The Airspeed AS.39 Fleet Shadower was a British long-range patrol aircraft design that did not go beyond the prototype stage. A similar aircraft, the General Aircraft Fleet Shadower, was also built to the extent of prototypes. While the concept of a fleet shadower had some promise, the resulting designs were soon overtaken by wartime developments in airborne radar.
The Royal Navy envisaged a need (Operational Requirement OR.52) for an aircraft that could shadow enemy fleets at night and the resulting Specification S.23/37 called for a slow-flying low-noise aircraft with a long range, capable of operating from an aircraft carrier's flight deck. The specified performance was to be a speed of 38 knots (70 km/h) at 1,500 ft (460 m) for not less than six hours.[1]
General Aircraft submitted the G.A.L.38, of very similar general design to the AS.39.[1] General Aircraft and Airspeed were selected to build two prototypes each and Airspeed received a contract on 10 August 1938.
The AS.39 was a high-wing, semi-cantilever, strut-braced (on the outer panels) monoplane with wooden wings and tail unit and an all-metal monocoquefuselage. It had a fixed, divided type landing gear and tailwheel. The observation aircraft had a crew of three: pilot, observer and radio operator. The AS.39 had a unique crew configuration with the observer accommodated in the nose with clear-vision windows on three sides and the pilot's compartment raised to allow passage to the radio operator's compartment. Four small 130 hp (97 kW) Pobjoy Niagara V seven-cylinder air-cooled radial engines were mounted on the wings. This maximized propwash over the wing giving extra lift at low speed. The wings could be folded for storage when used on an aircraft carrier.[2]
Operational historyedit
Of two prototypes started, only one was completed, flying on 17 October 1940, the first flight was delayed due to problems with the Niagara V engines which had a vibration problem. The prototype had stability problems and poor stall handling not helped by the under-powered engines. Airspeed were asked to respond to a proposal to re-engine the aircraft with two Armstrong Whitworth Cheetah XI radial engines and add rear-facing machine guns. Only a preliminary proposal had been made and the second aircraft was not complete when on 17 February 1941 the Navy cancelled the fleet shadower program along with the AS.39,[3] the company were requested to scrap both aircraft. The competing G.A.L.38 flew for a few months before it was cancelled and scrapped in March 1942. The requirement for such aircraft had been made obsolete due to the introduction of radar on long-range patrol aircraft such as the Liberator I.
Specifications (AS.39)edit
Data fromNothing ventured...Airspeed AS.39 Night Shadower[4]
General characteristics
Crew: 3 (Pilot, observer, radio operator)
Length: 39 ft 10 in (12.14 m)
Wingspan: 55 ft 4 in (16.87 m)
Height: 10 ft 5 in (3.18 m)
Wing area: 469 sq ft (43.6 m2)
Empty weight: 4,592 lb (2,083 kg)
Gross weight: 6,935 lb (3,146 kg)
Powerplant: 4 × Pobjoy Niagara V 7-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 140 hp (100 kW) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 126 mph (203 km/h, 109 kn) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
Cruise speed: 113 mph (182 km/h, 98 kn) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
Stall speed: 33 mph (53 km/h, 29 kn)
Endurance: 6 hours
Service ceiling: 14,700 ft (4,500 m)
Absolute ceiling: 16,700 ft (5,100 m)
Rate of climb: 865 ft/min (4.4 m/s)
Time to altitude: 10,000 ft (3,000 m) in 18 minutes
See alsoedit
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
^ abJarrett Aeroplane Monthly April 1992, pp. 16–19.
^Bridgman, Leonard. Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. New York: Crescent Books, 1988. ISBN0-517-67964-7.
^. Fleet Air Arm Archive. 3 April 2000. Archived from the original on 3 April 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
Bridgman, Leonard, ed. Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft 1945–1946. London: Samson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd, 1946.
Butler, Phil. "The Night Shadowers." Air-Britain Aeromilitaria Vol. 32, Issue 125, Spring 2006, pp. 19–22. ISSB 0262-8791.
Fleet Air Arm archive. Retrieved: 2 February 2007.
Jarrett, Phil. "Nothing ventured...", Part 24. Aeroplane Monthly, April 1992, Vol 20 No 4. London: IPC. ISSN 0143-7240. pp. 16–19.
Jarrett, Phil. "Nothing ventured... General Aircraft GAL 38 Night Shadower". Aeroplane Monthly, May 1992, Vol 20 No 5. London: IPC. ISSN 0143-7240. pp. 18–23.
Jarrett, Phil. "Nothing ventured... Airspeed AS.39 Night Shadower". Aeroplane Monthly, June 1992, Vol 20 No 6. London: IPC. ISSN 0143-7240. pp. 52–57.
Winchester, Jim, ed. "General Aircraft Fleet Shadower (1940)". The World's Worst Aircraft: From Pioneering Failures to Multimillion Dollar Disasters. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2005. ISBN1-904687-34-2.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Airspeed Fleet Shadower.
