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Armstrong Whitworth

Company nameSir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd
Company typePrivate
IndustryEngineering, Shipbuilding
Aircraft
FateDemergers
Take over
PredecessorW.G. Armstrong & Mitchell Company
SuccessorVickers-Armstrongs
Founded1847 (W.G. Armstrong Co.)
Defunct1927
HeadquartersNewcastle upon Tyne, England
Key peopleWilliam George Armstrong Founder
ProductsAircraft, Armaments, Locomotives, Ships,
SubsidiaryVickers Armstrong
Armstrong Siddeley
(Demerged)

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Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. Headquartered in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth engaged in the construction of armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles, and aircraft.

Armstrong Whitworth Video

Through being involved in laminar-flow wing development Armstrong Whitworth was keen to put its experience to practical application and proposed a jet-powered four-engined 120ft span laminar flow flying wing bomber. The design was to be evaluated through the use of a 1/3 scale glider. The end of the war brought an end to the project but not before work had started on the AW-52G glider. It first flew on 2 March 1945. Armstrong Whitworth, after cancellation of the bomber project, maintained its interest in a large flying wing and was eventually given a contract to produce two prototypes. To give some point to the project beyond research the type was designed to carry 4000lbs of mail. The first Nene-powered aircraft flew on 13 November 1947 and eventually achieved speeds of around 500mph. It crashed on 30 May 1949 through control problems and the pilot, John Lancaster, made the first emergency ejection in Britain. The 2nd AW52 was powered by the Derwent and it flew on 1 September 1948, later on trials with the RAE until May 1954 when it was scrapped.
4.32 min. | 4.78 user rating		 The Armstrong Whitworth Argosy was a British three-engined biplane airliner built by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft and operated by Imperial Airways from 1926 to 1935. Known popularly as a "flying railroad car", it was one of the earliest forms of passenger air transport. The Armstrong Whitworth Argosy stemmed from a declaration by Imperial Airways that all its aircraft would be multi-engined designs on the grounds of safety. They were intended to replace the older single-engined de Havilland aircraft that Imperial Airways had inherited from its constituent companies, mainly Daimler Airway. The first example (G-ELBF ) flew in March 1926 following an initial order for three Argosies from Imperial Airways. The Argosy was initially used on European routes (later operating on services to South Africa), with the fleet named after famous cities. Argosies implemented the world's first "named" air service, the luxury 'Silver Wing' service from London to Paris, in Argosy City of Birmingham (G-EBLO). Two seats were removed and replaced with a bar and a steward was in attendance. Three Argosies were lost during service with Imperial Airways, with one being written off in a forced landing near Aswan and one during a training accident, both in 1931, with no injuries in either accident. In March 1933, however, an Argosy caught fire over Belgium , causing a crash in which all 3 crew and 12 passengers were killed. Argosies continued in service with Imperial Airways until 1935, with the <b>...</b>
4.12 min. | 4.81 user rating		 The Whitley was designed in response to Specification B3/34 issued in July 1934 and within two years the first Whitley had made its maiden flight and the first orders for the new aeroplane (160) had been placed. Although far more capable than the aircraft it replaced (such as the Fairey Hendon and Heyford biplanes), the Whitley was hardly a modern looking aircraft with a slab-sided fuselage and prominent, jutting chin and a very distinctive nose-down flying attitude. It was however, capable of carrying a very impressive bombload of 7000lb. The Whitley was retired from all front line service in late 1942 but it continued to operate as a transport for troops and freight, as well as for paratroop training and towing gliders. The first paratroop training course at Ringway was in July 1940 with dummy drops over Ringway and Tatton Park. The first live drops were on 13th July 1940 when RAF instructors made eight test jumps from a Whitley. Two were pull-offs from a small open platform that had been fitted in place of the rear gun turret. The other six drops were from an aperture in the fuselage floor. The pull-off method required the parachutist to face into the aircraft's slipstream and then release the parachute which immediately tore him from the aircraft. The slipstream caused somersaulting and occasionally the feared `candle' when the parachute failed to open properly. Pull-offs were soon abandoned, and jumping through the 'Whitley Hole' became the norm, but even this method <b>...</b>
2.80 min. | 4.78 user rating		 There are apparently several films in the "Quizcraft" series, but I was only able to find volume 4 which features the Martin Maryland, Messerschmitt ME109E, Short Sunderland flying boat, Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley and Douglas Boston MK III
