Modelling > Anything But Military GB

Pax 1940

(1/7) > >>

apophenia:
Pax 1940

Between 1936 and 1939, Europe prepared for war. While American industry consolidated its technological lead in commercial aviation, European firms focused on military designs. But, by the Spring of 1940, it was clear that this much-feared 'Second Great War' was not going to happen.

In response to an influx of Lockheed Electras and Douglas DC-2s/DC-3s, European governments made a priority of re-orienting their aviation industries to commercial aircraft production. In early 1940, this mostly consisted of adapting suitable bomber designs to the civilian market. The result was a motely collection of inefficient designs - in Italy, the hold-over Savoia-Marchetti SM.83C; in Germany, the 10-seat He 111Z n.a. adaptation; and in Britain, the Vickers Victoria ... which any cigarette-card collecting boy could recognize as a warmed-over Wellington bomber in sheep's clothing.

There were, of course, a range of relatively successful pre-1940 European commercial aircraft designs. The most impressive were the French Bloch MB.161 and German Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Kurier. The DeHavilland Albatross had prove something of a disappointment. The DH.95 Flamingo was more successful but de Havilland had difficulty producing its metal structure in any great numbers. Clearly, the aviation industry of Europe had its collective work cut out for it.

A range of futuristic airliner designs were moving across European drawing boards but the immediate focus was on translating some of the work put toward modern bomber designs into interim airliners with reasonable performance. Here, we will examine a small cross-section of such designs, beginning with the effort from the Manchester works of A.V. Roe ...
_____________________________

apophenia:
Pax 1940 -- Avro Type 684C Avalon

The Avro Type 684C was originally planned with an extended wing centre-section from the Manchester Mk.II (complete with 2520 hp Bristol Centaurus radials). Delays in Centaurus development led to the first production version being the Avalon Mk.II with twin Bristol Hercules radials.

The Avalon Mk.IIs became the Imperial Airways 'New A Class' -- duly named 'Avon', 'Andromeda', 'Athena', and 'Amalthea'. These aircraft entered service between late Nov 1940 and Aug 1941.

The first Mk.II, 'Avalon' was retained by A.V. Roe as a test airframe. 'Avalon' was rebuilt in the middle of 1941 as the Centaurus-powered prototype Mk.I. By Oct 1941, 'Avalon' would sport the taller tailplanes of the production Avalon MkIA.

The series Avalon Mk.IA was powered, as originally intended, by Centaurus IIB 18-cylinder radials. The Avalon Mk.IA entered Imperial Airways' service in early 1942. These more powerful Avalons were named 'Arethusa', 'Artemis', 'Astraea', 'Atalanta', and 'Aurora'.

A summary of Avro Type 684C Avalon production

Avalon Mk.I -- 'Avalon', 2 x Centaurus IB, one Mk.II conversion

Avalon Mk.IA - 5 x Centaurus IIB-powered aircraft

Avalon Mk.II - 5 x Hercules IV-powerered aircraft, 1 conv. to Mk.I

_____________________________

NB: The artwork is based on a York sideview by Oliver Beernaert.

_____________________________

apophenia:
Pax 1940 -- Avro Type 686, Type 687, and Type 692

With Avalon production underway, Avro began a major redesign aimed at a longer-range companion. As first proposed, the Avro Type 686 (I) Antaeus was essentially a
4-engined Avalon (albeit with a longer span). When the Hercules engines were dropped in favour of the new Armstrong-Siddeley AS.18N Cougar radials, the Type 686 (II) was renamed Antheus. [1]

While the Type 686 Antheus was intended as an Empire trunkliner, a low-wing type was preferred for European operations. This specification was met with the Type 687 Aeneas. [2] This airliner had wings and powerplants identical to those of the Antheus but adopted a new, tricycle undercarriage arrangement. The Type 687E was a hot weather adaptation for when surplus Aeneas joined the Antheus on the Empire service. The Aeneas, in turn, was eclipsed in Europe by its pressurised descendant, the Type 692 Augustus. [3]
_____________________________

[1] It being felt that the name Antaeus was too strongly associcated with Hercules.

[2] In mythology, Antheus was a companion of Aeneas (or the surname of Dionysus).

[3] Augustus Caesar (Octavius) said to be descended from the Trojan hero, Aeneas.
_____________________________

Logan Hartke:
Tricycle landing gear?! On a British airliner in 1940?! Heresy! Burn the Yank-o-phile!  ;)

I don't know if you've read this book or not, but I'd highly recommend it. It has a chapter on the subject, written in Gunston's humorous, informative style.



It looks great, though!

Cheers,

Logan

Brian da Basher:
I very much like your Aeneas, apophenia! Looks like it'd have given both the DC-6 and the Constellation a run for their money and is much better looking than either to my eyes!

Brian da Basher

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page