The Spartan Arrow is a British two-seat biplane aircraft of the early 1930s, built by Spartan Aircraft Limited.
| Arrow | |
|---|---|
 Spartan Arrow 1 G-ABWP built in 1932 at Kemble Airfield, Glos, in May 2009 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Tourer |
| Manufacturer | Spartan Aircraft Limited |
| Number built | 15 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1931-1933 |
| First flight | 1930 |
History
editBuilt as a successor to the company's first design the Simmonds Spartan, the Arrow was a two-seat biplane with a spruce and plywood fuselage. The prototype G-AAWY first flew in May 1930 with Cirrus Hermes II engine. The 13 production aircraft that followed used mainly the de Havilland Gipsy II engine.
One aircraft, G-ABBE, was fitted with floats and evaluated as a seaplane in 1931, it was converted back to a landplane and later sold in New Zealand, where it was renumbered as ZK-ACQ. A second aircraft, G-ABHD, was sold to Australia where it was renumbered as VH-UQD. A third aircraft, G-ACHG, was sold to Denmark where it was renumbered as OY-DUK.
One aircraft G-ABST was built to test a new air-cooled Napier engine (later knowns as the Javelin). The second prototype G-AAWY was also used by Cirrus Aero Engines as an engine test bed. Production of the Arrow ended in 1933.
Production
editTwo prototypes and 13 production aircraft were built at Weston, Southampton, and after 20 February 1931 at East Cowes, Isle of Wight.
Tail Number Model Serial Location G-AAWY Spartan Arrow 51 United Kingdom G-AAWZ Spartan Arrow 52 United Kingdom G-ABBE Spartan Arrow 75 United Kingdom K-ACQ Spartan Arrow 75 New Zealand G-ABKL Spartan Arrow 76 United Kingdom G-ABGW Spartan Arrow 77 United Kingdom G-ABWP Spartan Arrow 78 United Kingdom G-ABWR Spartan Arrow 79 United Kingdom G-ABHD Spartan Arrow 80 United Kingdom VH-UQD Spartan Arrow 80 Australia G-ABHR Spartan Arrow 81 United Kingdom G-ABMK Spartan Arrow 82 United Kingdom G-ABOB Spartan Arrow 83 United Kingdom G-ACHE Spartan Arrow 84 United Kingdom G-ACHF Spartan Arrow 85 United Kingdom G-ACHG Spartan Arrow 86 United Kingdom OY-DUK Spartan Arrow 86 Denmark G-ABST Spartan Arrow 87 United Kingdom
Survivors
editG-ABWP a Cirrus Hermes II powered Arrow (constructor's number 78) survives in flying condition based at Redhill Aerodrome in England.
Operators
editThe aircraft was operated by flying clubs and private individuals:
Specifications
editData from Saunders and Saro Aircraft since 1917[1]
General characteristics
- Length: 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m)
- Wingspan: 30 ft 7 in (9.34 m)
- Height: 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)
- Wing area: 251 sq ft (23.3 m2)
- Empty weight: 965 lb (439 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 1,750 lb (795 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × de Havilland Gipsy II inline piston, 120 hp (90 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 92 kn (106 mph, 171 km/h)
- Range: 376 nmi (432 mi, 696 km)
- Rate of climb: 830 ft/min (4.2 m/s)
Notes
edit- ^ London 1988, p. 334.
References
edit- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
- Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 3. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10014-X.
- London, Peter (1988). Saunders and Saro Aircraft since 1917. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-85177-814-3.
External links
edit
- Simmonds/ Spartan Aircraft
- The Spartan "Arrow". A New Two-Seater with Good Climb. in Flight, 7 November 1930.