British Aircraft Swallow

British Aircraft Manufacturing · United Kingdom · first flew 1933 · light aircraft

The British Aircraft Swallow was a British-built licence version of the German Klemm Kl 25 light monoplane, produced by British Aircraft Manufacturing Company from 1933. It was a popular pre-war British light tourer.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	8 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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1930s British low-wing light monoplane
Klemm-derived design built under licence in the UK
Side-by-side two-seat cabin with large glazed area

A low-wing cantilever monoplane with two side-by-side seats, a small inline or inverted inline engine, fixed spatted undercarriage, and rounded wingtips — virtually identical to the German Klemm Kl 25 from which it was derived.

Specifications

The British Aircraft Swallow has a length of 8 m (26 ft).
It has a wingspan of 13.02 m (43 ft).
Its maximum speed is 167 km/h (104 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

British Aircraft Manufacturing acquired a licence to build the Klemm Kl 25 in Britain and produced it as the Swallow from 1933 onwards. The Swallow proved popular with private owners and flying clubs across the United Kingdom during the 1930s. A number of examples survived World War II and some continued flying into the post-war era.

Variants

The Swallow II with an uprated engine was the main development; both used the basic Klemm low-wing airframe.

Where you'll see it

Widely used by British aero clubs and private owners throughout the 1930s; some were impressed for military communications use during World War II.

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