The Athena was designed to meet the requirements ofAir MinistrySpecification T.7/45 for a three-seat advanced trainer powered by aturboprop engine for the RAF. The Athena was an all-metal low-winged monoplane, with a side-by-side cockpit. The Air Ministry rethought its requirements in 1947 and replaced the original specification withSpecification T.14/47, which specified the use of aRolls-Royce Merlin 35 piston engine, large stocks of which were held in store.[1]
Despite the change in specification, the first three prototypes were of the turboprop-powered Athena T.1, the first of which, powered by anArmstrong Siddeley Mamba engine, flew on 12 June 1948 atWoodford Aerodrome.[1] The Merlin-poweredAthena T.2 first flew on 1 August 1948,[2] and was evaluated against the similarBoulton Paul Balliol.
A small production run of 15 Athenas was ordered for the RAF, but the Balliol was preferred, and no further Athenas were ordered.
The 15 production Athenas were used by the RAF from 1950[3] for armament training at the RAF Flying College atRAF Manby.[4] A single aircraft was loaned back to Avro and given the civil registrationG-ALWA for a demonstration tour ofIndia. No sales resulted and it was returned to the RAF.[1]
Two of the 22 aircraft were lost in flying accidents:
T2VR569 of the Aircraft Instrument Experimental Unit was written off atWilby, Suffolk on 27 June 1951. Aircraft broke up in spiral dive after loss of control in cloud, two crew killed.[5]
Fuel capacity: 110 imp gal (130 US gal; 500 L) in two flexible wing tanks and 30 imp gal (36 US gal; 140 L) in a fuselage collector tank, with provision for 90 imp gal (110 US gal; 410 L) in two under-wing drop tanks; Oil: 15 imp gal (18 US gal; 68 L)
Powerplant: 1 ×Rolls-Royce Merlin 35 V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,280 hp (950 kW) for take-off
1,245 hp (928 kW) combat rating at 11,500 ft (3,500 m)
1,060 hp (790 kW) continuous cruise at 9,250 ft (2,820 m)
Propellers: 4-bladed constant-speed propeller
Performance
Maximum speed: 293 mph (472 km/h, 255 kn) at 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
Cruise speed: 223 mph (359 km/h, 194 kn) max at 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
Stall speed: 81 mph (130 km/h, 70 kn) flaps down
Range: 550 mi (890 km, 480 nmi)
Service ceiling: 29,000 ft (8,800 m) service ceiling
Rate of climb: 2,050 ft/min (10.4 m/s) initial; 2,030 ft/min (10.3 m/s) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
