Avro Athena

The Avro 701 Athena is a British advanced trainer aircraft.

It was designed to replace the North American Harvard in the Royal Air Force, but was bought only in small numbers, the competing Boulton Paul Balliol being preferred.

Variants

Athena T.Mk.1

Turboprop-powered prototype.

One 1,010 hp (750 kW) Armstrong Siddeley ASM.3 Mamba engine. Two built.

Athena T.Mk.1A

Single prototype powered by 1,400 hp (1,000 kW) Rolls-Royce RDa.1 Dart engine.

Second prototype to fly.

Athena T.Mk.2

Trainer to Spec. T.14/47 powered by 1,280 hp (950 kW) Rolls-Royce Merlin 35.

Four prototypes plus 15 production.

Specifications

Crew

2

Capacity

720 lb (330 kg)

Length

37 ft 4 in (11.37 m)

Wingspan

40 ft 0 in (12.2 m)

Height

12 ft 11 in (3.93 m) a/c level with tail up

Wing area

270 sq ft (25 m2)

Aspect ratio

5.93

Airfoil

Root

H/1414/37.5 (14%)

Tip

H/1410/37.5 (10%)

Empty weight

6,384 lb (2,896 kg)

Gross weight

8,130 lb (3,688 kg)

Fuel capacity

110 imp gal (130 US gal; 500 l) in two flexible wing tanks and 30 imp gal (36 US gal; 140 l) in a fuselage collector tank, with provision for 90 imp gal (110 US gal; 410 l) in two under-wing drop tanks

Oil

15 imp gal (18 US gal; 68 l)

Powerplant

1 × Rolls-Royce Merlin 35 V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine,

1,280 hp (950 kW) for take-off

1,245 hp (928 kW) combat rating at 11,500 ft (3,500 m)

1,060 hp (790 kW) continuous cruise at 9,250 ft (2,820 m)

Propellers

4-bladed constant-speed propeller

Performance

Maximum speed

293 mph (472 km/h, 255 kn) at 20,000 ft (6,100 m)

Cruise speed

223 mph (359 km/h, 194 kn) max at 10,000 ft (3,000 m)

Stall speed

81 mph (130 km/h, 70 kn) flaps down

Range

550 mi (890 km, 480 nmi)

Service ceiling

29,000 ft (8,800 m) service ceiling

Rate of climb

2,050 ft/min (10.4 m/s) initial; 2,030 ft/min (10.3 m/s) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m)

Wing loading

30.1 lb/sq ft (147 kg/m2)

Power/mass

6.4 lb/hp (3.9 kg/kW)

Take-off run to clear 50 ft (15 m)

745 yd (681 m) off concrete; 770 yd (700 m) off grass

Landing run over 50 ft (15 m)

740 yd (680 m) on concrete; 710 yd (650 m) on grass

Armament

Guns

1x 0.303 in (7.70 mm) Browning machine gun

Rockets

Provision for two 60 lb (27 kg) RP-3 rockets.