Ministry of Aircraft Production and predecessors: Royal Aircraft Factory, later Royal...

AVIA 14

1911-1937

Tracings of aircraft, engines and equipment designed and built at the Royal Aircraft Factory, Farnborough, from 1911 to 1918; also a number of drawings of aircraft and equipment which were of interest to the Royal Aircraft Establishment, but not designed or built at Farnborough. Some of the equipment is dated as late as 1944.

The following drawings are among those that have been preserved and relate to large numbers of Service aircraft such as B.E.2's, F.E's, R.E's and S.E's. (1) R.A.F. 1a - 8 cyl. air cooled 'V' of 90 H.P. (2) R.A.F. 3a - 12 cyl. water cooled 'V' of 150 H.P. (3) R.A.F. 4a - 12 cyl. air cooled 'V' of 150 H.P.(4) R.A.F. 8-9 cyl. air cooled radial.

Other drawings included are superchargers (all the basic types for both piston and turbine engines) and catapaults ( most of the land and ships catapults were designed and constructed by the Royal Aircraft Establishment).

In addition to the foregoing a vast range of research and development was carried out on engine cylinders, fuels, fuel injection, starters and other engine accessories and much of the information can be ascertained from the list of drawings or by reference to those Engine Dept files which have been retained.

The majority of material in this series is dated from 1911 to 1918, but the series also contains some later material.

Public Record(s)

English

97 flat sheets and rolls

Topics

Manufacturing

Air Force

Research

Some 600 drawings of historical or particular interest have been retained, mostly consisting of general arrangements, with some containing more important details.

With the object of retaining drawings of historical or particular technical interest, some 45,000 produced by the now defunct Engine Drawing Office of the R.A.E. between 1913 and 1944 were critically examined.

Complete engine designs were issued to Messrs. Armstrong-Siddeley, and one design manufactured by them became the 'Jaguar' and the basis for other Siddeley types.

These early engines were subsequently superseded by Rolls-Royce, Hispano, Bristol, Siddeley and other types.