The A.W.16 was developed by Armstrong Whitworth to meet the requirements of Specification F9/26. With the first prototype flying in 1930, it was too late for consideration against this specification, and was submitted against specification Specification N21/26 for a naval fighter for the Fleet Air Arm.

Problems with the A.W.16's Armstrong Siddeley Panther engine delayed the aircraft, and the competing Hawker Nimrod was purchased before the AW.16 could be delivered for evaluation. When it was evaluated, it showed inferior performance to the Nimrod, and had poor handling on an exposed carrier deck .

Armstrong Whitworth continued to try to sell the aircraft, and produced a second prototype (G-ACCD) fitted with a more reliable Panther IIA engine for submission against Specification F7/30 for an order from the Royal Air Force. It competed against the Vickers Jockey, Hawker High Speed Fury and the Gloster Gladiator. However, by this time the A.W.16 was out of date, and was quickly discarded from consideration, which was won by the Gladiator. A number of production aircraft were made, however, with 17 ordered by the Kwangsi Air Force in China



One A.W.16 was 1933 experimentally fitted with the 15-cylinder 3-row radial Armstrong Siddeley Hyena, but this engine suffered from cooling problems and was abandoned.

Operational history

The 17 A.W.16 fighters for the Kwangsi air force were produced late in 1931, and were delivered via Hong Kong. While initially serving in the air force of the local Warlords, the A.W.16s were (along with the rest of the Kwangsi Air Force) incorporated in the main Chinese Nationalist Air Force in 1937.

* Crew: One
* Length: 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m)
* Wingspan: 33 ft 0 in (10.06 m)
* Height: 11 ft 6 in (3.50 m)
* Wing area: 261 ft? (24.2 m?)
* Loaded weight: 3,520 lb (1,597 kg)
* Powerplant: 1? Armstrong Siddeley Panther IIA 14 cylinder radial engine, 525 hp (391 kW)

Performance

* Maximum speed: 174 knots (200 mph, 322 km/h) at 15,000 ft (4,570 m)
* Range: 235 nm (270 mi, 435 km)
* Service ceiling 26,100 ft (8,000 m)
* Wing loading: lb/ft? (kg/m?)
* Power/mass: hp/lb (W/kg)
* Climb to 10,000 ft (3,050 m): 6 min
* Endurance: 2 hours

Armament

* Two forward firing .303 in Vickers machine guns in sides of fuselage with 500 rounds per gun







The A.W.35 Scimitar was a development of Armstrong Whitworth's earlier Armstrong Whitworth A.W.16 fighter, powered by an Armstrong Siddeley Panther engine, with a lowered nose decking and an enlarged fin and rudder. The first prototype (G-ACCD) was a modification of the second A.W.16, and first flew in this form on 29 April 1935 . A second prototype (G-ADBL) was constructed by conversion of an A.W.16.

Operational history

Four Scimitars were ordered for the Norwegian Army Air Force. After testing of two of the production aircraft by the A & AEE at Martlesham Heath in late 1935, they were delivered to Norway in 1936.

The second prototype Scimitar was preserved by Armstrong Whitworth at its Whitley factory until 1958, when it was scrapped.
* Crew: One
* Length: 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m)
* Wingspan: 33 ft 0 in (10.06 m)
* Height: 12 ft 0 in (3.66 m)
* Wing area: 261 ft? (24.3 m?)
* Empty weight: 2,956 lb (1,344 kg)
* Loaded weight: 4,100 lb (1,864 kg)
* Powerplant: 1? Armstrong Siddeley Panther X 14-cylinder radial engine, 735 hp (548 kW)

Performance

* Maximum speed: 192 knots (221 mph, 336 km/h)
* Cruise speed: 161 knots (185 mph, 298 km/h)
* Wing loading: 15.7 lb/ft? (76.8 kg/m?)
* Power/mass: 0.179 hp/lb (0.294 kW/kg)
* Climb to 10,000 ft: 5 min 15 sec

Armament

* Two forward firing .303 in Vickers machine guns



Regards Duggy