Avro Avenger

The Avenger was designed as a private venture and Roy Chadwick penned a machine of great aerodynamic cleanliness for its time. As originally built, it was powered by a 525 hp (391 kW) Napier Lion VIII and it first flew on 26 June 1926,^[1] but no order was forthcoming; this was partly because by the time it was evaluated, the Air Ministry did not favour the Lion as a fighter engine.

In May 1928, the machine was modified as a racer, with equi-span wings of 28 ft (8.53 m) and revised struts and ailerons; it was fitted with a 553 hp (412 kW) Lion. The machine was subsequently redesignated Avro 567 Avenger II.

The Avenger ended its days as an instructional airframe.

Data from The Complete Book of Fighters^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 25 ft 6 in (7.77 m)
• Wingspan: 32 ft 0 in (9.75 m)
• Height: 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m)
• Wing area: 244 sq ft (22.7 m²) ^[1]
• Empty weight: 2,368 lb (1,074 kg)
• Gross weight: 3,220 lb (1,461 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Napier Lion VIII or Lion IX W-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 525 hp (391 kW) (Lion VIII)

553 hp (412 kW) (Lion IX)

• Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 180 mph (290 km/h, 160 kn)
• Cruise speed: 130 mph (210 km/h, 110 kn)
• Service ceiling: 22,000 ft (6,700 m) ^[1]
• Rate of climb: 2,100 ft/min (11 m/s)

Armament

• Guns: provision for two machine-guns