Avro 641 Commodore

Commodore

National origin: United Kingdom
Manufacturer: Avro
First flight: 1934
Introduced: 24 May 1934
Retired: 1942
Number built: 6

The Avro 641 Commodore was a British single-engine five-seat cabin biplane built by Avro in the mid 1930's for private use. A total of only six were built, including the prototype.

Design and development

After building the three seat Avro 639 Cabin Cadet, Avro then designed a larger, five seat cabin biplane, the Avro 641 Commodore. The Commodore had a similar steel tube structure to the Tutor, with heavily staggered single bay wings and a spatted undercarriage. The first Commodore was delivered to its owner on 24 May 1934.

Operational history

Only six Commodores were built, with one being sold to the Maharajah of Vizianagram. This was found to be unsuitable for Indian conditions and was returned to Britain and scrapped. Two were sold to private owners in Egypt and were later taken over by the Egyptian Army Air Force.

The two Commodores that remained in service in England on the outbreak of World War II were impressed into service with the Royal Air Force and the Air Transport Auxiliary. One crashed fatally in 1941, with the last being struck off charge in 1942.

Operators

Egypt

Egyptian Army Air Force

United Kingdom

Air Transport Auxiliary
Royal Air Force

Specifications (Commodore)

Data from Avro Aircraft since 1908

General characteristics

Crew: One
Capacity: Four passengers
Length: 27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 4 in (11.38 m)
Height: 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)
Wing area: 307 ft² (28.5 m²)
Empty weight: 2,237 lb (1,017 kg)
Loaded weight: 3,500 lb (1,591 kg)
Powerplant: 1x— Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IVC Seven cylinder radial, 215 hp (160 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 130 mph (113 kn, 209 km/h)
Cruise speed: 110 mph (96 kn, 177 km/h)
Range: 500 mi (435 nmi, 805 km)
Service ceiling: 11,500 ft (3,500 m)
Rate of climb: 700 ft/min (3.6 m/s)
Wing loading: 11.4 lb/ft² (55.8 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.061 hp/lb (0.10 kW/kg)

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Source: WikiPedia