8.85 min. | 4.93 user rating		 Design and development: Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft started on the AW27 Ensign in 1934 after receipt of a specification from Imperial Airways. The first aircraft was ordered in September of that year, with delivery expected in 1936; eleven more were ordered in May 1935. An order for a further two aircraft in 1937 brought the total to 14. Production of their Whitley heavy bomber for the Royal Air Force was a priority, and work on the Ensign proceeded slowly. Construction took place not at the main Coventry factory, but at the workshops of Air Service Training Ltd in Hamble. Constant changes were requested by Imperial, slowing production further. As a result, the Ensign's maiden flight did not take place until 24 January 1938. Despite being underpowered, the aircraft was certified, and full airline service began between Croydon and Paris, France in October of that year. Operational history: Three more Ensigns were completed by Christmas, 1938, and were dispatched with the holiday mail to Australia. All three suffered mechanical problems and did not reach their destination; all Ensigns were removed from active airline service and returned to Armstrong for improvements. Reliability was improved, and more powerful Armstrong Siddeley Tiger IXC engines aided performance somewhat. Eleven aircraft were in service at the outbreak of World War II, with a twelfth following soon after, and all were withdrawn in October, 1939 to be camouflaged before flying a new route from Heston and <b>...</b>
2.53 min. | 4.95 user rating
Soon after World War 1, the next few years were to see a remarkable transformation, and one of the first of this new generation of British airliners was the Armstrong Whitworth AW15 Atalanta. Ordered by Imperial Airways for its services in South Africa and between Karachi and Singapore, the AW15 (or AWXV) was developed in response to a requirement calling for the ability to carry a 3000 lb (1361 kg) payload, maintain 9000 ft (2745 m) with one of its four engines stopped, and cruise at 115 mph (185 km/h). An obvious necessity with these routes was an ability to use small airfields at high altitudes in hot countries, and a range of 400-600 miles (644-966 km) was needed. Only nine passengers and a crew of three were stipulated, a considerable amount of payload space being allocated to mail. Later in its career, seating accommodation of the AW15 was raised to 17 passengers. The first Atalanta (G-ABPI) flew on 6th June 1932, and appeared at the first SBAC Display at Hendon on 27th June, going to Martlesham Heath for tests on 11th July and receiving its certificate of airworthiness in August. The remarkable speed with which this was achieved reflects the soundness of the basic design, and all eight Atalantas for Imperial Airways had been certificated by April 1933. The first service was flown from Croydon, to Brussels and Cologne, on 26th September 1932, and other routes followed. G-ABPI was severely damaged in a forced landing at Coventry on 20th October 1932, while in the <b>...</b>
1.65 min. | 5.0 user rating		 This engine is unrestored and still in the same condition it was in when last ran in 1939. Its running on paraffin (kero) for the first time 66 years. I recovered it from an estate in the west of Scotland in the Autumn of 2003. There were a couple of parts missing from the mag so a buzz coil was built and timed off the remains of the mag. When we first attempted to run the engine it was set to tdc and a wire was fixed to ground off a post on the points plate on the mag. Petrol was poured into the float chamber and the engine cranked. To say we were gobsmacked when the engine fired and ran on the first turn of the handle is a bit of an understatement.
1.05 min. | 4.85 user rating		 RARE footage of the Argosy prototype at the '59 Farnborough Air Display! Only 74 were ever built, which served with the RAF until the late 1970s, basically being replaced by the Lockheed C-130 "Hercules". However, an awesome aircraft she was, which served well for almost 20 years. Be sure to check my channel for the BEST in VINTAGE & RARE airliner videos! "The Boxart Den" World's largest display & collection of FULLY RESTORED rare & collectable model kit box art theboxartden.com http www.facebook.com www.myspace.com www.youtube.com
0.93 min. | 5.0 user rating		 During a 1988 Bicentennial Transport Expo at the Royal Exhibition Show Grounds in Brisbane, this Argosy did this lowish pass over the grounds. Fortunately I was beside the arena with the camera. Its the only time Ive ever seen an Argosy.
0.95 min. | 5.0 user rating		 Meteor NF-11 jet night fighter (WM167 / G-LOSM) displaying at Kemble. The Meteor NF-11 was the first of a series of twin jet, two seat, radar equipped, night fighter aircraft developed by the Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft company and based on the Gloster Meteor T7 two seat jet trainer. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft were a sister company of the Gloster Aircraft Company and were given the contract to design and build a jet replacement for the de Havilland Mosquito night fighters. The Meteor NF-11 entered service with the Royal Air Force in 1951. The Meteor NF-13 was a tropicalized version of the Meteor NF-11 which was operated by 39 Squadron and 219 Squadron in the Mediterranean and Middle East. The Meteor NF-12 and Meteor NF-14 were progressive developments of the Meteor NF-11. The Meteor NF-11 (WM167 / G-LOSM) in this video is operated by the Air Atlantique Classic Flight in Coventry.
2.37 min. | 5.0 user rating

