Saro Windhover

infobox Aircraft
name = A19 Windhover
type = Amphibian
manufacturer = Saunders Roe



caption = Saunders-Roe Windhover VH-UPB at Launceston, Tasmania
designer =
first flight = 1930-10-16
introduction = 1931
retired =
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primary user =
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produced =
number built = 2
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =

The Saro A19 Windhover was a British amphibious aircraft from the period between World War I and World War II, constructed by Saunders-Roe, or "Saro". It was originally advertised as the A19 Thermopylae after the famous clipper ship, being an enlarged version of the Saro Cutty Sark.

Development

When tests to improve the power of the Saro A17 Cutty Sark by adding a third De Havilland Gipsy II engine proved impractical (due to the additional weight on the small airframe), Saro designed a larger aircraft on similar lines that could indeed carry three Gipsy II engines. Although a technically successful aircraft and nearly viceless in service, it was a type with a very limited market and only two were built.

Production aircraft

* A21/1, prototype first flown at Cowes 16 October 1930, registered ZK-ABW for delivery to Dominion Airways of New Zealand. Aircraft sold before delivery to Matthews Aviation of Melbourne, Victoria and placed on the Australian register as VH-UPB. Between January 1933 and February 1934 operated a regular Bass Strait passenger service between Melbourne and Launceston, Tasmania via King Island. In May 1936 it was damaged beyond repair when blown ashore at King Island while on a charter with a party of game hunters. Although it was salvaged it never flew again, and is believed to have been used as an instructional airframe in Melbourne during the Second World War before being demolished.
* A21/2, first and only production example, completed July 1931 and after modifications (addition of auxiliary winglet over engines to improve air flow and lift) sold to Francis Francis as G-ABJP, who onsold it in September to Gibraltar Airways for the Gibraltar-Tangier route. In July 1932 sold to The Hon. Mrs Victor Bruce and named "City of Portsmouth" to be used in an attempt to break the world flight-refuelled endurance record. This was not achieved and the aircraft was sold to Jersey Airways in May 1935, being taken out of service in 1938.

pecifications (A17)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop
ref=Peter London, "Saunders and Saro Aircraft Since 1917", Putnam (Conway Maritime Press), London, 1988
crew= two, pilot and (optional) co-pilot
capacity=4 to 6 passengers
length main= 41 ft 4 in
length alt= 12.6 m
span main= 54 ft 4 in
span alt= 15.56 m
height main=
height alt=
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main= 4,180 lb
empty weight alt= 1,860 kg
loaded weight main= 5,500 lb
loaded weight alt= 2,450 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (prop)= De Havilland Gipsy II
type of prop=
number of props=3
power main= 120 hp
power alt= 90 kW
power original=
max speed main= 100 knots
max speed alt= 110 mph, 185 km/h
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt= 400 miles, 672 km
ceiling main= 10,020 ft
ceiling alt= 3,055 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
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armament=
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ee also

aircontent
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sequence=

lists=
* List of seaplanes and flying boats

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References

*Peter London, "Saunders and Saro Aircraft Since 1917", Putnam (Conway Maritime Press), London, 1988.