Armstrong Whitworth: Argosy
- A twenty-seater three-engined air liner.
1926/7 Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft designed a triple-engined biplane, intended to carry a useful load of 2 tons, equipped with seating accommodation for twenty passengers. Two luggage compartments were provided. The machine had three "Jaguar" engines but could fly with a full load on any two engines. The top speed of the machine was expected to be 110 miles an hour. The machine would be delivered to Imperial Airways Ltd.
The Armstrong-Whitworth " Argosy " is a 20-passenger machine, driven by three Armstrong Siddeley "Jaguar" engines of 385 horse-power each. On an average day when loaded to a total weight of 19,200 lb., it has been flown level and straight, and under full directional control, at a speed of about 75 mph., at a height of 2500ft., when one of the wing engines was stopped. With all three engines in action and similarly loaded. it could maintain the same speed at 14,000ft. With the two winging new running and the nose engine idle, the height at which the machine could fly comfortably would, we are informed, be about 4000ft. On a perfectly still day these figures would probably be increased by about 1000ft in each case. The height at which the machine can fly comfortably on an average day if one of the wing engines failed is the decisive factor determining the load which the machine can be permitted to carry.
If this height is selected at less than 2500ft., the pay load can be increased. If it required to be more, the pay load will have to be reduced. [1]
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