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Locomotives :
Serial
numbers		 Year Quantity Customer Class Wheel
arrangement		 Road
numbers		 Notes
1 – 50 1919 – 1921 50 North Eastern Railway T2 0-8-0 2253 – 2302 to LNER (same numbers) in 1923; renumbered 3410 – 3459 in 1946 scheme
111 – 120 1921 10 Caledonian Railway 72 4-4-0 82 – 91 to LMS 14487 – 14496 in 1923
175 – 179 1922 – 23 5 Midland Great Western Railway Fa 0-6-0 44 – 48 to GSR 641 – 645 in 1925
185 – 190 1923 6 Great Southern and Western Railway 400 4-6-0 407 – 409
403 – 405		 to GSR (same numbers) in 1925
  17.05.1921
to
12.01.1923		 200 État Belge Type 37 2-8-0 5001 – 5200
391 – 415 1922 25 North Eastern Railway E1 0-6-0T 2313 – 2339 to LNER (same numbers) in 1923; renumbered 8721 – 8745 in 1946 scheme
416 – 465 1921 – 22 50 Midland Railway 3835 / 4F 0-6-0 3937 – 3986 to LMS (same numbers) in 1923
468 – 472 1922 5 Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway 3835 / 4F 0-6-0 57 – 61 to LMS 4557 – 4561 in 1930
565 – 566 1924 2 Ferrocarril Pacifico de Colombia 4-6-0+0-6-4 29 – 30
605 – 616 1924 12 London and North Eastern Railway D11/2 4-4-0 6388 – 6399 Renumbered 2683 – 2694 in 1946 scheme
623 – 632 1926 10 South Australian Railways 600 4-6-2 600 – 609
633 – 642 1926 10 South Australian Railways 500 4-8-2 500 – 509
643 – 652 1926 10 South Australian Railways 700 2-8-2 700 – 709
  1924 6 Metropolitan Railway K 2-6-4T 111 – 116 to London and North Eastern Railway 6158 – 6163 in 1937
761 – 769 1925 9 Southern Railway K 2-6-4T A791 – A799 Rebuilt to U class 2-6-0
850 – 874 1927 25 Queensland Railways C17 4-8-0 847 – 871
  1927 10 Ferrocarril Central Argentino Ms-6a 4-8-4T
885 – 904 1928 20 Egyptian State Railways 545 2-6-0 20 five appropriated by Israel Railways after the 1956 Israeli invasion of Sinai
938 – 987 1928 50 Great Western Railway 5600 0-6-2T 6650 – 6699
1024 – 1025 1929 2 Great Western of Brazil Railway 2-6-2+2-6-2 238 – 239
    30 Ferrocarril Central Argentino 4-6-2 3-cylinder with Caprotti valve gear
  1930 20 Ferrocarril Central Argentino Ms-6a 4-8-4T
1111 – 1130 1931 20 London and North Eastern Railway K3/2 2-6-0 Renumbered 1899 – 1918 in 1946 scheme
1131 – 1155 1930 – 31 25 Great Western Railway 5700 0-6-0PT 7775 – 7799
1156 – 1165 1934 – 35 10 London and North Eastern Railway K3/2 2-6-0 Renumbered 1919 – 1928 in 1946 scheme
1166 – 1265 1935 100 London, Midland and Scottish Railway Stanier 5 4-6-0 5125 – 5224
1266 – 1269 1935 4 Yue Han Railway, China 0-8-0 501 – 504
1270 – 1279 1936 10 London and North Eastern Railway K3/2 2-6-0 Renumbered 1959 – 1968 in 1946 scheme
1280 – 1506 1936 – 37 227 London, Midland and Scottish Railway Stanier 5 4-6-0 5225 – 5451
D8 1 Preston Docks 0-6-0de Duchess 250-hp shunter
D9 1 Demonstrator 1-Co-1 800-hp mixed-traffic diesel-electric
D20 1933 1 London, Midland and Scottish Railway 0-6-0de 7408 250-hp shunter; renumbered 7058
D21 – D26 6 0-4-0de 85-hp shunter
D54 – D63 1936 10 London, Midland and Scottish Railway 0-6-0de 7059 – 7068 350-hp shunter

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