504
Avro · United Kingdom · first flew 1913 · light aircraft
The Avro 504 trained the majority of British pilots of the First World War era and became the most-produced British aircraft of the conflict, with over 8,000 built.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Long-span, long-fuselage biplane trainer with two open cockpits |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Long-span, long-fuselage biplane trainer with two open cockpits
- Curved wooden skid projecting forward between the undercarriage wheels
- Round rotary cowling with the lower segment cut away
The give-away is the hockey-stick skid curving forward beneath the nose between the wheels, fitted to prevent nose-overs. The aircraft is long and slender for a biplane, with equal-span two-bay wings and tandem open cockpits. The rotary cowling has an open bottom to vent castor oil and exhaust.
Specifications
- The 504 has a length of 8.97 m (29 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.97 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 145 km/h (90 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in September 1913, the 504 flew early bombing raids, including the famous 1914 attack on the Zeppelin sheds at Friedrichshafen, before finding its true calling as a trainer. The Gosport system of instruction was built around it, and it standardised RAF flying training into the 1920s.
Variants
Wartime 504J and 504K trainers used a universal mounting that accepted whatever rotary engine was available. The post-war 504N replaced the rotary with an Armstrong Siddeley Lynx radial and lost the distinctive skid, serving the RAF until the early 1930s and civil joy-riding operators for years after.
Where you'll see it
The 504 holds a treasured place in British aviation as the machine on which a generation learned to fly. The Shuttleworth Collection operates an airworthy 504K at Old Warden, and further examples are preserved at the RAF Museum and Science Museum. Post-war, hundreds gave seaside joyrides across Britain.
Related aircraft
- Avro 511
- Avro 510
- Avro Type F
- Avro 521
- Caudron Type G
- Farman MF.9
- Fokker M.4
- Lee-Richards Annular Monoplane
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.