Armstrong Whitworth Starling

infobox Aircraft
name = A.W.14 Starling
type = Fighter
manufacturer = Armstrong Whitworth


caption =
designer =
first flight = 1927
status = Prototype only
primary user =
more users =
produced =
number built = Two
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =

The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.14 Starling was a British single engined biplane fighter developed for the Royal Air Force in the 1920's. It was unsuccessful, with the Bristol Bulldog being selected instead.

Development

The A.W.14 Starling was developed by Armstrong Whitworth in order to meet the requirements of Specification 28/24, for a replacement for Armstrong Whitworth's earlier Siskin, but was submitted to meet Specification F9/26, for a single-seat fighter capable of operating in day and night-time conditions. The Starling was an all-metal biplane with staggered wings of unequal span.

Two prototypes were ordered, with the first "J8027", powered by a 385 hp Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar VII radial engine flying on 12 May 1927Cite book
author=Mason, Francis K|title=The British Fighter since 1912|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1992|isbn= 1-55750-082-7. It proved to be underpowered with this engine, and was therefore re-engined with a 460 hp Jaguar V engine. Performance was still unimpressive however, with the first prototype not exceeding speeds of 160 mph rather than the expected 180 mph, and was rejected by the RAF. "J8027" was given the civil registration "G-AAHC" in May 1929 and used by the company as a demonstrator, it was shown at Olympia in London in July 1929. It was last flown on the 14 March 1931 and cancelled from the register in December 1931.

The second prototype, "J8028" was redesigned with a smaller lower wing and a more powerful 525 hp Armstrong Siddeley Panther II engine to meet the requirements of Specification N.21/26 for a naval fighter, first flying on 5 December 1929. While showing better performance than the first prototype, it too was unsuccessful, although it did carry out useful development work for the Armstrong Whitworth A.W.16.

Variants

;Starling I:First prototype - powered by Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar VII or V engine.;Starling II:Second prototype to specification N.21/26 for a naval fighter. Powered by Armstrong Siddeley Panther II engine.

Operators

;UK

pecifications (Starling I)

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

ref=The British Fighter since 1912

crew=One
capacity=
length main= 25 ft 2 in
length alt= 7.67 m
span main= 31 ft 4 in
span alt= 9.55 m
height main= 10 ft 6 in
height alt= 3.20 m
area main= 246 ft²
area alt= 22.9 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 2,060 lb cite book |last= Green|first= W |coauthors=Swanborough, G |title= The Complete Book of Fighters |edition= |year= 1994|publisher= Smithmark |isbn= 0-8317-3939-8
empty weight alt= 936 kg
loaded weight main= 3,095 lb
loaded weight alt= 1,407 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (prop)=Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar V
type of prop= 14 cylinder radial engine
number of props=1
power main= 460 hp
power alt= 343 kW
power original=
max speed main= 139 knots
max speed alt= 160 mph, 258 km/h
max speed more= at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main=
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
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loading main=
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armament=
* Two 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine guns

avionics=

ee also

aircontent

related=

similar aircraft=Bristol Bulldog

lists=

see also=

References