Avro 652A Anson C.Mk.19 Series 1 Twin-engine communications and transport aircraft

Avro 652A Anson C.Mk.19 Series 1
Twin-engine advanced training monoplane

Archive Photos ^1,2

Avro 652A Anson C.Mk.19 Series 1 (TX214, c/n 33786) at RAF Museum Cosford (Wikipedia Photo)

Overview ^3,4,5

Avro 652A Anson C.Mk.19 Series 1
Role: Twin-engine communications and transport monoplane
Manufacturer: Avro (A. V. Roe & Co., Ltd.)
First flight: 1946
Primary users: Royal Air Force
Number built: 105 conversions ⁵

The Avro Type XIX (aka Avro Nineteen ) is a commercial development of the Avro 652A Anson and is widely used on civilian and military communications duties. It is generally similar to the earlier aircraft, but the cabin roof has been raised slightly to provide more head space for the passengers. The later Avro Ansons, from the Anson Mk. XI onwards, were also modified in this way. Apart from this improvement and the later introduction of metal wings and tail, the Avro 652A Type XIX remains basically the same as the original Anson.

Variations of the Avro Type XIX include a special long-range version supplied to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for executive transport; a photographic aircraft supplied to the Eire Army Air Corps, and a general purposes military version for the Iraqi Air Force.

Avro 652A Type XIX Specifications and Performance Data ^2,4

Type

Military V.I.P. version of the civil Avro XIX. ⁴
Twin-engine communications and transport monoplane

Wings

Cantilever low-wing monoplane.
Series 1 with Wooden Wings and Tailplane. ⁴
Wing section NACA 2218 (at root).
All-metal two-spar structure in five sections, comprising center-section which carries both engines, landing-gear and fuel tanks; two interchangeable outer sections; and two detachable wing tips.
Spars have extruded light alloy booms and sheet webs; the ribs, in three sections are sheet pressings, and the covering is Alclad sheet reinforced with spanwise stringers.
Incidence: 4° + 30’.
Dihedral: 4°.
Aspect ratio: 6.9.
Wing area (including ailerons): 440 ft² (40.8 m²).
Frise-type all-metal ailerons.
Aileron area (total): 22.52 ft² (2.09 m²).
Metal split flaps between ailerons and fuselage.
Total flap area: 23.8 ft² (2.21 m²).
Hydraulic operation.

Fuselage

Welded steel-tube structure with wooden vertical frames, longitudinal stringers and fabric covering.
Nose-section ply-covered

Tail Unit

Cantilever monoplane type.
Construction generally to mainplane.
All-metal two-spar structure in one piece.
Balanced elevators with trim-tab in each.
Tailplane span: 24 ft 6 in (7.47 m)
Tailplane and elevator root chord: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Tailplane area (including elevators and tabs): 94.08 ft² (8.74 m²)
Elevator area: 25.4 ft² (2.36 m²)
Rudder area (including tab): 20 ft² (1.85 m²)

Landing Gear

Retractable two-wheel type.
Each main wheel carried between pair of Turner pneumatic shock-absorber legs with heavy central rear actuating strut.
Hydraulic operation.
Wheel track: 13 ft 8 in (4.16 m)
Non-retractable tail-wheel carried on Turner hydraulic shock-absorber leg.

Power Plant

Two Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah XV seven-cylinder radial air-cooled engines each rated at 420 hp for take-off at 2,550 rpm with 4 psi (0.28 kg/cm²) boost.
Mounted on welded steel-tube bearers attached to welded steel channels in wing.
Up-thrust 3 degrees 46 minutes.
Quickly-detachable installations.
Rotol two-blade constant-speed airscrews, 8 ft 4 in (2.56 m) diameter.
Four 35-Imp. gal (159 liter) fuel tanks in wings.
Long-range version has extra 40-Imp. gal (182-liter) fuel tank installed in fuselage.
87 or 100 Octane fuel.
Two 7.5 Imp. gal (34-liter) oil tanks, one in each engine nacelle.
Nine-element Vickers-Pott oil-cooler.

Accommodation

Crew of five passengers, with toilet and baggage compartment aft. ⁴
Racks for light luggage above seats.
Main entry door on portside of fuselage at rear of cabin.
Forward freight compartment in nose, with nose-cap hinged at top for access; capacity 17 ft³ (1.58 &m³); allowance 175 lbs (79 kg).
Rear compartment aft of cabin 5 ft high × 3 ft long × 3 ft wide (1.52 m × 0.91 m × 0.91 m) has capacity of 40 ft³ (1.13 m³) and allowance of 325 lbs (147 kg).
Access door on starboard side of fuselage.

