Avro Buffalo

infobox Aircraft
name = Type 571 Buffalo
type = Torpedo Bomber
manufacturer = Avro


caption =
designer =
first flight = 1926
introduced =
introduction=
retired =
status = Prototype
primary user =
more users =
produced =
number built = 1
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = The Avro 571 Buffalo was a prototype British carrier based torpedo bomber, designed and built by Avro in the 1920's. It was not selected for service, the Blackburn Ripon being ordered instead.

Design and development

The Avro 571 Buffalo was designed by Avro as a private venture to meet the requirements of Air Ministry Specification 21/23,for a two seat torpedo bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, intended to replace the Blackburn Dart. The prototype ("G-EBNW") first flew at the Avro works at Hamble during 1926 cite book |last= Jackson|first= A J |title=Avro Aircraft since 1908 |edition= 2nd edition|year= 1990 |publisher= Putnam Aeronautical Books|location= London |isbn= 0-85177-834-8 ] . It was evaluated against the Blackburn Ripon and the Handley Page Harrow but was found to have poor handling and was therefore rejected Cite book |author=Mason, Francis K |title=The British Bomber since 1914 |publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books |year=1994 |id= ISBN 0 85177 861 5.

The prototype was therefore rebuilt as the Avro 572 Buffalo II, with new, all metal wings, fitted with controllable Handley Page Slats and a more powerful engine. In this form, the Buffalo was much improved. By this time however, the Blackburn Ripon had been declared the competition winner .

Operational history

After it failed to be ordered into production the Buffalo was converted into a seaplane in 1928 for the Air Ministry. As serial number "N239" it was used for trials at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment at Felixstowe.

Variants

;Avro 571 Buffalo I:Prototype powered by 450 hp Napier Lion Va engine.;Avro 572 Buffalo II:Rebuilt Buffalo I with new wing and powered by 530 hp Lion XIA.

Operators

;UK
*Air Ministry

pecifications (Buffalo II)

Design

The Buffalo was a single bay biplane, with a deep fuselage of tubular steel construction with a cabin under the pilot and observer's cockpits for operating the radio and bomb aiming. The Buffalo I had mixed metal/wooden construction wings, which were replaced in the Buffalo II with new metal wings.

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

ref= Avro Aircraft since 1908

crew=Two
capacity=
length main= 37 ft 3 in
length alt= 11.36 m
span main= 46 ft 0 in
span alt= 14.02 m
height main= 14 ft 0 in
height alt= 4.27 m
area main= 684 ft²
area alt= 63.6 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 4,223 lb
empty weight alt= 1,920 kg
loaded weight main= 7,430 lb
loaded weight alt= 3,377 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (prop)=Napier Lion XIA
type of prop=12 cylinder broad arrow piston engine
number of props=1
power main= 530 hp
power alt= 395 kW
power original=
max speed main= 117 knots
max speed alt= 135 mph, 217 km/h
cruise speed main= 91 knots
cruise speed alt= 105 mph, 169 km/h
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 565 nm
range alt= 650 mi, 1,046 km
ceiling main= 13,700 ft
ceiling alt= 4,180 m
climb rate main= 770 ft/min
climb rate alt= 3.9 m/s
loading main= 10.9 lb/ft²
loading alt= 53.1 kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 0.071 hp/lb
power/mass alt= 0.11 kW/kg
more performance=

armament=* 1 fixed, forward firing Vickers gun (not Mk II) and one Lewis gun in rear cockpit.
"Either"

* One 18 in torpedo"or"

* up to three 520 lb bombs

avionics=

ee also

aircontent

related=

similar aircraft=Blackburn Ripon - Handley Page Harrow

lists=

see also=

References

External links