Avro 707
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| Avro 707 | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Avro 707 at Farnborourgh in 1951. | |
| Type | Experimental aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Avro |
| Designed by | S. D. Davies (team leader) |
| Maiden flight | 4 September 1949 |
| Retired | 1967 |
| Status | 3 aircraft survive in museums |
| Primary users | Avro Royal Aircraft Establishment, Australian Aeronautical Research Council |
| Number built | 5 |
The Avro 707 was a British experimental aircraft built to test the delta wing design for the Avro 698 jet bomber (later to become the Vulcan), and was a effectively a one-third scaled-down version of that aircraft.
The prototypes were ordered by the Ministry to specification E.15/48. The aircraft were produced cheaply and quickly using components from other aircraft. Five prototypes were built in the end. Only the first three produced provided useful information for the Vulcan project, the last two flying too late to be of much relevance.
The first prototype, the Avro 707, crashed on 31 September 1949. Consequently the second prototype was converted during building with the pointed nose planned for the 707A to become the 707B. The B was given the same dorsal engine intakes as the 707. The B would eventually end up as spares for the others. The next one to fly was the 707A, a faithful copy of the Type 698's wingform including engine intakes, and intended for high speed testing. In 1956 it was transferred to Australia where it served until 1967 when sold off to a local resident. The next aircraft were ordered to E.10/49 in November 1951. These were to be a second 707A and two of a side by side cockpit version - the 707C. The 707Cs would be used to give pilots experience but the second 707C was cancelled. These two flew in 1953 by which point the Vulcan prototpye was already flying.
The Avro 707 made its final public appearance at the Farnborough Air Show; the four surviving examples of the aircraft flying alongside two Vulcan prototypes.
Two examples of the Avro 707C two-seat variant survive. One is located at the RAF Museum, Cosford near Wolverhampton, the other at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. A single example of the 707A variant survives, at the RAAF Museum in Point Cook, Victoria.
[edit] Specification
General characteristics
- Crew: 1: pilot
- Length: 42 ft 4 in (12.90 m)
- Wingspan: 34 ft 2 in (10.41 m)
- Height: 11 ft 7 in (3.53 m)
- Wing area: 420 ft² (39 m²)
- Empty weight: lb (kg)
- Loaded weight: 9,500 lb (4,300 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Derwent 8 turbojet, 3,600 lbf (16 kN)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 406 kt (467 mph, 747 km/h)
- Wing loading: 22.6 lb/ft² (110 kg/m²)
- Thrust/weight: 0.38
