Avro 604 Antelope
Avro · United Kingdom · first flew 1928 · bomber
The Avro 604 Antelope was a British light bomber designed and built in the late 1920s to meet an RAF requirement. It competed against the Hawker Hart and the Fairey Fox II and was unsuccessful.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-bay all-metal biplane
- Rolls-Royce F.XIB V-12 engine in the nose
- Two-seat layout with a rear-cockpit gun
It is a single-bay, all-metal biplane with a single V-12 engine. Armament was a forward-firing Vickers gun and a Lewis gun in the rear cockpit.
Specifications
- The Avro 604 Antelope has a length of 9.5 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.97 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 278 km/h (173 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was designed to Air Ministry Specification 12/26 for a single-engine light, high-speed day bomber. One prototype was ordered and first flew in July 1928, powered by a 480 hp Rolls-Royce F.XIB engine.
Variants
Only one prototype was built. It was later fitted with dual controls and used as a test bed.
Where you'll see it
At Martlesham Heath it easily met the performance requirements, but showed poor low-speed handling and spinning characteristics. The Hart was preferred because it was easier to maintain, and the Antelope served as an engine and propeller test bed at the Royal Aircraft Establishment until September 1933.
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- Fairey Fox Floatplane
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