Armstrong Whitworth Argosy

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Contents

Type Description

• Argosy Mk.I
• Two bay biplane airliner with capacity for two crew and 20 passengers. The equal span, wire braced wings were in three sections, consisting of top and bottom centre sections and two outer sections. The top centre section was carried above fuselage on steel tube struts, in the form of "W" when viewed from front, and the extremities of the centre sections united by vertical steel struts, on the outsides of which are mounted the wing engines. There were two pairs of interplane struts to each outer section. The wing structure, except for the centre sections, which had steel spars, were of wood, covered with fabric. Balanced ailerons were fitted to all four planes. The angular box-shaped fuselage structure was composed of steel tubing, with most exterior surfaces being covered by fabric, including the walls and ceiling of the passenger compartment. This cabin featured a wooden floor, which also acted as bracing. The biplane tail featured three fins and rudders and horn balanced elevators. For tail -trimming the whole unit was hinged about front spar of bottom tail- plane. The twin-wheel consisted of two Vees, mounted under the wing engines, with two axles hinged to a steel -tube cabane under the fuselage. The front legs of the Vees incorporated oleo springing. The pilot's cockpit, with seats for two side-by-side and dual control, was open and located directly behind the nose engine. The passenger cabin, accessed via a door on the rear port side, featured openable windows to each seat, and was heated, lighted and ventilated. Behind the cabin was a lavatory and a big baggage compartment with an exterior door. A smaller baggage compartment was located under the pilot's cockpit. Three 385 hp Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IIIA powerplants, one in the nose and two midway between the mainplanes.

• Argosy Mk.II
• As Mk.I with three 420 hp Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IVA powerplants, automatic wing tip slots on the upper wings. Aileron loads were alleviated by servo flaps located vertically behind the traing edge of the lower wing; pilot input moved the servo flaps which in turn moved the ailerons.

Production Details

Production References

1. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Since 1913, Oliver Tapper (Putnam, 1973)