esquadhrilas de Avlacao RepubRca9 as lale as. t9A. One unusual feat flown in an Avro 504 was by Capt. Willtan1s of Gosport Flying School. who landed between two buildings. swung round and finished his landing run inside a hangar. Th uppci nd lower w,ngs wcr<> of equ,11 spun. Th y weie braced with t1ollow ·prucu struts. Control wn by 1nv 1!'. • tnpe11ng 11 rons. 11 idly fi d ul the inn I encl uncf t11e outer ends turno<1 by cahlt s. Protecting the crew and bracing the fuselage were four strong ash struts around the central cockpit area. The 504C coastal patrol variant had a fuel tank in the cockpit giving an endurance of almost eight hours. The main fuselage structure consisted of four longerons made of ash, with spruce cross struts . This was covered 1n doped fabric. Bwltililh often landi Tail shape varied considerably between models, and the Avro 504E had a long sloping fin profile. also acquired by the Estonian air force in 1921, for tt r • SPECIFICATIONS 504K Type: Blpl ne training nd acout aircraft. Powerpl One 110-hp. Le Rhone rotary q1ne. M 11lmum speed 95 m.p.h. lnltlal climb r te· 700 r.p.m. Combat r dlus· 250 ml. lrllce C lllng· 10,000 ft. Weapon : None: wartime versions aometlmea carried Lewis gun In the rear cockpit. W lght : Empty 1,228 lb.: max 1,826 lb. Dim n Ion : Span Length Height Wing area SPEED 36 ft . 29 ft. 5 In. 10 ft. 9 In. 330 sq. ft. The rotary eng1nos fitted to thfl 504 and its cowlfld ong1ne and etticient wing shape gave ii a pn~sablA ratA of spe!ld . The 504K was considerably more powerful than the eurly 504s, the "A" model having a top speed of about 80 m.p.h. ••. ,.11. ALBATROS I.II 74 m.p.h. CEILING A combination of the large and efficient wing, powerful engine and light weight meant that the 504 had superb climb characteristics. The Curtiss JN-4, another successful trainer that came from the war, could only climb to half the 504 's ceiling at best. POWER ALBATROI B.11 13,INIO ft. The Le Rhone rotary was a good engine, and later 504s had other engines generating as much as 100 hp. This power was much of the reason for the 504 's performance. It also led to the machine's ultimate demise in Britain when the Air Ministry banned rotaries. AVR0504 110 hp. CURTISS JN-4 90 hp. AlllATROS B.11 98 hp. i ,-.._ PHOTO FILE AvRo504 .A. University Air Squadron .A. Restored and flying So many 504s were built that several survive today. This aircraft appeared at Biggin Hill air show in 1969, and two are often seen at Old Warden's vintage display during the summer . Many of the RAF's pilots in World War II had previously learned to fly on the Avro 504 with University Air Squadrons, which allowed students to try flying before joining the RAF. Tower Bridge stunt ► Typical of the stunts that pilots relished in the 1920s, this Avro 504 flew through Tower Bridge over the Thames in London. .A. Hard landing The 504 was famous for its toughness, but no airframe could tolerate landings like this. Most 504 crashes were due to pilot error rather than aircraft failure. ► One of the first Zeppelin kills was made by Flt. Cdr. A. Bigsworth who dropped small bombs on LZ 39 In 1917. ► In June 1914, a War Office Avro 504 was looped for the first time by F. Raynham. ► An Avro 504 was the first British plane shot down by German troops in 1914. ► ► ► Perhaps the best remembered 504 was the "K" model used as a postwar trainer. T Floating 504 Many 504s were fitted with floats, for the Navy and for civil purposes. This 504 was built by Eastbourne Aviation . Making a gliding descent from 14,700 feet, an Avro 504 travelled over 20 miles during an early altitude record attempt. At one time, 13 squadrons of the AFC in France used the Avro 504. Surrey Air Services used a fleet of Avro 504Ks to fly passengers to Brussels. © MCMXCVII International Masters Publishers AB. Aircraff of the World '" published under license by IMP, Inc. US P 4801 12 025 Pkt. 25 PRINTED IN U.S.A. '-._/

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