Avro 621 Tutor
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| Avro 621 Tutor | |
|---|---|
 Avro Type 621 |
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| Type | Trainer |
| Manufacturer | Avro |
| Designed by | Roy Chadwick |
| Maiden flight | 26 June 1926 |
| Retired | 1941 |
| Primary user | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 795 |
| Variants | Avro 626, PWS-18 |
The Avro 621 Tutor is a two-seat British training biplane from the interwar period, designed and produced by A.V. Roe. The Avro 621 was a simple but rugged initial trainer that was used by the Royal Air Force as well as many other air arms worldwide.
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[edit] Design and development
Designed by Roy Chadwick as an Avro private venture replacement for the Avro 504, the Avro Model 621 was initially called "Trainer". Conceived as a light initial pilot trainer, the biplane design featured an equal span, single bay wings; the construction was based on steel tubing (with some wooden components in the wing ribs) with doped linen covering. A conventional, fixed divided main undercarriage with tail wheel was used. The Model 621 was powered by a 215/240-h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Mongoose or Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IVC engine; later production models had the engine enclosed in a Townend ring cowling.
[edit] Operational history
Production was started against an order for three from Eire and 30 from the Royal Air Force, who renamed the 621, the Avro Tutor and the type was gradually adopted as the standard trainer of the RAF; a total of 381 Tutors and 15 Avro 646 Sea Tutors were eventually ordered. Subsequently, the Model 621 achieved substantial foreign sales. Production included 462 by A.V. Roe and Co, 57 licence built in South African Air Force, 40 licence built in Poland (as the PWS-18), 20 licence built in Greece by KEA and three licence built by the Danish Naval Shipyard.
Known for its good handling, the type was often featured at air shows. Over 200 Avro Tutors and five Sea Tutors remained in RAF/Fleet Air Arm service at the beginning of the Second World War.
[edit] Variants
- Avro 621 Tutor
- Two-seat primary training aircraft.
- Avro 621 Tutor II
- One aircraft was modified with a different wing strut arrangement.
- Avro 646 Sea Tutor
- Two-seat seaplane version for the Royal Navy. The Sea Tutor was fitted with twin floats.
- PWS-18
- Polish-modified two-seat intermediate trainer aircraft, 40 aircraft were built under licence in Poland.
[edit] Operators
- Czechoslovak Air Force in exile operated at least 1 aircraft in 310 Fighter Squadron[1].
- Danish Air Force operated 5 aircraft, 3 were locally produced.
- Royal Canadian Air Force operated 6 aircraft.
- Chinese Nationalist Air Force operated 6 aircraft.
- Iraqi Air Force operated 3 aircraft.
- Irish Air Corps operated 3 aircraft.
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- Hellenic Air Force operated 29 aircraft, at least 20 were locally produced.
- Polish Air Force received 2 aircraft and 40 PWS-18 locally produced.
- South African Air Force operated 60 aircraft, 57 were locally produced.
- Royal Air Force received 381 or 394 aircraft, depending on source.
- Fleet Air Arm operated 15 Sea Tutor aircraft fitted with floats.
[edit] Survivors
K3241/G-AHSA is preserved in an airworthy condition by the Shuttleworth Collection. Built in 1933, K3241 served RAF College, Cranwell, until transferred to the Central Flying School in 1936. Used for communication duties during the Second World War, struck off December 1946 and purchased by Wing Commander Heywood. After being damaged during the filming of Reach for the Sky, it was purchased by the Shuttleworth Collection and restored to flying condition.
[edit] Specifications
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.General characteristics
- Crew: Two (student & instructor)
- Length: 26 ft 4½ in (8.04 m)
- Wingspan: 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m)
- Height: 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m)
- Wing area: 301 ft² (27.96 m²)
- Empty weight: 1,844 lb (836 kg)
- Loaded weight: 2,493 lb (1,131 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× , ()
Performance
- Maximum speed: 104 knots (120 mph, 193 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 84 knots (97 mph, 156 km/h)
- Range: ) (250 miles, 402 km)
- Service ceiling 16,000 ft (4,877 m)
[edit] See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
Related lists
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ Vančata, Cechoslováci v zahraničním odboji, p.2
[edit] Bibliography
- Jackson, A.J. Avro Aircraft since 1908, 2nd edition. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-834-8.
- Vančata, Pavel. "Cechoslováci v zahraničním odboji". Revi (bi-monthly magazine) #65. Ostrava-Poruba: REVI Publications, 2006. ISSN 1211-0744 (Czech language).
[edit] External links
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