Airspeed: Oxford
Note: This is a sub-section of Airspeed Aircraft
The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford is a twin-engine aircraft used for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery during the Second World War. It was an advanced trainer and military version of the Envoy, powered by 375 hp Armstrong Siddeley Motors Cheetah X radial engine.
Orders for were placed for a first batch of 136 aircraft, to allow a more economical flow-line production at the Portsmouth factory. The first prototype aircraft L4534 first flew at Portsmouth on 19 June 1937. Two variants were planned, the Mark I as a general-purpose training aircraft with a dorsal gun turret and the Mark II without a turret but fitted with dual-controls. As further large contracts for the aircraft were placed with Airspeed, (100 Mk Is and 100 Mk IIs) it was arranged that De Havilland Aircraft would build them at Hatfield later, to meet the demands for Oxfords for training. Other companies also built the aircraft.
A total of 8,586 Oxfords were built, with 4,411 by Airspeed at its Portsmouth factory, 550 at the Airspeed-run shadow factory at Christchurch, Dorset, 1,515 by De Havilland at Hatfield, 1,360 by Percival Aircraft at Luton and 750 by Standard Motors at Coventry.
The Oxford (nicknamed the 'Ox-box') was used to prepare complete aircrews for RAF Bomber Command and could simultaneously train pilots, navigators, bomb aimers, gunners and radio operators on the same flight. In addition to training duties, Oxfords were used in communications and anti-submarine roles and as ambulances in the Middle East.
Variants
AS.10 Oxford I
- To produce the Oxford I for the Royal Air Force, Airspeed increased the wingspan, modified the nose and employed fully cowled Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah IX radial engines of 350 hp (265 kW). The first Mark I flew on 19 June 1937 and entered service with the Central Flying School in November of that year. By the start of the war, about 300 Mk I Oxfords were in service with the RAF, while a number were also being used by the Royal New Zealand Air Force to train pilots for the RAF.
AS.10 Oxford II
- The prevalence of powered turrets by the start of the war meant the Oxford's role as a gunnery trainer lapsed. The Oxford II, 70 of which were in service by the start of the war, dispensed with the turret and were used primarily as radio and navigation trainers.
AS.10 Oxford III
- Powered by two Cheetah XV engines with 425 hp (315 kW) and Rotol constant-speed propellers, used for navigation and radio training.
AS.10 Oxford IV
- Flying test-bed for de Havilland Gipsy Queen IV engines.
Oxford T.II
- Only 9 of these were built, eight of them being conversions of Mk Is.
AS.40 Oxford
- Civil conversion for radio research, two built.
AS.41 Oxford
- Used by Miles Aircraft as a flying test-bed for Alvis Leonides engine, one conversion.
AS.42 Oxford
- Oxford I to meet Specification T.39/37 for New Zealand.
AS.43 Oxford
- Survey variant of the AS.42
AS.46 Oxford V
- The final variant, upgraded to Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engines with 450 hp (335 kW) and Hamilton-Standard variable-pitch propellers. Many Mark I and II Oxfords were upgraded to the Mark V standard.
AS.65 Consul
- After the end of WWII, over 150 aircraft surplus ex-RAF Oxfords were converted for civilian transport operation; this type was known as the Airspeed Consul.
See Also
Sources of Information