Accommodation (Long-range version)

Crew of four consisting of pilot (on port) and observer side-by-side, flight engineer behind pilot, and wireless-operator on starboard.
Crew compartment increased by moving bulkhead Back to rear spar.
Three passenger seats in main cabin, one on port facing forward and two on star-board facing each other, with table between.
Toilet compartment on starboard side aft of rear spar.
Luggage allowance 70 lbs (32 kg).

Accommodation (Photographic and General Purpose versions)

Flight crew of four, consisting of pilot and co-pilot side-by-side with dual controls, and wireless-operator and navigator behind between spars.
Wireless-operator (on starboard) faces aft; navigator (on port) faces forward, with chart-table in front and astro-dome above.
Bulkhead at rear spar separates crew compartment from main cabin.
Provision for fitting Eagle IX or F-24 camera in floor aft of rear spar on starboard side.
Rear windows on each side removable to permit oblique photography.
Three seats in main cabin; one behind camera and two on port.

Armament (General Purposes version)

Two manually-operated Vickers K guns installed on port and starboard sides as alternative to oblique cameras.
One forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine-guns on portside of cockpit.
Provision for carrying two 100 lbs (45 kg) and eight 10 lbs (4.5 kg) bombs, or one 250 lbs (113 kg) and eight 10 lbs (4.5 kg) bombs.
Prone bomb-aiming position in nose.

Equipment

24-volt electric system.
Heywood Compressor pneumatics.
Hydraulic system operating at 800 psi (56.25 kg/cm²).

Dimensions

Span: 56 ft 6 in (17.22 m)
Length: 42 ft 3 in (12.87 m)
Height (tail down): 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)

Weights and Loadings (Six-passenger version)

Weight empty: 7,419 lbs (3,365 kg)
Equipment: 352 lbs (160 kg)
Crew: 340 lbs (154 kg)
Passengers: 1,020 lbs (463 kg)
Baggage: 153 lbs (69 kg)
Fuel and oil: 1,116 lbs (506 kg)
Weight loaded: 10,400 lbs (4,717 kg)
Wing loading: 22.4 lbs/ft² (109.3 kg/m²)
Power loading: 12.37 lbs/hp (5.6 kg/hp)

Weights and Loadings (Eight-passenger version)

Weight empty: 7,419 lbs (3,365 kg)
Equipment: 149 lb (67 kg)
Crew: 340 lbs (154 kg)
Passengers: 1,530 lbs (694 kg)
Baggage: 226 lbs (103 kg)
Fuel and oil: 736 lbs (334 kg)
Weight loaded (six-passenger version): 10,400 lbs (4,717 kg)

Performance

Maximum speed at 5,000 ft (1,525 m): 190 mph (306 km/h)
Maximum cruising speed at 5,800 ft (1,770 m): 174 mph (280 km/h)
Economic cruising speed at 3,000 ft (915 m): 155 mph (249 km/h)
Stalling speed (flaps and landing gear down): 60 mph (97 km/h)
Initial rate of climb: 750 ft./min. (229 m/min.)
Service ceiling: 19,000 ft (5,790 m)
One-engine ceiling: 5,750 ft (1,755 m)
Range (with six passengers): 610 miles (982 km)
Range (with nine passengers): 356 miles (573 km)
Range (long-range version): 820 miles (1,320 km)
Take-off distance to 50 ft (15 m): 700 yds. (640 m)
Landing distance from 50 ft (15 m): 570 yds. (521 m)
Fuel consumption: 33 Imp. gal/h (150 L/h)

References

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Avro Anson
Bridgman, Leonard. Avro: The Avro 652A Type XIX Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft 1948. Sampson Low, Marston & Company Ltd., London, 1948. pp. 33c-34c.
Bridgman, Leonard. Avro: The Avro 652A Anson: Anson C. Mk.19 Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft 1949-50. Sampson Low, Marston & Company Ltd., London, 1950. pp. 26c.
Jackson, A. J. Avro 652A Anson Mks. 11 to 22 Avro Aircraft Since 1908, Second Edition. Putnam Aeronautical Books, London, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-797-X, pgs. 337-346.