January 01, 1970
airspeed, fleet, shadower, airspeed, fleet, shadower, british, long, range, patrol, aircraft, design, that, beyond, prototype, stage, similar, aircraft, general, aircraft, fleet, shadower, also, built, extent, prototypes, while, concept, fleet, shadower, some,. The Airspeed AS 39 Fleet Shadower was a British long range patrol aircraft design that did not go beyond the prototype stage A similar aircraft the General Aircraft Fleet Shadower was also built to the extent of prototypes While the concept of a fleet shadower had some promise the resulting designs were soon overtaken by wartime developments in airborne radar AS 39 Fleet Shadower Role carrier based maritime reconnaissance aircraft Manufacturer Airspeed Ltd First flight 17 October 1940 Retired 1941 Number built 1 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Specifications AS 39 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksDesign and development editThe Royal Navy envisaged a need Operational Requirement OR 52 for an aircraft that could shadow enemy fleets at night and the resulting Specification S 23 37 called for a slow flying low noise aircraft with a long range capable of operating from an aircraft carrier s flight deck The specified performance was to be a speed of 38 knots 70 km h at 1 500 ft 460 m for not less than six hours 1 Five companies showed interest Percival Short Brothers Fairey Aviation General Aircraft Ltd and Airspeed General Aircraft submitted the G A L 38 of very similar general design to the AS 39 1 General Aircraft and Airspeed were selected to build two prototypes each and Airspeed received a contract on 10 August 1938 The AS 39 was a high wing semi cantilever strut braced on the outer panels monoplane with wooden wings and tail unit and an all metal monocoque fuselage It had a fixed divided type landing gear and tailwheel The observation aircraft had a crew of three pilot observer and radio operator The AS 39 had a unique crew configuration with the observer accommodated in the nose with clear vision windows on three sides and the pilot s compartment raised to allow passage to the radio operator s compartment Four small 130 hp 97 kW Pobjoy Niagara V seven cylinder air cooled radial engines were mounted on the wings This maximized propwash over the wing giving extra lift at low speed The wings could be folded for storage when used on an aircraft carrier 2 Operational history editOf two prototypes started only one was completed flying on 17 October 1940 the first flight was delayed due to problems with the Niagara V engines which had a vibration problem The prototype had stability problems and poor stall handling not helped by the under powered engines Airspeed were asked to respond to a proposal to re engine the aircraft with two Armstrong Whitworth Cheetah XI radial engines and add rear facing machine guns Only a preliminary proposal had been made and the second aircraft was not complete when on 17 February 1941 the Navy cancelled the fleet shadower program along with the AS 39 3 the company were requested to scrap both aircraft The competing G A L 38 flew for a few months before it was cancelled and scrapped in March 1942 The requirement for such aircraft had been made obsolete due to the introduction of radar on long range patrol aircraft such as the Liberator I Specifications AS 39 editData from Nothing ventured Airspeed AS 39 Night Shadower 4 General characteristicsCrew 3 Pilot observer radio operator Length 39 ft 10 in 12 14 m Wingspan 55 ft 4 in 16 87 m Height 10 ft 5 in 3 18 m Wing area 469 sq ft 43 6 m2 Empty weight 4 592 lb 2 083 kg Gross weight 6 935 lb 3 146 kg Powerplant 4 Pobjoy Niagara V 7 cylinder air cooled radial piston engines 140 hp 100 kW each Performance Maximum speed 126 mph 203 km h 109 kn at 5 000 ft 1 500 m Cruise speed 113 mph 182 km h 98 kn at 5 000 ft 1 500 m Stall speed 33 mph 53 km h 29 kn Endurance 6 hours Service ceiling 14 700 ft 4 500 m Absolute ceiling 16 700 ft 5 100 m Rate of climb 865 ft min 4 4 m s Time to altitude 10 000 ft 3 000 m in 18 minutesSee also editAircraft of comparable role configuration and era General Aircraft Fleet ShadowerReferences editNotes a b Jarrett Aeroplane Monthly April 1992 pp 16 19 Bridgman Leonard Jane s Fighting Aircraft of World War II New York Crescent Books 1988 ISBN 0 517 67964 7 General Aircraft Ltd GAL 38 Fleet Air Arm Archive 3 April 2000 Archived from the original on 3 April 2007 Retrieved 2 February 2007 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Jarrett Aeroplane Monthly June 1992 p 53 Bibliography Airspeed Types Flight 1951 Bridgman Leonard ed Jane s All The World s Aircraft 1945 1946 London Samson Low Marston amp Company Ltd 1946 Butler Phil The Night Shadowers Air Britain Aeromilitaria Vol 32 Issue 125 Spring 2006 pp 19 22 ISSB 0262 8791 Fleet Shadower Fleet Air Arm archive Retrieved 2 February 2007 Jarrett Phil Nothing ventured Part 24 Aeroplane Monthly April 1992 Vol 20 No 4 London IPC ISSN 0143 7240 pp 16 19 Jarrett Phil Nothing ventured General Aircraft GAL 38 Night Shadower Aeroplane Monthly May 1992 Vol 20 No 5 London IPC ISSN 0143 7240 pp 18 23 Jarrett Phil Nothing ventured Airspeed AS 39 Night Shadower Aeroplane Monthly June 1992 Vol 20 No 6 London IPC ISSN 0143 7240 pp 52 57 Winchester Jim ed General Aircraft Fleet Shadower 1940 The World s Worst Aircraft From Pioneering Failures to Multimillion Dollar Disasters London Amber Books Ltd 2005 ISBN 1 904687 34 2 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Airspeed Fleet Shadower Profile Flying Slow Fleet Shadower concept Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Airspeed Fleet Shadower amp oldid 1222061673, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
