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Avro Athena
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<h2 id="design-and-development">Design and development</h2> <p>The Athena was designed to meet the requirements of <a href="/facts/Air_Ministry/C0mh6SyH">Air Ministry</a> <a href="/facts/List_of_Air_Ministry_specifications/5QqpgmgT">Specification T.7/45</a> for a three-seat advanced trainer powered by a <a href="/facts/Turboprop/t7c8rkCx">turboprop</a> engine for the RAF. The Athena was an all-metal low-winged monoplane, with a side-by-side cockpit. The Air Ministry rethought its requirements in 1947 and replaced the original specification with <a href="/facts/List_of_Air_Ministry_specifications/5QqpgmgT">Specification T.14/47</a>, which specified the use of a <a href="/facts/Rolls-Royce_Merlin/PwpGeN1f">Rolls-Royce Merlin</a> 35 piston engine, large stocks of which were held in store.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> </p><p>Despite the change in specification, the first three prototypes were of the turboprop-powered Athena T.1, the first of which, powered by an <a href="/facts/Armstrong_Siddeley_Mamba/00Ko6qW0">Armstrong Siddeley Mamba</a> engine, flew on 12 June 1948 at <a href="/facts/Woodford_Aerodrome/MNdE3ljX">Woodford Aerodrome</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> The Merlin-powered Athena T.2 first flew on 1 August 1948,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> and was evaluated against the similar <a href="/facts/Boulton_Paul_Balliol/zLtSGfq0">Boulton Paul Balliol</a>. </p><p>A small production run of 15 Athenas was ordered for the RAF, but the Balliol was preferred, and no further Athenas were ordered. </p> <h2 id="operational-history">Operational history</h2> <p>The 15 production Athenas were used by the RAF from 1950<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> for armament training at the RAF Flying College at <a href="/facts/RAF_Manby/dskx3Ggy">RAF Manby</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> A single aircraft was loaned back to Avro and given the civil registration <i>G-ALWA</i> for a demonstration tour of <a href="/facts/India/1kKHcnxM">India</a>. No sales resulted and it was returned to the RAF.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="variants">Variants</h2> Athena T.Mk.1 Turboprop-powered prototype. One 1,010 hp (750 kW) <a href="/facts/Armstrong_Siddeley_ASM.3_Mamba/00Ko6qW0">Armstrong Siddeley ASM.3 Mamba</a> engine. Two built.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> Athena T.Mk.1A Single prototype powered by 1,400 hp (1,000 kW) <a href="/facts/Rolls-Royce_RDa.1_Dart/dDol0rKY">Rolls-Royce RDa.1 Dart</a> engine. Second prototype to fly.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> Athena T.Mk.2 Trainer to Spec. T.14/47 powered by 1,280 hp (950 kW) <a href="/facts/Rolls-Royce_Merlin_35/PwpGeN1f">Rolls-Royce Merlin 35</a>. Four prototypes plus 15 production.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> <h2 id="operators">Operators</h2> <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom/kuPAILt2">United Kingdom</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Royal_Air_Force/P10CbL5H">Royal Air Force</a> <ul><li>Aircraft Instrument Experimental Unit, Martlesham Heath (one T2 in 1951)</li> <li>Central Flying School, Little Rissington (two T2s 1949-1950)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Empire_Test_Pilot%2527s_School/LJxUTQJC">Empire Test Pilot's School</a>, Farnborough (one T2 development aircraft)</li> <li>Royal Aircraft Establishment (two aircraft)</li> <li>RAF College at Manby (ten aircraft 1950-1955)</li></ul></li></ul> <h2 id="accidents-and-incidents">Accidents and incidents</h2> <p>Two of the 22 aircraft were lost in flying accidents: </p> <ul><li>T2 <i>VR569</i> of the Aircraft Instrument Experimental Unit was written off at <a href="/facts/Wilby%2c_Suffolk/sxrIP5Dk">Wilby, Suffolk</a> on 27 June 1951. Aircraft broke up in spiral dive after loss of control in cloud, two crew killed.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a></li> <li>T2 <i>VR570</i> crashed before delivery on 20 March 1950.</li></ul> <h2 id="specifications-athena-t2">Specifications (Athena T.2)</h2> <p><i>Data from</i> Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1949-50,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> Avro aircraft since 1908,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a></p><p>General characteristics </p><ul><li>Crew: 2</li> <li>Capacity: 720 lb (330 kg)</li> <li>Length: 37 ft 4 in (11.37 m)</li> <li>Wingspan: 40 ft 0 in (12.2 m)</li> <li>Height: 12 ft 11 in (3.93 m) a/c level with tail up</li> <li>Wing area: 270 sq ft (25 m2)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Aspect_ratio_(aeronautics)/9dFXqYAV">Aspect ratio</a>: 5.93</li> <li><a href="/facts/Airfoil/2d3l6hKd">Airfoil</a>: root: H/1414/37.5 (14%); tip: H/1410/37.5 (10%)</li> <li>Empty weight: 6,384 lb (2,896 kg)</li> <li>Gross weight: 8,130 lb (3,688 