|
A.W.41 Albemarle
Medium Bomber
Armstrong Whitworth
Armstrong Whitworth A.W.41 Albemarle in the USSR
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle I: Initial bomber-reconnaissance version with BP powered dorsal turret carrying four 0.303-in (7.7-mm) Brownings and provision for two similar guns in retractable dorsal manual turret. Fuel tanks in wing and centre fuselage.
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle ST Mk I: Special transport version (troop carrier) with operational bombing equipment, ventral turret and fuselage fuel tanks removed; dorsal turret replaced by hand-operated Rose two-gun installation with sliding hood. Freight loading doors in starboard fuselage side and paratroop jump doors in rear fuselage floor. Malcolm glider towing hook at rear of fuselage. Built in Srs 1, Srs 2 and Srs 3 versions with small equipment changes. 12 supplied to Soviet Union, 1943/44.
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle GT Mk I: Glider towing version with similar modifications to ST Mk I but with paratroop provision. Built in Srs 2 and Srs 3 versions.
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle GT Mk II: Single example of glider tug variant similar to GT Mk I.
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle ST Mk II: Similar to ST Mk I special transport with equipment changes and dorsal turret re-introduced. Ninety-nine built.
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle IV: Single prototype with R-2600-A5B Double Cyclone engines and dorsal turret, flown on December 12, 1942, and one production conversion.
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle ST Mk V: Special transport similar to ST Mk II with changed fuel jetti-son system, flown July 27, 1943. Fifty built.
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle ST Mk VI: Final production special transport version, with dorsal turret. One hundred and thirty-three Srs 1 built.
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle GT Mk VI: Final production glider tug version, with dorsal turret. One hundred and seventeen Srs 2 built.
Albemarle in the USSR. During WWII, the USSR received armament from his allies and by this fact was the only other country with Great Britain to fly Albemarle. 200 Albemarles should be allocated to the USSR, but the additional hatch was soon reduced to 100 and, in the event 14 Albemarles were actually allotted to Russia.
Albemarles alloted to the USSR : P1455, P1477, P1562, P1567, P1590, P1595, P1636, P1637, P1638, P1640, P1642, P1645, P1647, V1598.
|
| Crew |
4 |
| Dimensions |
|---|
| Wing span |
23.47 m ( 77 ft) |
| Wing area |
74.65 m2 (803,5 ft2) |
| Length |
18.26 m ( 59 ft 11) |
| Height |
4.75 m (15 ft 7) |
| Powerplant |
|---|
| 2x14-Cylinder two-row sleeve valve radial Bristol Hercules XI |
2 x 1590 hp ( 1186kW) |
| Weight |
|---|
| Empty weight |
10,260 kg (22,600 lb) |
| Loaded weight |
16,570 kg (36,500 lb) |
| Performance |
|---|
| Maximum speed at altitude 3200m (10,500 ft) |
426 km/h (265 mph) |
| Cruising speed |
274 km/h (170 mph) |
| Initial rate of climb: |
229 m/min (980 ft/min) |
| Service ceiling: |
5490 m (18,000 ft) |
| Range |
2160 km (1,360 miles) |
| Armament (Defensive) |
|---|
4x 7.7-mm (0.303 in) Brownings in dorsal turret
and 2x similar guns in retractable dorsal manual turret |
|
References
- "Encyclopedia of military engineering" /Aerospace Publising/
- "British warplanes of World War II" /under cor. Daniel March/
|
