Armstrong Whitworth Scimitar

A.W.35 Scimitar

Role	Fighter
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Armstrong Whitworth
First flight	1935
Introduction	1936
Primary user	Norway
Number built	6
Developed from	Armstrong Whitworth A.W.16

The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.35 Scimitar was a British single-engine biplane fighter aircraft designed and built by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. Four Scimitars were produced for the Norwegian Army Air Service and were delivered in 1936.

Design and development

The A.W.35 Scimitar was a development of Armstrong Whitworth's earlier Armstrong Whitworth A.W.16 fighter, powered by an Armstrong Siddeley Panther engine, with a lowered nose decking and an enlarged fin and rudder. The first prototype (G-ACCD) was a modification of the second A.W.16, and first flew in this form on 29 April 1935.^[1] A second prototype (G-ADBL) was constructed by conversion of an A.W.16.

Operational history

Four Scimitars were ordered for the Norwegian Army Air Service. After testing of two of the production aircraft by the A & AEE at Martlesham Heath in late 1935, they were delivered to Norway in 1936.^[1] When the Germans invaded in 1940 the Scimitars were all undergoing maintenance and could not be made operational in time to see combat.

The second prototype Scimitar was preserved by Armstrong Whitworth at its Whitley factory until 1958, when it was scrapped.^[2]

Operators

Norway

Norwegian Army Air Service

Specifications (A.W.35)

Data from The British Fighter since 1912 ^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: One
Length: 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m)
Wingspan: 33 ft 0 in (10.06 m)
Height: 12 ft 0 in (3.66 m)
Wing area: 261 ft² (24.3 m²)
Empty weight: 2,956 lb (1,341 kg)
Loaded weight: 4,100 lb (1,860 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Armstrong Siddeley Panther X 14-cylinder radial engine, 735 hp (548 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 192 kn (221 mph, 356 km/h)
Cruise speed: 161 kn (185 mph, 298 km/h)
Wing loading: 15.7 lb/ft² (76.8 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.179 hp/lb (0.294 kW/kg)
Climb to 10,000 ft: 5 min 15 sec

Armament

2 × forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine guns

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Armstrong Whitworth Scimitar.

1 2 3 Mason, Francis K (1992). The British Fighter since 1912. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.
↑ Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10006-9.

Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft

Manufacturer designations

F.K.1
F.K.2
F.K.3
F.K.4/F.M.4
F.K.5
F.K.6
F.K.7
F.K.8
F.K.9
F.K.10
F.K.12
F.K.13
A.W.14
A.W.15
A.W.16
A.W.17
A.W.18
A.W.19
A.W.20
A.W.21
A.W.22
A.W.23
A.W.24
A.W.25
A.W.26
A.W.27
A.W.28
A.W.29
A.W.30
A.W.31
A.W.32
A.W.33
A.W.34
A.W.35
A.W.36
A.W.37
A.W.38
A.W.39
A.W.40
A.W.41
A.W.43
A.W.44
A.W.45
A.W.48
A.W.49
A.W.50
A.W.51
A.W.52
A.W.53
A.W.54
A.W.55
A.W.56
A.W.57
A.W.58
A.W.59
A.W.168
A.W.169
A.W.171
A.W.650
A.W.660
A.W.670
A.W.680
A.W.681
A.W.690

By role

Airships	25r R29 R33

Experimental	Ape A.W.52 A.W.171

Fighters	F.K.9/F.K.10 A.W.16 Ara Armadillo Scimitar Siskin Starling

Bombers	A.W.19 A.W.23 A.W.29 Siniai Whitley

Transports	Albemarle Argosy (AW.660) Awana

Airliners	Argosy (1920s) Atalanta Ensign Apollo

Army Co-Op	Atlas/Ajax/Aries

Reconnaissance	Tadpole Wolf

General Purpose	F.K.3 F.K.8

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