Cierva C.40

Cierva C.40
Role	Autogyro
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	British Aircraft Manufacturing Company
Designer	J.A.J. Bennett
First flight	1938
Primary user	Royal Air Force
Number built	9
Developed from	Cierva C.30

The Cierva C.40 was a British autogyro designed by J.A.J Bennett and assembled by the British Aircraft Manufacturing Company at London Air Park, Hanworth.^[1][2]

Development

The C.40 was the last autogiro designed by the Cierva company. Following the death of Cierva in 1936 the C.40 was designed by J.A.J. Bennett and based on the earlier Cierva C.30.^[2] It had two side-by-side seats in a wooden fuselage and was powered by a Salmson 9NG radial engine.^[1]

In 1938 the British Aircraft Manufacturing Company assembled nine C.40s at London Air Park, Hanworth, and seven were delivered to the Royal Air Force.^[2] The remaining two were civilian registered to the Cierva company, one was lost in France in June 1940, and the other was impressed into RAF service.^[2]

Operators

 United Kingdom

• Royal Air Force

Specification

Data from ^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (pilot, observer)
• Empty weight: 1,350 lb (612 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,950 lb (885 kg)
• Main rotor diameter: × 40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 120 mph (190 km/h; 100 kn)
• Cruise speed: 100 mph (87 kn; 160 km/h)
• Range: 200 mi (174 nmi; 322 km)

Related lists

• List of autogyro models
• List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force
  

References

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Orbis 1985, p. 1155
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Jackson 1973, pp. 24-26

Bibliography

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. 
• Jackson, A.J. (1973). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN 0 370 10006 9.