Avro 523 Pike
Avro · United Kingdom · first flew 1916 · bomber
The Avro 523 Pike was a British twin-engine biplane bomber developed in 1916 for the Royal Naval Air Service, featuring a pusher layout with the engines mounted between the wings in nacelles driving rearward-facing propellers. Two prototypes were evaluated but the type was found to be outclassed by competing designs.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 11.91 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin-engine pusher biplane with boom-mounted tail surfaces
- Engines in nacelles between the wings driving pusher propellers
- Large multi-bay biplane structure; evaluated by RNAS 1916
A large multi-bay biplane with twin nacelles mounted between the wings, pusher propellers, and twin tail booms connecting the wings to the tail surfaces. The absence of a conventional fuselage pod and the pusher configuration are key identifiers.
Specifications
- The Avro 523 Pike has a length of 11.91 m (39 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 18.29 m (60 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 156 km/h (97 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed to a 1915 RNAS requirement for a long-range bombing aircraft, the Pike used the pusher arrangement then common for aircraft requiring a clear forward field of fire. Two prototypes were built and tested in 1916 but the performance was considered inadequate and the design offered no advantage over aircraft already in service or under development. No production orders followed.
Variants
Two prototypes built; no production variants.
Where you'll see it
Evaluated by the RNAS in 1916; never entered operational service.
Related aircraft
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