Avro 557 Ava

infobox Aircraft
name = Ava
type = Torpedo Bomber
manufacturer = Avro


caption =
designer = Roy Chadwick
first flight = 1924
introduced =
introduction=
retired =
status = Prototype
primary user =
more users =
produced =
number built = 2
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = The Avro Type 557 Ava was a British twin engined biplane torpedo bomber of the 1920s. It was developed by Avro to meet a requirement for a heavy torpedo bomber for the Royal Air Force, but was unsuccessful, only two prototypes being built.

Design and Development

The British Air Ministry produced Specification 16/22 in 1922 for a long ranged land based torpedo bomber. The specification required that the aircraft be capable of carrying a 21 inch torpedo or an equivalent weight of bombs, and produced responses both from Blackburn Aircraft (the Cubaroo) and Avro.Cite book |author=Mason, Francis K |authorlink =
|title=The British Bomber since 1914 |pages=p.156-157|publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books |location= London |year=1994 |isbn= 0 85177 861 5 Roy Chadwick, chief designer of Avro, initially produced a single engined design, the Avro 556 powered by a Napier Cub engine, similar to the Cubaroo. This was however rejected in favour of a twin engined aircraft using two Rolls-Royce Condor engines, this being designated the Avro Type 557 Ava, and winning an order of two prototypes from the Air Ministry. Completed in secret (owing to its armament with a 21 inch torpedo, thought able to sink the largest warships), the first prototype Ava (serial number "N171") flew in mid 1924.

The Ava was a three bay biplane of wooden construction, with the uncowled engines situated between the wings. It had a biplane tail, initially fitted with triple rudders, of which the centre rudder was soon removed. cite book |last= Jackson|first= A J |title=Avro Aircraft since 1908 |edition= 2nd edition|year= 1990 |publisher= Putnam Aeronautical Books|location= London|pages=p.209-211 |isbn= 0-85177-834-8 ] The fuselage accommodated two pilots in an open cockpit, with nose and dorsal gun positions and a retractable ventral "dustbin" gun position that could be manned by the navigator/bomb aimer, who otherwise occupied a large enclosed cabin. The 2000 lb (910 kg) torpedo or equivalent bombload was carried on external racks under the fuselage.

The Air Ministry dropped its plans to use the 21 inch torpedo, but Avro continued with construction of the second prototype, which was of all metal construction but was otherwise similar to the first prototype, flying on 22 April 1927. While a modified version of the Ava was proposed to meet specification B19/27 for a heavy bomber, it was unsuccessful, no further aircraft being built.

Variants

;Ava Mk I: First prototype. Wooden construction.;Ava Mk II: Second prototype. Metal construction.

pecifications (Ava Mk I)

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

ref=The British Bomber since 1914

crew=Five
capacity=
length main= 58 ft 3 in
length alt= 17.76 m
span main= 96 ft 10 in
span alt= 29.52 m
height main= 19 ft 7¾ in
height alt= 5.99 m
area main= 2,163 ft²
area alt= 201.0 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 12,760lb
empty weight alt= 5,800 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 19,920 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 9,055 kg
more general=

engine (prop)= Rolls-Royce Condor III
type of prop=water cooled V-12
number of props=2
power main= 650 hp
power alt= 485 kW
power original=
max speed main= 115 mph cite book |last= Lewis|first=Peter |title= The British Bomber since 1914 |edition=Third edition |year=1980 |publisher=Putnam |location=London |isbn=0 370 30265 6 |pages=416-417 ]
max speed alt= 100 KN, 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=
ceiling main=
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=

armament=
*Three 0.303-in (7.7 mm) Lewis guns (Nose, dorsal and retractable ventral positions)
*One 21 inch (553 mm) torpedo "or" four 550 lb (250 kg) bombs

avionics=

References

ee also

aircontent

related=

similar aircraft=Blackburn Cubaroo

lists=

see also=

External links

* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=267 British Aircraft Directory]