I.Ae. 24 Calquin

infobox Aircraft
name = I.Ae.24 "Calquin"
type = Bomber
manufacturer = Fabrica Militar de Aviones (FMA)



caption = I.Ae.24 "Calquin" in squadron use, c.1950
designer =
first flight = 5 June 1946
introduced =
retired = 1960
produced =1947-1950
number built = 101
status =
unit cost =
primary user = Fuerza Aérea Argentina
more users =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =

The I.Ae.24 "Calquin" (en: "Royal Eagle") was designed and built by Instituto Aerotécnico (Córdoba) in Argentina in the immediate post-World War II era. Although superficially a "look-alike" for the de Havilland Mosquito, the I.Ae.24 was powered by twin Pratt & Whitney R-1830-G “Twin Wasp” radials giving it a distinct appearance. After an operational career spanning two decades, the Calquin was retired.

Design and development

Patterned after the successful de Havilland Mosquito, the Instituto Aerotecnico utilized a similar all-wood construction for the first twin-engined aircraft designed and built in Argentina. The I.Ae.24 design was based on a cantilever mid-mounted wooden (indigenous woods were used throughout) wings with fabric-covered flying surfaces. The conventional main twin-oleo undercarriage retracted into the engine nacelles while the tail wheel retracted into the aft fuselage. The two-person crew were in side-by-side stations under a large transparency constructed partly of acrylic glass with glass panels. The armament consisted of four 12.7 mm machine guns grouped in the nose. Some examples later had four 20 mm cannons and an internal bombload of 1,764 lb (800 kg) kg along with 12 rockets (75 mm) mounted under the wings.

Originally the I.Ae. 24 was also intended to be equipped with Rolls-Royce Merlins but an adequate supply of the powerplants was not possible, consequently Pratt & Whitney R-1830-G “Twin Wasp” radials of 1,050 hp (782.5 kW) were substituted. Performance estimates of a Merlin-powered variant would have made it comparable to the Mosquito but the R-1830-powered prototype was only able to achieve 273 mph (440 km/h). A later prototype, the I.Ae.28 was equipped with Rolls-Royce Merlins but the project was superseded by the more capable I.Ae. 30 "Ñancú".

Operational history

Despite the lower performance obtained in testing, the I.Ae.24 Calquin was able to undertake an attack and light bombing role. A total of 100 aircraft were ordered, with the first production example flying on 4 July 1947. Series production was completed by 1950. Operational service continued until 1957 although a number of aircraft were still in squadron use until 1960.

pecifications (I.Ae.24 "Calquín")

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=Jane's Jane's Encyclopedia of AviationTaylor, 1980, p. 670.]
crew=2: pilot, bombardier/navigator
length main=39 ft 4.5 in
length alt=12 m
span main=53 ft 5.75 in
span alt=16.3 m
height main=17 ft 5 in
height alt=5.3 m
area main=
area alt=
empty weight main=
empty weight alt=
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
max takeoff weight main=15,873 lb
max takeoff weight alt=7,200 kg

engine (prop)=Pratt & Whitney R-1830-G "Twin Wasp"
type of prop=14-cylinder air-cooled radial engine
number of props=2
power main=1,050 hp
power alt=782.5 kW

propeller or rotor?=propellor
propellers=Three bladed Hamilton Standard Hydromatic 23-E-50
number of propellers per engine=
propeller diameter main=
propeller diameter alt=

max speed main=440 km/h
max speed alt=273 mph, 237 knots
max speed more=
range main=1,040 km
range alt=646 mi, 562 NM
range more=
ceiling main=10,000 m
ceiling alt=32,800 ft
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
armament=
*4× 20 mm Hispano Mk II cannon
*4× .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns
*12 x 60 lb (27 kg) rockets (Mk VI)
*bombs=1,764 lb (800 kg)
weapons=4× 20 mm Hispano Mk II cannon, 4× .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns, 12 x 60 lb (27 kg) rockets (Mk VI)-->

ee also

Comparable aircraft

*de Havilland Mosquito

References

;Notes;Bibliography
* Baldini, Atilio and Bontti, Sergio. "I.Aé.- 24 CALQUIN" (in Spanish). Buenos Aires: Jorge Nunez Padin, 2007. ISBN 978-987-20557-1-4.
* "Janes's All the World's Aircraft 1957-1958". London: Jane's All the World's Aircraft, 1958.
* Taylor, Michael J.H. "Janes's Encyclopedia of Aviation, Vol. 4". Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier Educational Corporation, 1980. ISBN 0-7106-0710-5.

External links

* [http://www.samoloty.ow.pl/str329.htm I.Ae.24 "Calquin" (in Polish)]
* [http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.geocities.com/bacosistemas01/Calquin.html&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=6&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DI.Ae.24%2B%2522Calquin%2522%26hl%3Den%26ie%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DG I.Ae.24 "Calquin" (translated into English from Spanish)]
* [http://www.hangardigital.com.ar/calquin.html Aircraft history and specifications (in Spanish)]
* [http://www.aeroespacio.com.ar/site/anteriores/551-560/559/SITE/_19lamcent.htm Aircraft history, specifications and colour images (in Spanish)]
* [http://www.aeroespacio.com.ar/538/site/calquin.htm Pre-series testing by the "Grupo Experimental de Vuelo" (in Spanish)]