Airspeed Fleet Shadower Aircraft

Production Details

Design Company:

Airspeed (1934) Ltd

First Flight:

18 October 1940

Fleet Shadower:

1 - Airspeed

Type Specification

Applies to:

Airspeed AS.39 Fleet Shadower

Type:

Carrier based aircraft for shadowing enemy ships to Air Ministry specification S.23/37

Wing:

High wing braced monoplane. Wing has dihedral and is slightly swept. Construction of spruce with plywood covering

Fuselage:

All metal stressed skin fuselage

Tail Unit:

Fixed tailplane with split elevators. Three fins with twin rudders

Landing Gear:

Non retractable, divided type. Each main wheel supported by oleo leg to wing forward spar, and radius rod and axle to fuselage lower longeron

Power Plant:

Four 130 hp Pobjoy Niagara V seven cylinder air cooled radials on wing leading edge

Accommodation:

Pilot in enclosed cockpit forward of wing with observer in enclosed nose compartment. Radio operator in cabin below wing

Span:

53 ft 4 in

Length:

40 ft

Height:

10 ft 5 in

Wing Area:

Unknown

Empty:

4,592 lb

Loaded:

6,935 lb

Max Speed:

126 mph

Initial Rate of Climb:

865 ft/min

Service Ceiling:

14,700 ft

Endurance:

6 hr

Preserved in British Museums

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