Avro Tutor, Old Warden 2007 ©Nigel Key
ROLE
Basic Trainer.
FIRST FLIGHT
December 1929.
The Avro type 621 was designed by Roy Chadwick as a replacement for the wooden constructed Avro 504. After trials by the RAF it was accepted as their basic trainer in 1933.
The Bi-plane features staggered equal span wing design with the construction of the aircraft based on mainly steel tubing, except for wooden wing ribs, with the framework then covered with doped linen.
The main undercarriage is fixed with a tail skid. (A tail wheel replaced the skid on the later versions).
PRODUCTION
The Avro Tutor was produced from 1933, with over 600 built.
ENGINE
Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IV, producing 180 hp or later the Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IVC producing 240 hp.
ARMAMENT
None.
After successful operational trials by the RAF an order was placed for 23 aircraft in July and a further 180 in September, with the first Mk I's being delivered from July 1936 and becoming operational in January 1937.
As well as the first batch of 21 Trainers, a total of 381 Tutors and 15 Avro 646 Sea Tutors were ordered by the RAF to operate in the Royal Air Force College, the Central Flying School and Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 Flying Training Schools.
| Crew - 1 or 2 (in tandem) |
| Wing Type - Bi-plane |
| Length - 26ft 6in (8.08m) |
| Wingspan - 34ft 0in (10.36m) |
| Height - 9ft 7in (2.92m) |
| Empty Weight - 1,844lb (836kg) |
| Max. Weight - 2,458lb (1,115kg) |
| Max. Speed - 122mph (196.7km/h) |
| Range - 250 miles (402km) |
