Armstrong Whitworth A.W.XIV, A.W.16 and A.W.35 Scimitar
For a description of the format and data included in
Production Tables, see here
Produced Variants
A.W.XIV Starling Mk.I Single seat day & night fighter; Siskin development with metal framed
fuselage and wing spars to Specification 28/24.
One 385 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar VII powerplant. A.W.XIV Starling Mk.II As Mk.I with much modified structure, featuring a more finely tapered rear fuselage, taller
undercarriage and all new wing. structure
with a large top wing and much smaller lower wing, wings of both wide and narrow chord being tested. The latter was submitted to to Specification 9/26. One 525 h.p. Armstrong
Siddeley Panther II powerplant. A.W.16 (first prototype) Single
seat ship fighter to Specification N.21/26. Development of the A.W.XIV Starling Mk.II with wide chord wings. Initially one 525 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Panther
IV, later 560 h.p. Panther III, powerplant.
A.W.16 (second prototype) Single seat day and night fighter to Specification 9/26. Development of the A.W.XIV Starling Mk.II with narrow
chord wings. One 560 h.p. Panther
III, powerplant. A.W.16 (production) As second prototype. Day &
night fighter / advanced trainer. One 640 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Panther VII powerplant. A.W.35 Scimitar Single seat day & night fighter / advanced trainer development of A.W.XVI to Specification F.7/30
to meet the requirements of
OR.1. One 640 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Panther VII powerplant in the prototypes, 730 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Panther XIA in the production aircraft.
Serial Range /
C/n
Type
Batch
Qty
Conv.
Canc'd
Notes
1 aircraft
ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 576942/25. First flew May 1927. J8027 277 Mk.I 1 1 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley,
to contract 576942/25. First flew December 1929. J8028 455 Mk.II 1 2 aircraft built by Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, in
1930. A1,
A2 459-460 Mk.II 2 See
note 1
Total Production
4
Serial Range
/
C/n
Batch Qty
Conv.
Canc'd
Notes
1
aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 54578/30. First flew 30 December 1930. S1591 698 (1) Converted
from Starling II c/n 459 'A1'. 1
aircraft built by Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley. First flew early 1931. A2 460 (1) Converted from Starling II 'A2'. 2 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley,
for the Chinese Air Force Training School, Hangchow. Delivered in October 1932. ??? - ??? 720, 721 2 1 aircraft built by Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, in
1931. G-ABKF 722 1 Retained
by Armstrong Whitworth as a demonstrator. Later used as engine test bed. 3 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley. Delivered in 1932. ??? - ??? 765-767 3 Alloted
ferry registrations G-ABRH - G-ABRJ. 5
aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, by the Kwangsi Provincial Air Force, China. Delivered April to May,
1932. ???
- ??? 797, 798, 818-820 5 Alloted Hong Kong ferry registrations
VR-HAZ, 'HBK, 'HBH, HBN, HBQ. One aircraft known serial 153.
2 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, for the Chinese Air Force Training School, Hangchow.
Delivered in 1933. ???
- ??? 823, 824 2 C/n 823 alloted ferry registrations G-ABZL. 3 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley,
for the Kwantung Provincial Air Force, China, and delivered in 1933. ??? - ??? 825-827 3 1 aircraft built by Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley. First
flew 20 June 1933. G-ACCD 828 1 Retained
by Armstrong Whitworth as a demonstrator. 1
aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, by the Chinese Air Force. First flew 4 April 1933. ??? 839 1
Total Production
18
(2)
Serial Range /
C/n
Batch Qty
Conv.
Canc'd
Notes
2
aircraft built by Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley. First flew June 1934. G-ACCD 828 (1) Converted
from A.W.16. G-ADBL 460 (1) Converted
from A.W.16 'A2'. 4 aircraft
ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, for the Norwegian Army Air Force. Delivered in 1936.
??? - ??? 985-988 4 One
aircraft known serial 407.
Total Production
4
(2)
Type
Built New
Conv.
Canc'd
Total
A.W.XIV Starling
Mk.I
1
1
A.W.XIV Starling Mk.II
3
3
A.W.16
18
(2)
20
A.W.35 Scimitar
4
(2)
6
26
(4)
0
Notes
Tapper [1] considers it uncertain whether either or both
A1 & A2 were in fact new airframes or modifications of J8028. A1 featured wide chord wings and was classified as a fleet
fighter, while A2 had narrow chord wings as an interceptor. However, since both A1 & A2
were converted into prototype A.W.16s, then, even if either A1 or A2 were converted from J8028, they
were two separate airframes.
Production References
Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Since 1913 , Oliver
Tapper (Putnam, 1973)
Royal
Air Force Aircraft J1 - J9999, RAF Aircraft Register
Series (Air-Britain Publications, 1987)
Aeroplane Monthly Apr 1982
Page Revision
History Page Top Updated produced variant details.
