The Armstrong Whitworth Argosy was a British post-war military transport/cargo aircraft. Although given different type numbers, the AW.650 civil and AW.660 military models were both called Argosy and for practical purposes are basically the same design. Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. ...

Armstrong Whitworth AW 650 Argosy (1959)

The Armstrong Whitworth Argosy was a high winged four-engined general purpose transport aircraft supplied to a number of civil operators. First flown on 8 January 1959, a total of 17 were built for civil operators Riddle Airlines (Series 101) and British European Airways (series 102 and 222). January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For alternate usages of BEA see Bea (disambiguation). ...

The Argosy was powered by four Rolls Royce Dart 526 turboprop engines driving Rotol four-blade propellers. The tailplane was on twin booms from the inner engine nacelles leaving the cargo doors at the rear of the fuselage clear for straight-in loading. This unusual "pod and boom" structure would earn it the nickname "The Whistling Wheelbarrow". A schematic diagram showing the operation of a turboprop engine. ... Rotol was a British company set up jointly by Rolls-Royce and the Bristol Aeroplane Company during World War Two for the manufacture of aircraft propellers. ...

It had a maximum weight of 97,000 lb (44,000 kg) and a payload of 28,000 lb (12,700 kg or 12.5 long tons). Cruising at 210 knots (390 km/h), it had a range of 3,000 nautical miles (3,450 statute miles or 5550 kilometres) and could seat 65 passengers. Two aircraft operated later by SAFE Air in New Zealand as the main link between the Chatham Islands and the mainland, were fitted with a pressurised "passenger capsule". A long ton is the name used in the US for the unit called the ton in the avoirdupois or Imperial system of measurements, as used (alongside the metric system) in the United Kingdom and to some extent in other Commonwealth countries. ... A nautical mile is a unit of length. ... A mile is any of several units of distance, or, in physics terminology, of length. ... A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). ... The Chatham Islands from space. ...

Ten Series 101 and 102 aircraft were built. Eight Series 200 aircraft were built, the series 200 had a larger freight hold and enlarged front and rear doors to enable it to carry standard size cargo pallets. The series 200 also had a lighter redesigned wing increasing the maximum range and Rolls Royce Dart 532/1 turboprops.

The last flight by an Argosy was made by one of New Zealand operator SAFE air in 1992, that aircraft now being preserved in Blenheim, New Zealand. Blenheim is a small city located in Marlborough, on the northeast of the South Island in New Zealand. ...

Armstrong Whitworth AW 660 Argosy C Mk 1

The military Argosy C.1 was designed as a replacement for the Vickers Valetta as a medium range transport, paratroop and supply aircraft. The 660 was based upon the AW.650 Argosy civil transport which had flown 27 months previously. The first production military Argosy first flew in March 1961. The military version had the nose door sealed to take a weather radar radome, the rear doors were changed to 'clam shell' style with an integral loading ramp, and two doors were fitted on the starboard side to enable paratroopers to exit. The strong tricycle landing gear of the original design allowed take-off and landing on rough or unprepared airstrips. This is a list of aviation-related events from 1961: Events February February 3 - Operation Looking Glass commences, meaning that the US Air Force Strategic Air Command would have a permanent, airborne command post. ... Radomes at the Misawa Security Operations Center, Misawa, Japan. ... An American Paratrooper using a MC1-B series parachute Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force. ...

The military Argosy had four Rolls Royce Dart 101 turboprops and had twice the range of the civil Series 100.

Production of the Argosy for the RAF totalled 56 aircraft which served in six squadrons; three in the UK and one each in Aden, Cyprus, and the Far East. The Argosy was withdrawn from service in 1975 as an economic measure. Those aircraft not scrapped or retained were sold to commercial operators. The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1975: Events January A specially modified McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle sets eight time to climb records, including one of 3 minutes 27 seconds from standstill on the runway to a height of 30,000 metres (98,425 feet). ...

Hawker Siddeley Argosy E Mk 1

To meet a requirement for a RAF flight inspection aircraft nine Argosy C.1s were modified in 1971 as the Argosy E1. These were a regular sight at British airfields operated by 115 Squadron until replaced by the Hawker Siddeley Andover in 1978. The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... The Hawker Siddeley Andover is a twin engined turboprop transport aircraft produced by Hawker-Siddeley developed from the Avro 748 airliner, (which see). ...