kg)</li> <li>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)</li> <li>Powerplant: 1 × <a href="/facts/Rolls-Royce_Merlin_35/PwpGeN1f">Rolls-Royce Merlin 35</a> V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,280 hp (950 kW) for take-off</li></ul> 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) <ul><li>Propellers: 4-bladed constant-speed propeller</li></ul> <p>Performance </p> <ul><li>Maximum speed: 293 mph (472 km/h, 255 kn) at 20,000 ft (6,100 m)</li> <li>Cruise speed: 223 mph (359 km/h, 194 kn) max at 10,000 ft (3,000 m)</li> <li>Stall speed: 81 mph (130 km/h, 70 kn) flaps down</li> <li>Range: 550 mi (890 km, 480 nmi)</li> <li>Service ceiling: 29,000 ft (8,800 m) service ceiling</li> <li>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)</li> <li>Wing loading: 30.1 lb/sq ft (147 kg/m2)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Power-to-weight_ratio/NykmM0pr">Power/mass</a>: 6.4 lb/hp (3.9 kg/kW)</li> <li>Take-off run to clear 50 ft (15 m): 745 yd (681 m) off concrete; 770 yd (700 m) off grass</li> <li>Landing run over 50 ft (15 m): 740 yd (680 m) on concrete; 710 yd (650 m) on grass</li></ul> <p>Armament </p> <ul><li>Guns: 1x 0.303 in (7.70 mm) <a href="/facts/Browning_machine_gun/pzaGu79H">Browning machine gun</a></li> <li>Rockets: Provision for two 60 lb (27 kg) <a href="/facts/RP-3/Sor5l4MG">RP-3</a> rockets</li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <p> Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Boulton_Paul_Balliol/zLtSGfq0">Boulton Paul Balliol</a></li></ul> <p> Related lists </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_aircraft_of_the_Royal_Air_Force/N1G720Wr">List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force</a></li></ul> Wikimedia Commons has media related to Avro Athena. <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Jackson, A.J. (1965). Avro aircraft since 1908 (Rev. ed.). london: Putnam Aeronautical. pp. 414–417. ISBN 0-85177-834-8. <a href="0-85177-834-8" target="_blank">0-85177-834-8</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Jackson, A.J. (1965). Avro aircraft since 1908 (Rev. ed.). london: Putnam Aeronautical. pp. 414–417. ISBN 0-85177-834-8. <a href="0-85177-834-8" target="_blank">0-85177-834-8</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Thetford, Owen. Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918-57, 1st edition London: Putnam, 1957. <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Milestones of Flight, 1950". Archived 2 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine RAF Museum. Retrieved: 27 May 2007. <a href="http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/milestones-of-flight/aircraft/1950.html" target="_blank">http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/milestones-of-flight/aircraft/1950.html</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Taylor, M.J.H., ed. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Jane's Publishing Company, 1989. ISBN 1-85170-324-1. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Jackson, A.J. (1965). Avro aircraft since 1908 (Rev. ed.). london: Putnam Aeronautical. pp. 414–417. ISBN 0-85177-834-8. <a href="0-85177-834-8" target="_blank">0-85177-834-8</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Jackson, A.J. (1965). Avro aircraft since 1908 (Rev. ed.). london: Putnam Aeronautical. pp. 414–417. ISBN 0-85177-834-8. <a href="0-85177-834-8" target="_blank">0-85177-834-8</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Jackson, A.J. (1965). Avro aircraft since 1908 (Rev. ed.). london: Putnam Aeronautical. pp. 414–417. ISBN 0-85177-834-8. <a href="0-85177-834-8" target="_blank">0-85177-834-8</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Jackson, A.J. (1965). Avro aircraft since 1908 (Rev. ed.). london: Putnam Aeronautical. pp. 414–417. ISBN 0-85177-834-8. <a href="0-85177-834-8" target="_blank">0-85177-834-8</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"BRITISH FLIGHT TEST FATAL ACCIDENTS — 1946-1970". THE TEST FLYING MEMORIAL PROJECT. Archived from the original on 18 June 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2018. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090618144718/http://www.testflyingmemorial.com/1946-70.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20090618144718/http://www.testflyingmemorial.com/1946-70.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1949). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1949-50. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. pp. 21c – 23c. <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Jackson, A.J. (1965). Avro aircraft since 1908 (Rev. ed.). london: Putnam Aeronautical. pp. 414–417. ISBN 0-85177-834-8. <a href="0-85177-834-8" target="_blank">0-85177-834-8</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Selig, M. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 22 November 2018. <a href="https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html" target="_blank">https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>