British Aircraft Double Eagle
| B.A.IV Double Eagle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Double Eagle in 1936 | |
| Role | Twin-engined utlility monoplane |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | British Aircraft Manufacturing Company |
| First flight | 1936 |
| Number built | 3 |
|
| |
The British Aircraft B.A.IV Double Eagle was a British twin-engined six-seater monoplane designed and built by the British Aircraft Manufacturing Company of London Air Park, Hanworth, England.
Design and development
The Double Eagle was a twin-engined high-wing monoplane with a retractable landing gear, the main gear retracting backwards into the engine nacelles.[1] The first aircraft (Y-1) was powered by two 130 hp (97 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major engines, and it first flew from Hanworth on 3 July 1936, later registered G-ADVV. The second aircraft (G-AEIN) was fitted with two de Havilland Gipsy VIs.[1] Three aircraft were built, although one citation is claimed to say that only two Double Eagles were produced, and that both were impressed by the RAF.[2]
Operational history
In 1940, the first aircraft (G-ADVV) was impressed into the Royal Air Force as ES949,[1] and was finally used as an instructional airframe by Armstrong-Whitworth, and later Parnall.
On 29 September 1936, the second aircraft (G-AEIN), piloted by Tommy Rose, took off in the Schlesinger Race (from Portsmouth to Johannesburg). It was retired when it suffered damage at Almaza Airfield(Cairo), due to collapse of the undercarriage.[3] In 1940, it was impressed into the RAF as ES950, and ended its life in 1941 as an instructional airframe.[1]
The third aircraft (ZS-AIY) was sold to the Aircraft Operating Company in South Africa as an aerial surveying aircraft, and was then re-registered ZS-AOC. In 1940, it was impressed into service with 60 Squadron of the South African Air Force as serial number 1415.[1][4]
Operators
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- South African Air Force, one only.
- Royal Air Force, two.
Specifications (with Gipsy Major)
Data from [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Capacity: 5
- Length: 29 ft 10 in (9.1 m)
- Wingspan: 41 ft 0 in (12.5 m)
- Empty weight: 2000 lb (907 kg)
- Gross weight: 3500 lb (1588 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × de Havilland Gipsy Major, 130 hp (97 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 165 mph (265 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 145 mph (232 km/h)
See also
- Related lists
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Aircraft Double Eagle. |
Notes
Bibliography
- Jackson, A.J. (1973). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10006-9.