Hawker Siddeley Argosy T Mk 2

After the removal of the Argosy C.1 from the cargo/transport role it was decided to modify a number as Navigation Trainers for RAF Training Command. Two aircraft were modified as the Argosy T2, but they were not successful and the program was abandoned due to defence cuts. XP411 (see below) is was one of these.

Military service

The Argosy could accommodate 69 troops, or 48 stretcher cases or 29,000 lb (13 tonnes) of freight. This meant it could carry military equipment such as the Saracen or Ferret armoured cars , or artillery such as the 105 mm Howitzer or Wombat. The FV 603 Saracen was a six-wheeled armoured personnel carrier built by Alvis and used by the British army that became a recognisable vehicle as a result of its part in the policing of Northern Ireland. ... General characteristics Length 12 ft 2 in, 3. ...

Service units

• No. 70 Squadron RAF (based in Cyprus)
• No. 105 Squadron RAF (based in Middle East)
• No. 114 Squadron RAF (based in United Kingdom)
• No. 115 Squadron RAF (based in United Kingdom with the Argosy E1)
• No. 215 Squadron RAF (based in Singapore)
• No. 267 Squadron RAF (based in United Kingdom)
• No. 242 Operational Conversion Unit RAF
• No. 6 Flying Training School RAF

No. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

Survivors

• ZK-SAE "Merchant Enterprise", Woodbourne, Blenheim, New Zealand.
• G-APRL Midland Air Museum, U.K. G-BEOZ Aeropark, Nottingham East Midlands Airport.
• XP447 is parked at Lancaster Field, California, USA, owned by the Santa Monica Air Museum
• XP411 is preserved at the Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford, UK
• The cockpit of XN819 is at the Newark Air Museum, Newark, England, UK.
• N896U is on display at the Yankee Hill Air Museum, Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA

Woodbourne is a census-designated place located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. ... Nottingham East Midlands Airport (IATA: EMA, ICAO: EGNX) is an airport in the East Midlands of England, near Castle Donington in Leicestershire. ... An Avro Lancaster in the main hangar of the RAF Museum Hendon The Royal Air Force Museum (RAF Museum) is a museum dedicated to the history of aviation, and the British Royal Air Force in particular. ... Cosford is a village in Shropshire, England. ... Newark Air Museum is an air museum located at Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire, England. ... Newark (also Newark-on-Trent) is a town in Nottinghamshire, located on the River Trent. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – 60,609... Water Tower and Statue of Demetrius Ypsilanti Ypsilanti (Ǐp-sǐ-lÇŽn-tÄ“) is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ...

Specifications (Argosy C Mk.1)

General characteristics

• Crew: four
• Capacity: up to 69 troops or 28,930 lb (13,150 kg) of cargo
• Length: 45 ft 3 in (27.18 m)
• Wingspan: 115 ft 0 in (35.05 m)
• Height: ft in ( m)
• Wing area: 1,458 ft² (135.5 m²)
• weight
  • Empty: 10,200 lb (4,630 kg)
  • Loaded: lb ( kg)
  • Maximum takeoff: 103,000 lb (46,700 kg)
• Powerplant: 4x Rolls-Royce Dart RDa.8 Mk 101, 2,440 hp (1,820 kW) each

The Rolls Royce Dart was a long-lived turboprop engine. ...

Performance

• Maximum speed: 269 mph (433 km/h)
• Range: 3,250 mi (5,230 km)
• Service ceiling: 18,000 ft (5,500 m)
• Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
• Wing loading: lb/ft² ( kg/m²)
• Power/weight: hp/lb ( kW/kg)

Related content

Related development: Armstrong Whitworth AW.650

Comparable aircraft: Blackburn Beverley - Nord Noratlas A Blackburn Beverley The Blackburn Beverley was a heavy cantilever monoplane transport aircraft built by the Blackburn Aircraft corporation in the 1940s with its maiden flight in 1950 from Brough. ... The Nord Noratlas was a French military transport plane built by Nord Aviation in the 1950s. ...

Designation sequence: AW.52 - AW.55 - AW.650 Argosy - AW.660 Argosy

External links

• Photos and background
• British Aircraft website
• argosy refernece site