The I.Ae.24 Calquin (a Mapudungun word which means "Royal Eagle") was a tactical bomber designed and built by the Instituto Aerotécnico at Córdoba, in Argentina in the immediate post-World War II era. Although superficially a "look-alike" for the de Havilland Mosquito, the I.Ae.24 was powered by twin Pratt & Whitney R-1830-G “Twin Wasp” radials giving it a distinct appearance. After an operational career spanning two decades, the Calquin was retired.
Patterned after the successful de Havilland Mosquito, the Calquín had a wooden structure similar to the FMA AeMB.2, and was the first twin-engined aircraft designed and built in Argentina. The I.Ae.24 design was based on a cantilever mid-mounted wooden (indigenous woods were used throughout) wings with fabric-covered flying surfaces. The conventional main twin-oleoundercarriage retracted into the engine nacelles while the tailwheel retracted into the aft fuselage. The two-man crew were seated side by side under a large transparency constructed partly of acrylic glass with glass panels. The armament consisted of four 12.7 mm machine guns grouped in the nose. Some examples later had four 20 mm cannons and an internal bombload of 1,764 lb (800 kg) kg along with 12 rockets (75 mm) mounted under the wings.
Originally the I.Ae. 24 was also intended to be equipped with Rolls-Royce Merlins but an adequate supply of the powerplants was not possible, consequently Pratt & Whitney R-1830-G "Twin Wasp" radials of 1,050 hp (782.5 kW) were substituted. Performance estimates of a Merlin-powered variant would have made it comparable to the Mosquito but the R-1830-powered prototype was able to achieve only 273 mph (440 km/h), making the aircraft unstable and prone to stalling.[2] A later prototype, the I.Ae.28 was equipped with Rolls-Royce Merlins but the project was superseded by the more capable I.Ae. 30 "Ñancú".
Operational historyedit
Despite the lower performance obtained in testing, the I.Ae.24 Calquin was able to undertake an attack and light bombing role, replacing the Northrop A-17 in the Argentine Air Force inventory. A total of 100 aircraft were ordered, with the first production example flying on 4 July 1946. Fifty pilots and crew members were killed in accidents related to Calquín operational service and trials. Test pilots considered the aircraft unstable "on all three axes" and required careful handling.[3] Series production was completed by 1950, with operational service continuing until 1957 although a small number of aircraft were still in squadron use until 1960.
had 4 x 12.7 mm browning ML or DL nationally manufactured heavy machine guns along with bomb ordnance.I.Ae.24 "Calquin"
I.Ae.24 "Calquín" "late"
had 4 x 20 mm Hispano-Suiza 804 automatic cannons along with bomb and rocket ordnance.I.Ae.24 Late
I.Ae.28 "Super Calquín"
Evolved variant of the Calquin with Merlin engines and a look similar to the de Havilland "Mosquito", had a gunner and 4 - 6 x 20 mm cannons. Only a wooden mockup built. Led to the development of the I.Ae. 30 Ñancú.I.Ae. 28 Super Calquín fuselage
Specifications (I.Ae.24 "Calquín")edit
Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1947,[4] Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation[5]
^A-72 was the last surviving Calquin, used as an instructional airframe it survived into the 1960s, it was prepared for museum display but was destroyed around 1966
Burzaco, Ricardo. Las Alas de Perón: Aeronaútica Argentina 1945/1960(in Spanish). Buenos Aires: Ed. Da Vinci, 1995. ISBN978-987-96764-4-8.
Buttler, Tony (January–February 2005). "Argentine Twins: IAe 24 Calquin and IAe 30 Nancu". Air Enthusiast. No. 115. pp. 29–33. ISSN 0143-5450.
Janes's All the World's Aircraft 1957-1958. London: Jane's All the World's Aircraft, 1958.
Taylor, John W. R., and Jean Alexander. Combat Aircraft of the World. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN0-71810-564-8.
