In 1924, the Scottish shipbuilding firm William Beardmore and Company of Dalmuir entered into a licencing agreement with Rohrbach for manufacturing.
The British Air Ministry, interested in metal hulls for flying boats, issued Specification 20/24 for an all-metal monoplane flying boat to be compared with the wooden biplanes used by the Royal Air Force.
In November 1924, Beardmore was ordered to produce two Rohrbach flying boats, modelled after Rohrbach’s Ro III but equipped with British Napier Lion engines.
The Ro IV, dubbed BeRo.2 Inverness by Beardmore, was a twin-engine, high-winged cantilever monoplane primarily made of duralumin.
Its engines were housed in streamlined tractor nacelles above the wing’s centre section, and the slab-sided fuselage seated a crew of four.
The design featured a retractable mast and sails for emergencies like engine failure or fuel depletion.
To expedite delivery, the first aircraft, serial number N183, was assembled at Rohrbach’s Copenhagen factory using parts from their main Berlin facility.
It arrived at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment in Felixstowe on September 18, 1925.
However, testing revealed poor handling and performance both in the air and on water, leading to its destruction during strength tests in May 1927.
The second prototype, built by Beardmore using parts from Berlin, didn’t take flight until November 30, 1928.
Despite revisions to the fuel and cooling systems and rudder, the N184 also performed poorly.
The project was terminated in April 1929, and the prototype was dismantled.
Specifications
Length
56 ft 11 in (17.35 m)
Wingspan
94 ft 0 in (28.65 m)
Height
16 ft 3 in (4.95 m)
Wing area
760.7 sq ft (70.67 m2)
Empty weight
10,580 lb (4,799 kg)
Max take-off weight
13,160 lb (5,969 kg)
Powerplant
2 × Napier Lion V W12 engine,
450 hp (340 kW) each
Performance
Maximum speed
110 mph (180 km/h, 96 kn)
Endurance
4 hr 30 min (estimated)
Service ceiling
8,750 ft (2,670 m)
Rate of climb
550 ft/min (2.8 m/s).
Sources The British Fighter since 1912-F K Mason. Beardmore Aircraft of WWI-C A Owers. British Prototype Aircraft-R Sturtivant. Beardmore Aviation 1913-1930-A Mackay.
