Armstrong Whitworth AW.23

infobox Aircraft
name = AW.23
type = Bomber/transport
logo =
manufacturer = Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft



caption = Model of AW. 23
designer = John Lloyd
first flight = 1935
introduction =
retired = 1940
status = Destroyed
primary user = Royal Air Force
more users = Flight Refuelling Ltd
produced = 1935
number built = 1
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = Armstrong Whitworth Whitley

The Armstrong Whitworth AW.23 was a prototype bomber/transport aircraft produced to specification C.26/31 for the British Air Ministry by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. While it was not selected to meet this specification, it did form the basis of the later Armstrong Whitworth Whitley aircraft.

Design and development

Specification C.26/31 required a dual purpose bomber/transport aircraft for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF), with the specification stressing the transport part of its role. The AW.23 was designed by John Lloyd, chief designer of Armstrong Whitworth to meet this specification, competing with the Handley Page HP.51 and the Bristol Bombay. The AW.23 was a low winged twin engine monoplane, powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Tiger engines. It had a fabric covered braced steel fuselage accommodating a large cabin to fulfill its primary transport role, but with room for internal bomb racks under the cabin floor. It was the first Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft to be fitted with a retractable undercarriage.

A single prototype, "K3585", was built first flying on 4 June 1935. Owing to its unreliable Tiger engines, its delivery to the RAF for testing was delayed, with the Bristol Bombay being declared the winner of the specification.

The prototype was given the civil registration "G-AFRX" in May 1939 being used for inflight refuelling development by Flight Refuelling Ltd who used it with the Short Empire flying boat. It was used in February 1940 for the world's first night refuelling experiments. It was destroyed in a German bombing raid on Ford airfield in June 1940. cite book|last=Jackson|first=A.J.|year=1973|title=British Civil Aircraft since 1919 (Volume 1)|publisher=Putnam|id=ISBN 0-370-10006-9]

Operators

;UK
*Flight Refuelling Ltd
*Royal Air Force

pecifications (AW.23)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=The British Bomber Cite book|author=Mason, Francis K |title=The British Bomber since 1914|publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books|year=1994|id= ISBN 0 85177 861 5
crew=4
capacity= 24 troops
length main= 80 ft 9 in
length alt= 24.62 m
span main= 88 ft 0 in
span alt= 26.83 m
height main= 19 ft 6 in
height alt= 5.95 m
area main= 1,308 ft²
area alt= 122 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= lb
empty weight alt= kg
loaded weight main= 24,100 lb
loaded weight alt= 11000 kg
useful load main= lb
useful load alt= kg
max takeoff weight main= lb
max takeoff weight alt= kg
more general=

engine (prop)=Armstrong Siddelely Tiger VI
type of prop=14 cylinder Radial
number of props=2
power main= 810 hp
power alt= 604 kW
power original=
max speed main= 140 knots
max speed alt= 162 mph, 261 km/h
max speed more= (TAS) at 6,500 ft
cruise speed main= knots
cruise speed alt= mph, km/h
never exceed speed main= knots
never exceed speed alt= mph, km/h
stall speed main= knots
stall speed alt= mph, km/h
range main= 690 nm
range alt= 790 mi, 1270 km
range more= (estimated)
ceiling main= 18,100 ft
ceiling alt= 5520 m
climb rate main= ft/min
climb rate alt= m/s
loading main= 18.4 lb/ft²
loading alt= 90.2 kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 0.0672 hp/lb
power/mass alt= 0.11 W/kg
more performance=*Climb to 10,000 ft (3048m): 10 min 50 s

armament= Provision for single machine guns in nose and tail turrets and for 2000 lb bombs internally.

avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Armstrong Whitworth Whitley

similar aircraft=
* Bristol Bombay
* Handley Page Harrow

lists=

References

External links

* [http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/armstrong%20whitworth%20aw23.htm British Aircraft of WW2]