Taylor, Michael J.H. Janes's Encyclopedia of Aviation, Vol. 4. Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier Educational Corporation, 1980. ISBN0-7106-0710-5.
Further readingedit
Baldini, Atilio; Bontti, Sergio (2007). Núñez Padin, Jorge Felix (ed.). Instituto Aerotécnico I.Aé.-24 Calquin. Serie Fuerza Aérea Argentina (in Spanish). Vol. 13. Bahía Blanca, Argentina: Fuerzas Aeronavales. ISBN978-987-20557-1-4.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to I.Ae. 24 Calquin.
I.Ae.24 "Calquin" (translated into English from Spanish)
January 01, 1970
calquin, calquin, mapudungun, word, which, means, royal, eagle, tactical, bomber, designed, built, instituto, aerotécnico, córdoba, argentina, immediate, post, world, although, superficially, look, alike, havilland, mosquito, powered, twin, pratt, whitney, 183. The I Ae 24 Calquin a Mapudungun word which means Royal Eagle was a tactical bomber designed and built by the Instituto Aerotecnico at Cordoba in Argentina in the immediate post World War II era Although superficially a look alike for the de Havilland Mosquito the I Ae 24 was powered by twin Pratt amp Whitney R 1830 G Twin Wasp radials giving it a distinct appearance After an operational career spanning two decades the Calquin was retired I Ae 24 Calquin I Ae 24 Calquin in squadron use c 1950 a Role Light Bomber Manufacturer Fabrica Militar de Aviones FMA Designer Juan San Martin 1 First flight 4 July 1946 Retired 1960 Primary user Fuerza Aerea Argentina Produced 1947 1950 Number built 101 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Operators 4 Variants 5 Specifications I Ae 24 Calquin 6 See also 7 Footnotes 8 References 8 1 Notes 8 2 Bibliography 9 Further reading 10 External linksDesign and development editPatterned after the successful de Havilland Mosquito the Calquin had a wooden structure similar to the FMA AeMB 2 and was the first twin engined aircraft designed and built in Argentina The I Ae 24 design was based on a cantilever mid mounted wooden indigenous woods were used throughout wings with fabric covered flying surfaces The conventional main twin oleo undercarriage retracted into the engine nacelles while the tailwheel retracted into the aft fuselage The two man crew were seated side by side under a large transparency constructed partly of acrylic glass with glass panels The armament consisted of four 12 7 mm machine guns grouped in the nose Some examples later had four 20 mm cannons and an internal bombload of 1 764 lb 800 kg kg along with 12 rockets 75 mm mounted under the wings Originally the I Ae 24 was also intended to be equipped with Rolls Royce Merlins but an adequate supply of the powerplants was not possible consequently Pratt amp Whitney R 1830 G Twin Wasp radials of 1 050 hp 782 5 kW were substituted Performance estimates of a Merlin powered variant would have made it comparable to the Mosquito but the R 1830 powered prototype was able to achieve only 273 mph 440 km h making the aircraft unstable and prone to stalling 2 A later prototype the I Ae 28 was equipped with Rolls Royce Merlins but the project was superseded by the more capable I Ae 30 Nancu Operational history editDespite the lower performance obtained in testing the I Ae 24 Calquin was able to undertake an attack and light bombing role replacing the Northrop A 17 in the Argentine Air Force inventory A total of 100 aircraft were ordered with the first production example flying on 4 July 1946 Fifty pilots and crew members were killed in accidents related to Calquin operational service and trials Test pilots considered the aircraft unstable on all three axes and required careful handling 3 Series production