| Atlas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Army cooperation aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Armstrong Whitworth |
| Primary users | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 478 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1927 - 1933 |
| Introduction date | 1927 |
| First flight | 10 May 1925 |
| Retired | 1935 (RAF), 1942 (RCAF) |
TheArmstrong Whitworth Atlas was a British single-enginebiplane designed and built byArmstrong Whitworth Aircraft. It served as an army co-operation aircraft for theRoyal Air Force (RAF) in the 1920s and 1930s. It was the first purpose-designed aircraft of the army co-operation type to serve with the RAF.
The Armstrong Whitworth Atlas was designed by a team led by John Lloyd, chief designer ofArmstrong Whitworth Aircraft, as a private venture,[1] to replace theDH.9A andBristol Fighter as an army co-operation aircraft for the RAF,[2] in parallel with a very closely related design, the Armstrong Whitworth Ajax, intended for more general purpose roles.[3] While the two types were private ventures, relevant Air Ministry requirements includedSpecification 8/24, 30/24 and 20/25.[4]
The prototype Atlas (G-EBLK) was built as a private venture, first flying on 10 May 1925.[5] It was delivered to theAeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A & AEE),Martlesham Heath, where it was evaluated against theBristol Boarhound,de Havilland Hyena,Vickers Vespa, andShort Chamois. It proved superior in performance and handling and was recommended for production.
While the performance was generally good, the prototype could not be sideslipped steeply, and this resulted in a redesign where sweptback metal wings, with differing wing section, were fitted. When tested again, the Atlas was found to have lost its good handling, having dangerousstall characteristics. The Atlas had already been ordered for service, however, and suffered a number of accidents during takeoff and landing in the first few months of operation until modified with automaticslats and increased sweepback. This cured the poor handling.[6] The production Atlas had a steel tubefuselage with fabric covering with single-bay swept metal wings. It could be fitted with a hook under the fuselage to pick up messages and could carry a 460 lb (210 kg) bombload under the wings.
The first batch of 37 aircraft were ordered in 1927, entering service with13 Squadron RAF and26 Squadron in that year.[5] Once the initial handling problems had been solved by the fitting of slats, the Atlas proved well suited for army co-operation, in use at home and overseas, with208 squadron, being the first squadron to operate Atlases outside Britain, replacing Bristol fighters atHeliopolis,Egypt in 1930.[7] Atlases were also used forcommunications duties[7] and asadvanced trainers, with 175 dual-control models built.[8] The Atlas continued in service in the army co-operations role until replaced with theHawker Audax, a variant of theHawker Hart, with the last operational squadron, 208, re-equipping in 1935.[8] It was also replaced in the advanced trainer role in 1935 by the Hawker Hart Trainer.[7]
Four civil registered Atlas trainers were used by Air Service Training Ltd for advanced and reserve flying training. They were scrapped in 1938.[9]
TheRoyal Canadian Air Force were supplied with 16 aircraft in 1927, mostly serving withNo.2 (Army Co-operation) Squadron.[10] They were still in service at the outbreak ofWorld War II in 1939, taking on a new role flyingmaritime reconnaissance patrols from bothHalifax andSaint John over theBay of Fundy. At the end of 1939 the Atlas aircraft were passed on toNo.118 (Coast Artillery Co-operation) Squadron, who continued operating this type on coastal patrols until replaced byWestland Lysander andBlackburn Sharks in 1940.[11][12]
Data from The British Bomber since 1914.[8]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related lists
