The Beardmore Inflexible, also known as the Rohrbach Ro VI, was a three-engined all-metal prototype transport aircraft built by William Beardmore and Company at Dalmuir, Scotland.
Beardmore Inflexible photo published in Flight magazine, April 1928
William Beardmore and Company had acquired a licence for the use of the Rohrbach principle for stressed-skin construction. Using these principles and drawings supplied by Rohrbach for the RoVI, the Beardmore company built a massive all-metal three-engined transport, the Beardmore Inflexible.
The aircraft was built in sections at Dalmuir between 1925 and 1927 which were shipped by sea to Felixstowe and from there delivered by road to the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at Martlesham Heath Airfield where it first flew on 5 March 1928.[2] It appeared at the Hendon RAF Display later in the year. The aircraft was structurally advanced for its time and had good flying qualities. It was also a very large aircraft for the time, having a wingspan of 157 ft (48 m) - around 16 ft (4.9 m) greater than the Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bomber of World War II. However, with an all up weight of 37,000 lb (17,000 kg) it was underpowered and, with no interest forthcoming from the RAF for a production contract, the aircraft was dismantled at Martlesham Heath in 1930. It was then examined for the effects of corrosion on light-alloy stressed skin structures.
One of the aircraft's wheels survives, and is on exhibit in the Science Museum, London.
. Flight. 5 April 1928. pp. 225–226. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
Jackson, A. J. (1973). British Civil Aircraft since 1919. Vol. 1. London: Putnam. ISBN978-0370100067.
Jarrett, Philip (March 1990). "Beardmore's heavy metal monsters – Part 2". Aeroplane Monthly. Vol. 18, no. 3. pp. 136–142. ISSN 0143-7240.
"Plane Facts". Air Enthusiast International. Vol. 6, no. 3. Bromley, UK: Fine Scroll. March 1974. p. 145.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 123. ISBN978-0517103166.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beardmore Inflexible.
Film clip of the Inflexible taxiing and taking off at the Norwich Air Display, May 1929; Pathé News online archive.
January 01, 1970
beardmore, inflexible, also, known, rohrbach, three, engined, metal, prototype, transport, aircraft, built, william, beardmore, company, dalmuir, scotland, inflexible, role, experimental, transport, manufacturer, beardmore, designer, rohrbach, shackleton, firs. The Beardmore Inflexible also known as the Rohrbach Ro VI was a three engined all metal prototype transport aircraft built by William Beardmore and Company at Dalmuir Scotland Inflexible Role Experimental Transport Manufacturer Beardmore Designer Dr Rohrbach 1 W S Shackleton First flight 5 March 1928 Introduction 1928 Retired 1930 Status Retired Primary user Royal Air Force Number built 1 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operators 3 Specifications 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Notes 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksDesign and development edit nbsp Beardmore Inflexible photo published in Flight magazine April 1928 William Beardmore and Company had acquired a licence for the use of the Rohrbach principle for stressed skin construction Using these principles and drawings supplied by Rohrbach for the RoVI the Beardmore company built a massive all metal three engined transport the Beardmore Inflexible The aircraft was built in sections at Dalmuir between 1925 and 1927 which were shipped by sea to Felixstowe and from there delivered by road to the Aeroplane amp Armament Experimental Establishment A amp AEE at Martlesham Heath Airfield where it first flew on 5 March 1928 2 It appeared at the Hendon RAF Display later in the year The aircraft was structurally advanced for its time and had good flying qualities It was also a very large aircraft for the time having a wingspan of 157 ft 48 m around 16 ft 4 9 m greater than the Boeing B 29 Superfortress heavy bomber of World War II However with an all up weight of 37 000 lb 17 000 kg it was underpowered and with no interest forthcoming from the RAF for a production contract the aircraft was dismantled at Martlesham Heath in 1930 It was then examined for the effects of corrosion on light alloy stressed skin structures One of the aircraft s wheels survives and is on exhibit in the Science Museum London Operators edit nbsp United Kingdom Royal Air ForceSpecifications editData from Air Enthusiast International 2 General characteristicsLength 75 ft 6 in 23 01 m Wingspan 157 ft 6 in 48 01 m Height 21 ft 2 in 6 45 m Wing area 1 967 sq ft 182 7 m2 Empty weight 24 301 lb 11 023 kg Max takeoff weight 37 000 lb 16 783 kg Powerplant 3 Rolls Royce Condor II V12 piston engine 650 hp 480 kW each Performance Maximum speed 109 mph 175 km h 95 kn Service ceiling 9 350 ft 2 850 m 3 Rate of climb 436 ft min 2 21 m s at 2 000 ft 610 m 3 See also editRelated development Rohrbach Ro IV Aircraft of comparable role configuration and era Rohrbach Ro VII Robbe Rohrbach Roland Rohrbach Ro IX Rofix Rohrbach Romar Rohrbach Ro XI Rostra Related lists List of aircraft of the Royal Air ForceReferences editNotes edit Flight 5 July 1928 p539 although the design staff at Dalmuir headed by Mr W S Shackleton naturally did a large amount of the detail work a b Air Enthusiast International March 1974 p 145 a b Jarrett Aeroplane Monthly March 1990 p 142 Bibliography edit The Beardmore Inflexible Flight 5 April 1928 pp 225 226 Archived from the original on 21 October 2012 a href Template Cite magazine html title Template Cite magazine cite magazine a CS1 maint unfit URL link The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft Part Work 1982 1985 Orbis Publishing Jackson A J 1973 British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Vol 1 London Putnam ISBN 978 0370100067 Jarrett Philip March 1990 Beardmore s heavy metal monsters Part 2 Aeroplane Monthly Vol 18 no 3 pp 136 142 ISSN 0143 7240 Plane Facts Air Enthusiast International Vol 6 no 3 Bromley UK Fine Scroll March 1974 p 145 Taylor Michael J H 1989 Jane s Encyclopedia of Aviation London Studio Editions p 123 ISBN 978 0517103166 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beardmore Inflexible Film clip of the Inflexible taxiing and taking off at the Norwich Air Display May 1929 Pathe News online archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Beardmore Inflexible amp oldid 1193819602, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
