Central Centaur IV

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Centaur IV
Type	three-seat biplane trainer
Manufacturer	Central Aircraft Company Limited
Designed by	A A Fletcher
Maiden flight	1919
Primary user	Central Aircraft Flying School
Number built	8

The Central Centaur IV was a British civil three-seat biplane aircraft produced by Central Aircraft Company Limited of London.

Contents 1 History 2 Variants 3 Operators 4 Specifications (Centaur IVA) 5 References 6 External links 7 See also

[edit] History

The Centaur IV was a two-seat wire-braced, fabric-covered wooden biplane designed by A.A. Fletcher. It was the first original design to be built by Central Aircraft Company at Kilburn, London during 1919. The prototype had a Renault inline engine but the seven production aircraft were fitted with an Anzani radial engine.

The Centaur IV was originally proposed in two versions:

• A two-seat aircraft, with the two seats side-by-side in an open cockpit;
• A three-seat aircraft, with two seats side-by-side and the open cockpit extended to allow installation of a third (single) seat.

No market existed for private ownership at that time, so the eight aircraft were all built as three-seaters. All the aircraft were initially used by Central Aircraft for joyriding or instruction at Northolt Aerodrome. The fifth aircraft was fitted with a three-float undercarriage. It was used for a week giving joyrides at Southend-on-Sea. It was converted into a landplane later in 1920 and crashed in October 1920.

As the postwar slump continued, some of the aircraft were sold in Belgium and were still operating in 1938. The last survivor was destroyed in the German invasion of Belgium in May 1940.

[edit] Variants

• Centaur IV - dual-control version
• Centaur IVA - single-pilot version
• Centaur IVB - float landing gear

[edit] Operators

 Belgium

 United Kingdom

• Central Aircraft Flying School

[edit] Specifications (Centaur IVA)

General characteristics

• Length: 24 ft 9 in (7.54 m)
• Wingspan: 24 ft 2½ in (10.43 m)
• Height: ()
• Empty weight: 900 lb (408 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,400 lb (635 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Anzani nine-cylinder radial piston, 100 hp (75 kw)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 75 mph (121 km/h)

[edit] References

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. 
• Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN 0 370 10006 9. 

[edit] External links

• British Aircraft Directory

[edit] See also

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