was completed by 1950 with operational service continuing until 1957 although a small number of aircraft were still in squadron use until 1960 Operators edit nbsp Argentina Argentine Air ForceVariants editI Ae 24 Calquin early had 4 x 12 7 mm browning ML or DL nationally manufactured heavy machine guns along with bomb ordnance nbsp I Ae 24 Calquin I Ae 24 Calquin late had 4 x 20 mm Hispano Suiza 804 automatic cannons along with bomb and rocket ordnance nbsp I Ae 24 Late I Ae 28 Super Calquin Evolved variant of the Calquin with Merlin engines and a look similar to the de Havilland Mosquito had a gunner and 4 6 x 20 mm cannons Only a wooden mockup built Led to the development of the I Ae 30 Nancu nbsp I Ae 28 Super Calquin fuselageSpecifications I Ae 24 Calquin editData from Jane s all the World s Aircraft 1947 4 Jane s Encyclopedia of Aviation 5 General characteristicsCrew two pilot bombardier navigator Length 12 m 39 ft 4 in Wingspan 16 3 m 53 ft 6 in Height 3 4 m 11 ft 2 in Gross weight 6 500 kg 14 330 lb Max takeoff weight 7 200 kg 15 873 lb Powerplant 2 Pratt amp Whitney R 1830 SC G Twin Wasp 14 cylinder air cooled radial piston engines 780 kW 1 050 hp each Propellers 3 bladed Hamilton Standard Hydromatic 23 E 50 Performance Maximum speed 440 km h 270 mph 240 kn Range 1 040 km 650 mi 560 nmi Service ceiling 10 000 m 33 000 ft Wing loading 170 9 kg m2 35 0 lb sq ft Power mass 4 13 kg kW 6 8 lb hp Armament Guns 4 12 7 mm browning ML or DL heavy machine guns nationally manufactured on the early variant or dd 4 20 mm Hispano Suiza 804 cannon with 300 rounds per gun on the later variant or dd 4 20 mm Hispano Mk II cannon 4 303 in 7 7 mm Browning machine guns Rockets 12 x 75 mm 60 lb 27 kg rockets Mk VI on the later variant Bombs 800 kg 1 800 lb bombs on both early and late variantSee also editComparable aircraft de Havilland MosquitoFootnotes edit A 72 was the last surviving Calquin used as an instructional airframe it survived into the 1960s it was prepared for museum display but was destroyed around 1966References editNotes edit Taylor and Alexander 1969 p 42 Burzaco 1995 p 65 Burzaco 1997 pp 68 70 Bridgman Leonard ed 1947 Jane s all the World s Aircraft 1947 London Sampson Low Marston amp Co pp 3c 4c Taylor 1980 p 670 Bibliography edit Burzaco Ricardo I Ae 24 Calquin Aeroespacio Nro 52 November December 1997 Burzaco Ricardo Las Alas de Peron Aeronautica Argentina 1945 1960 in Spanish Buenos Aires Ed Da Vinci 1995 ISBN 978 987 96764 4 8 Buttler Tony January February 2005 Argentine Twins IAe 24 Calquin and IAe 30 Nancu Air Enthusiast No 115 pp 29 33 ISSN 0143 5450 Janes s All the World s Aircraft 1957 1958 London Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1958 Taylor John W R and Jean Alexander Combat Aircraft of the World New York G P Putnam s Sons 1969 ISBN 0 71810 564 8 Taylor Michael J H Janes s Encyclopedia of Aviation Vol 4 Danbury Connecticut Grolier Educational Corporation 1980 ISBN 0 7106 0710 5 Further reading editBaldini Atilio Bontti Sergio 2007 Nunez Padin Jorge Felix ed Instituto Aerotecnico I Ae 24 Calquin Serie Fuerza Aerea Argentina in Spanish Vol 13 Bahia Blanca Argentina Fuerzas Aeronavales ISBN 978 987 20557 1 4 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to I Ae 24 Calquin I Ae 24 Calquin in Polish I Ae 24 Calquin translated into English from Spanish Aircraft history and specifications in Spanish Aircraft history specifications and colour images in Spanish Pre series testing by the Grupo Experimental de Vuelo in Spanish Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title I Ae 24 Calquin amp oldid 1206157199, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
