| AS.45 Cambridge | |
|---|---|
| Role | Military advanced trainer |
| Manufacturer | Airspeed Limited |
| First flight | 19 February 1941 |
| Number built | 2 |
The Airspeed AS.45 Cambridge was a British advanced trainer of the Second World War built by Airspeed Limited. It did not reach the production stage.
Development[]
The AS.45 was designed in response to Air Ministry Specification T.4/39 for a single-engined trainer. It was a low-wing monoplane of composite construction with a single piston engine and a tailwheel-type, retractable undercarriage. The first of two prototypes flew on 19 February 1941.[1] Testing showed deficiencies in both maximum speed and low-speed flight characteristics.
There was no attempt to rectify these shortcomings, partly because there was no shortage of advanced trainers thanks to plentiful supplies of Masters and Harvards and partly because of the importance of Airspeed's other products, the Horsa and Oxford.
Specifications (AS.45)[]
Data from The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 36ft 1in (11m)
- Wingspan: 42ft 0in (12.80m)
- Height: 11ft 6in (3.51m)
- Wing area: 290ft² (26.94m²)
- Empty weight: lb (kg)
- Loaded weight: lb (kg)
- Useful load: lb (kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: lb (kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Bristol Mercury VIII radial engine 2-blade, 730hp (544kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 237mph (381km/h)
- Range: 680mi (1,094km)
- Service ceiling: 24,800ft (7,560m)
- Rate of climb: ft/min (m/s)
- Wing loading: lb/ft² (kg/m²)
- Power/mass: hp/lb (W/kg)
Armament
See also[]
- Arado Ar 96
- Miles Master
- North American Harvard
- Tachikawa Ki-55
References[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Airspeed aircraft. |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mondey, David (1994). The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. Aerospace Publishing. ISBN 1-85152-668-4.
The original article can be found at Airspeed Cambridge and the edit history here.