Hawker Cygnet

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The Hawker Cygnet Ultra-light Biplane was an ultralight aircraft designed in the 1920s.

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1 Background
2 Design
3 Aircraft History
4 Specifications
5 References

[edit] Background

In 1924 the Royal Aero Club organized a Light Aircraft Competition. £3000 were offered in prizes. An entry was made by Hawkers, which was a design by Sidney Camm, the Cygnet. Camm had joined Hawkers the previous year. Two aircraft were built (G-EBMB & G-EBJH) and were entered in the competition, held in 1924 at Lympne, by T. O. M. Sopwith and Fred Sigrist. The aircraft were flown by Longton and Raynham and came in 4th & 3rd respectively. The next year, 1925, G-EBMB was entered again in the 100 mile International Handicap Race, this time flown by George Bulman, who won at a speed of 75.6 mph. At the same meet, The Cygnet came 2nd in the 50 mile Light Aeroplane Race. In 1926, both aircraft were entered in the competition piloted by Bulman and Flying Officer Ragg, taking first and second place respectively.

[edit] Design

The aircraft were of wood and fabric construction, the fuselage being four longerons strutted in the fashion of a Warren girder. The wing was two box spars with Warren truss ribs. Initially the two aircraft were powered one by an Anzani and the other by an ABC Scorpion (both two cylinders). In 1926 the engines in both Cygnets were changed to Bristol Cherab III also with two cylinders. The airframe weighed a remarkably low 270 lb, and its weight empty only 373 lb.

[edit] Aircraft History

G-EBMB was kept by Hawkers in storage until 1946 when it was refurbished and reassembled at Hawker's Langley Aerodrome. It was later transferred to their new facility at Dunsfold were it stayed, coming out for various displays and airshows, until 1972 when it was transferred to the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon. More recently it has been transferred to their site at Cosford in Shropshire where it can now be seen.