Airspeed Ferry

Airspeed Ferry

infobox Aircraft
name = AS.4 Ferry
type = 10-Passenger Airliner
manufacturer = Airspeed Limited


caption =
designer = N.S. Norway/A.H. Tiltman
first flight = 1932
introduced = 1932
retired = Late 1941
produced =
number built = 4
status =
unit cost =
primary user =
more users =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =
The Airspeed AS.4 Ferry was a 1930s British three-engined 10-seat biplane airliner built by Airspeed Limited at York.

Design and development

Designed to meet a requirement for a pleasure flying airliner from Sir Alan Cobham, the Ferry was an unusual configuration biplane with a third engine mounted in the upper wing (it was usual to mount a third engine in the nose). The engine arrangement was designed to give the pilot a better view. Not all three engines were the same, the lower engines were de Havilland Gipsy IIs, and the upper wing had an inverted de Havilland Gipsy III.

Operational history

The first aircraft G-ABSI "Youth of Britain II" first flew on 10 April 1932 from Sherburn-in-Elmet, followed soon after by the second aircraft G-ABSJ "Youth of Britain III". In two years the two aircraft carried 92,000 passengers.

The outbreak of war caused the first aircraft (G-ABSI) to be impressed into service with the Royal Air Force in 1940 as AV968 and used at Halton until November 1940. It later became an instructional airframe registered as 2758M [ [http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/airspeed%20as4%20ferry.htm "Airspeed Ferry" entry at the "British Aircraft of World War II" website] ] .

The second aircraft was sold in India to Himalaya Air Transport and Survey Company Limited in 1934 as VT-AFO. It was used to ferry pilgrims from Hardwar to Gaucher. It was destroyed by vandals in a hangar fire in 1936.

The third (G-ACBT) and fourth (G-ACFB) aircraft were built for the Midland and Scottish Air Ferries Ltd and used on services from Renfrew to Campbeltown, Belfast and Speke. The firm closed in 1934 and the aircraft were put up for sale. G-ACBT was not sold and was dismantled in 1941. G-ACFB returned to England to be used in pleasure flying for Air Publicity Ltd. It was impressed into service with the Royal Air Force in 1941 and later became an instructional airframe.

Operators

Civil operators

;flagicon|India|British British India
*Himalaya Air Transport and Survey Company Ltd;UK
*Air Publicity Ltd
*Midland And Scottish Air Ferries Ltd
*National Aviation Day Displays Ltd
*Portsea, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation Ltd
*Sir Alan Cobham

Military operators

;UK
*Royal Air Force
**Halton Station Flight

pecifications

aircraft specification

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
crew=1
length main= 39 ft 8 in
length alt= 12.09 m
span main= 55 ft 0in
span alt= 16.76 m
height main= 14 ft 3 in
height alt= 4.34 m
area main= 641 ft²
area alt= 59.55 m²
empty weight main= 3,440 lb
empty weight alt= 1560 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
max takeoff weight main= 5,600 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 2540 kg
engine (prop)=de Havilland Gipsy
type of prop=inline piston
number of props=3
power main=120 hp
power alt= 89 kW
max speed main=108 mph
max speed alt= 174 km/h
range main= 320 mi
range alt= 515 km
ceiling main= 13,000 ft
ceiling alt= 3960 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
armament=

ee also

aircontent

related=

similar aircraft=

lists=
*List of aircraft of the RAF

see also=

References

*cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|year= |publisher= Orbis Publishing|location= |issn=
*cite book |last= Jackson|first= A.J.|authorlink= |coauthors= |title= British Civil Aircraft since 1919|year= 1974|publisher= Putnam|location= London|isbn=0 370 10014 X

External links

* [http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/airspeed%20as4%20ferry.htm "Airspeed Ferry" entry at the "British Aircraft of World War II" website]


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