Supermarine Sparrow

__NOTOC__ Infobox Aircraft
name=Sparrow


caption=
type=Two-seat light aircraft
manufacturer=Supermarine Aviation Works
designer=R.J. Mitchell
first flight= 11 September 1924
introduced=
retired=1930
status=
primary user=
more users=
produced=
number built=1
variants with their own articles=

The Supermarine Sparrow is a British two-seat light aircraft designed by R.J. Mitchell and built by Supermarine at Woolston.

Development

The Sparrow I was designed and built for the 1924 Lympne Trials. It was a two-seat biplane powered by a 35 hp Blackburne Thrush piston engine, with dual control. The Sparrow I (registered "G-EBJP") first flew on 11 September 1924. Andrews and Morgan 1987, p.310.] The Thrush, a three-cylinder radial engine 0roved to be extremely unrelaible and the Sparrow was eliminated from the light aircraft trial due to engine failure. In the Grosvenor Trophy Race at Lympne Aerodrome on 14 October 1924 it came fourth with a speed of 62.08 mph. Andrews and Morgan 1987, p.312.]

The aircraft was re-built for the 1926 Lympne Trials as a parasol monoplane (and re-designated the Sparrow II) and re-engined with a 32 hp Bristol Cherub III engine. During the trials the Sparrow force-landed near Beachy Head on 12 September 1926, again being eliminated from the competition, which was won by the Hawker Cygnet. Andrews and Morgan 1987, p.313.] After use for testing wing sections, the aircraft was sold to the Halton Aero Club, Andrews and Morgan 1987, p.314-315] remaining in existence until 1933. Jackson 1988, p.316.]

Variants

;Sparrow I:Blackburne Thrush powered biplane;Sparrow II:Sparrow I modified into a monoplane powered by a Bristol Cherub III piston engine.

pecifications (Sparrow I)

aerospecs
ref= "British Civil Aircraft since 1919"
met or eng?= eng
crew=2
capacity=
length m=6.91
length ft=22
length in=8
span m=10.16
span ft=33
span in=4
width m=
width ft=
width in=
height m=2.26Andrews and Morgan 1987, p.315.]
height ft=7
height in=5
wing area sqm=23.8
wing area sqft=256
empty weight kg=215
empty weight lb=475
gross weight kg=390
gross weight lb=860
eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Blackburne Thrush piston engine
eng1 kw= 26
eng1 hp= 35
eng2 number=
eng2 type=
eng2 kw=
eng2 hp=

max speed kmh=116
max speed mph=72
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
range km=
range miles=
endurance h=
endurance min=
ceiling m=3,350
ceiling ft=11,000
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=
climb rate ftmin=

ee also

aircontent
see also=
related=
similar aircraft=*Hawker Cygnet
*De Havilland Humming Bird
lists=

References

* Andrews, C.F. and Morgan, E.B. "Supermarine Aircraft since 1914". London:Putnam, 1987. iSBN 0 85177 800 3.
* Jackson,A.J. "British Civil Aircraft since 1919:Volume 3". London:Putnam, 1988, ISBN 0 85177 818 6.

External links

* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=194 British Aircraft Directory]