Airspeed A.S. 47

ChuckAnderson

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Hi Everyone!

First, my apologies if the attachment I sent with this message didn't come through, (though I had to try doing this at least once to see if I could do it at all!) I'll try it again if I don't get it right,

Anyway... here's a written description of the Airspeed A.S. 47:

"The A.S.47 was a twin-boom, twin-fin device with a wide-track tricycle undercarriage, but otherwise somewhat reminiscent of the Fokker D.XXIII in that it had tractor and pusher engines with, between them, the crew of pilot and bomb-aimer/navigator. The pilot's cockpit, with its windscreen and canopy, was offset slightly to the port side of the nacelle, and the bomb-aimer was accomodated to his right and below. No doubt means had been considered of abandoning the aircraft in emergency, but on the face of it the crew did not seem to have much chance unless the pusher propeller could somehow have been jettisoned by explosive means. The estimated performance was, however, attractive."

"A.S.47, Span 58 ft (17.68 m); length 53 ft 9 in (16.38 m), Maximum speed at 18,500 ft (5,638 m) 470 mph (756 kn/h). Range 1,000 miles (1,610 km) with 1,000 lb (454 kg) warload."

SOURCE (For text and illustration):
Airspeed Aircraft since 1931 by H.A. Taylor
pp. 160-162 Published by: Putnam Aeronautical Books
Copyright: H.A. Taylor, 1970


Chuck Anderson
 

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A model of this project (and many other Airspeed projects) survives at the DH museam at Hatfield House, in a display case at the back of the blister hanger that houses the prototype mossi
 

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Improved 3-view.
 

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Was this a submission for one of the 1930's light bomber competitions?
 
The A.S.47 was a 1940 design (source: Airspeed Aircraft since 1931). I haven't found which - if any - specification this design was a response to.

At the time specification B.7/40 was issued which was responded to by
- Bristol (type 156 derivatives, types 161 and 162, Beaumont Mk.I and Mk.II, Merlin- and Hercules-powered respectively)
- Hawker (Henley-based P.1001)
- Armstrong Whitworth (redesign of B.1/39 submission A.W.48)
- Westland (a Delanne-wing design, powered by one Centaurus)
- Fairey (no details)
Source: "The British Aircraft Specifications File" by KJ Meekcoms and EB Morgan. Air Britain, 1994

B.7/40 may have been the specification that led to this particular design by Airspeed - but I'm guessing.
 
The A.S.47 was a 1940 design (source: Airspeed Aircraft since 1931). I haven't found which - if any - specification this design was a response to.

At the time specification B.7/40 was issued which was responded to by
- Bristol (type 156 derivatives, types 161 and 162, Beaumont Mk.I and Mk.II, Merlin- and Hercules-powered respectively)
- Hawker (Henley-based P.1001)
- Armstrong Whitworth (redesign of B.1/39 submission A.W.48)
- Westland (a Delanne-wing design, powered by one Centaurus)
- Fairey (no details)
Source: "The British Aircraft Specifications File" by KJ Meekcoms and EB Morgan. Air Britain, 1994

B.7/40 may have been the specification that led to this particular design by Airspeed - but I'm guessing.
The book British Secret Projects 4: Bombers 1935-1950 notes that the Airspeed AS.47 was first envisaged in 1939, but does not say that it was ever submitted to the B.7/40 requirement.
 

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