Cierva C.8
For a description of the format and data included in Production Tables, see here.
Type Description and Production Data
| C.8V | C.8R | C.8L Mk.I | C.8L Mk.II | C.8L Mk.III | C.8W |
C.8V
(Avro Type 586) Two seat autogyro with four blade rotor using the fuselage of the prototype Avro 552. It featured stub wings with trailing ailerons and a wide track undercarriage (still fitted with a central skid) and larger, horn balanced elevators. A fixed fin was later added.One 180 h.p. Wolesley Viper powerplant.
| C.8V Specification | |||||||||
| Rotor Dia | Length | Span * | Empty Wt | Max AUW | Minimum Speed | Maximum Speed | Range | Service Ceiling | |
| 39 ft 4.5 in | 36 ft 3 in | 2005 lb | 2768 lb | 100 mph/ 87 kn | |||||
| 12 m | 11.05 m | 909 kg | 1256 kg | 161 kph | |||||
Span * = span of stub wing
Production Details
| C/n | Initial Registration |
Notes |
| 1 aircraft built by A.V. Roe & Co. Ltd., Hamble, as their Type 586. First flew July 1926. | ||
| 5113 | G-EBTX | To the Cierva Autogiro Co. Ltd., Hamble. Converted from Avro Type 552 G-EAPR, then reconverted to a Type 552A as G-ABGO. |
| Total Production 1 | ||
C.8R
(Avro Type 587) Two seat autogyro. C.6D fitted with a new cable braced four bladed rotor with flapping and drag hinges. The rotor had tapered, paddle shaped blades. One 130 h.p. Clerget 9Bb powerplant.
Production Details
| C/n | Initial Registration |
Notes |
| 1 aircraft converted by A.V. Roe & Co. Ltd., Hamble, as their Type 587. First flew June 1927. | ||
| 5114 | G-EBTW | To the Cierva Autogiro Co. Ltd., Hamble. Converted from the Cierva C.6D. |
| Total Production (Conversion) 1 | ||
C.8L Mk.I
(Avro Type 611) Two seat autogyro with four blade rotor, using a fuselage based on the Avro 504N and featuring stub wings and a wide track undercarriage with central skid, to Air Ministry Specification 11/26. It was fitted with a new design of paddle-shaped bldes, with steel spars, spruce ribs and fabric covering. One 180 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Lynx powerplant.
Production Details
| Serial Range | C/n | Batch Qty |
Conv. | Canc'd | Notes |
| 1 aircraft ordered from A.V. Roe & Co. Ltd., Hamble, as their Type 611, to Contract 698109/26. First flew July 1927. | |||||
| J8930 | 1 | ||||
| Total Production | 1 | ||||
C.8L Mk.II
(Avro Type 617) Civil variant of the C.8L with larger chord stub wings featuring inset ailerons. One 180 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IV powerplant.
| C.8L Mk.II Specification | |||||||||
| Rotor Dia | Length | Span * | Empty Wt | Max AUW | Minimum Speed | Maximum Speed | Range | Service Ceiling | |
| 39 ft 4.5 in | 36 ft 1 in | 26 ft | 1650 lb | 2380 lb | 25 mph/ 22 kn | 100 mph/ 87 kn | 255 mi | ||
| 12 m | 11 m | 7.92 m | 748 kg | 1080 kg | 40 kph | 161 kph | 410 km | ||
Span * = span of stub wing
Production Details
| C/n | Initial Registration |
Notes |
| 1 aircraft built by A.V. Roe & Co. Ltd., Hamble, as their Type 617. First flew May 1928. | ||
| (none) | G-EBYY | To James G. Weir, Cathcart, Glasgow. |
| Total Production 1 | ||
C.8L Mk.II
(Avro Type 617) As C.8L-II with the addition of a fixed fin forward of the rudder.
Production Details
| C/n | Initial Registration |
Notes |
| 1 aircraft ordered from A.V. Roe & Co. Ltd., Hamble, as their Type 617, for the Italian Government. First flew September 1928. | ||
| (none) | (none) | |
| Total Production 1 | ||
C.8W
(aka C.8L Mk.IV) As C.8L-II fitted with one 220 h.p. Wright Whirlwind J-5 powerplant.
Production Details
| C/n | Initial Registration |
Notes |
| 1 aircraft built by A.V. Roe & Co. Ltd., Hamble, as their Type 617. First flew May 1928. | ||
| (none) | G-EBYY | To James G. Weir, Cathcart, Glasgow. |
| Total Production 1 | ||
Production Summary
All Aircraft By Type
| Type | Built New | Conv | Canc'd | Total |
| C.8V | 1 | 1 | ||
| C.8R | (1) | 1 | ||
| C.8L Mk.I | 1 | 1 | ||
| C.8L Mk.II | 1 | 1 | ||
| C.8L Mk.III | 1 | 1 | ||
| C.8W | 1 | 1 | ||
| 5 | (1) | 0 |
Production References
- Cierva Autogiros - The Development of Rotary-Wing Flight, Peter W. Brooks (Airlife, 1988)
- BARG Roundel Aug 1996