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111-638: The Boulton Paul P.75 Overstrand was a twin-engine biplane medium bomber designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Boulton Paul . It was the final example of a series of biplane medium bombers that had served in the Royal Air Force since the First World War , starting with the likes of the Vickers Vimy and Handley Page Type O . The Overstrand was also the first aircraft to be fitted with

222-646: A W shape cabane, however as it does not connect the wings to each other, it does not add to the number of bays. Large transport and bombing biplanes often needed still more bays to provide sufficient strength. These are often referred to as multi-bay biplanes . A small number of biplanes, such as the Zeppelin-Lindau D.I have no interplane struts and are referred to as being strutless . Because most biplanes do not have cantilever structures, they require rigging wires to maintain their rigidity. Early aircraft used simple wire (either braided or plain), however during

333-412: A biplane aircraft, two wings are placed one above the other. Each provides part of the lift, although they are not able to produce twice as much lift as a single wing of similar size and shape because the upper and the lower are working on nearly the same portion of the atmosphere and thus interfere with each other's behaviour. In a biplane configuration with no stagger from the upper wing to the lower wing,

444-436: A canopy of anti-glare Perspex, complete with a sliding hood. The airframe was strengthened considerably in many areas, which facilitated an increased bomb capacity of up to 1,500 lb (680 kg), up to two 500 lb (230 kg) bombs could be carried in the aircraft's recessed bomb cell in addition to two 250 lb (110 kg) bombs on external carriers. A new levered main undercarriage , complete with larger wheels,

555-551: A documented jet-kill, as one Lockheed F-94 Starfire was lost while slowing down to 161 km/h (100 mph) – below its stall speed – during an intercept in order to engage the low flying Po-2. Later biplane trainers included the de Havilland Tiger Moth in the Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and others and the Stampe SV.4 , which saw service postwar in the French and Belgian Air Forces. The Stearman PT-13

666-509: A faster and more comfortable successor to the Dragon. As the available engine power and speed increased, the drag penalty of external bracing increasingly limited aircraft performance. To fly faster, it would be necessary to reduce external bracing to create an aerodynamically clean design; however, early cantilever designs were either too weak or too heavy. The 1917 Junkers J.I sesquiplane utilized corrugated aluminum for all flying surfaces, with

777-414: A fully 360-degree circle if the gun was raised sufficiently, helping the turret to cover the widest area of any turret system. A geared spindle at the base of the turret was supported by a series of ball bearings . Elevation was achieved manually. In addition to the turret, various other revisions and improvements were also incorporated. It was decided that the cockpit ought to also be fully enclosed within

888-671: A fully-enclosed power-operated turret . First flown in 1933, the Overstrand was essentially an improved model of the Boulton Paul Sidestrand of the 1920s, thus early references to the type referred to it as the Sidestrand Mk IV instead. It demonstrated a higher maximum speed than its predecessor and was procured for the RAF in limited numbers. As such, the type entered service during the mid 1930s, but became increasingly overshadowed by

999-422: A given wing area. However, interference between the airflow over each wing increases drag substantially, and biplanes generally need extensive bracing, which causes additional drag. Biplanes are distinguished from tandem wing arrangements, where the wings are placed forward and aft, instead of above and below. The term is also occasionally used in biology , to describe the wings of some flying animals . In

1110-641: A meaningful improvement over the Sidestrand, the Air Ministry authorised the modification of a further two Sidestrands into Overstrands. Shortly thereafter, the Ministry selected the type to fulfil Specification 23/34 and issued an initial order for 19 Overstrands. A small follow-on order for five new-built Overstrands would lead to a total of 24 aircraft being built in addition to the four converted Sidestrands. At one stage, plans were drawn up for an improved variant of

1221-507: A minimum of struts; however, it was relatively easy to damage the thin metal skin and required careful handling by ground crews. The 1918 Zeppelin-Lindau D.I fighter was an all-metal stressed-skin monocoque fully cantilevered biplane, but its arrival had come too late to see combat use in the conflict. By the 1930s, biplanes had reached their performance limits, and monoplanes become increasingly predominant, particularly in continental Europe where monoplanes had been increasingly common from

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1332-520: A mobile red light beacon at night, during the latter part of the Second World War. The code was also painted on the airfield hangar nearest to the control tower , and remained visible until the hangars were demolished in 2001. While Andover was an operational USAAF station, Andover was designated as Station 406. The Air Transport Auxiliary 's (ATA) Central Ferry Control was also based at RAF Andover. A civilian organisation that – unusually for

1443-541: A signal from the pilot as the aircraft flew over the airfield at 2000 ft. 12 Squadron was also tasked with further trials work, experimenting with oxygen systems, high altitude photography, and low temperature trials work, particularly in respect to lubricants. In addition, cloud flying in formation and pattern bombing techniques were tested. The Foxes were replaced in January 1931 with the Hawker Hart , after which much work

1554-463: A small degree, but more often was used to improve access to the cockpit. Many biplanes have staggered wings. Common examples include the de Havilland Tiger Moth , Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann and Travel Air 2000 . Alternatively, the lower wing can instead be moved ahead of the upper wing, giving negative stagger, and similar benefits. This is usually done in a given design for structural reasons, or to improve visibility. Examples of negative stagger include

1665-473: A somewhat unusual sesquiplane arrangement, possessing a more substantial lower wing with two spars that eliminated the flutter problems encountered by single-spar sesquiplanes. The stacking of wing planes was suggested by Sir George Cayley in 1843. Hiram Maxim adopted the idea for his steam-powered test rig, which lifted off but was held down by safety rails, in 1894. Otto Lilienthal designed and flew two different biplane hang gliders in 1895, though he

1776-410: A spurious target. Andover had two decoy sites, the first being at Hurstbourne Tarrant , a type 'Q' decoy site (Q70b) with fake aircraft and buildings in use from 1940 to October 1944. From September 1940, fake machine gun posts were added there. Andover's second decoy site, Q70a in use from July 1940 to July 1941, was at Thruxton but its exact location is unknown. RAF Andover was attacked twice by

1887-450: A very high order in a position of extreme danger". Corporal Robins' Military Medal was one of only six such awards of this medal made to members of the WAAF in the entire Second World War. It was thought at the time that these air raids were attempts to attack the important 11 Group Fighter Command Sector Station nearby at RAF Middle Wallop , but German records make it clear that RAF Andover

1998-547: Is better known for his monoplanes. By 1896 a group of young men in the United States, led by Octave Chanute , were flying hang gliders including biplanes and concluded that the externally braced biplane offered better prospects for powered flight than the monoplane. In 1903, the Wright Flyer biplane became the first successful powered aeroplane. Throughout the pioneer years, both biplanes and monoplanes were common, but by

2109-499: The Westland-Hill Pterodactyl series of experimental flying wing aircraft. Two experimental bomber squadrons were based at RAF Andover in the late 1920s and early 1930s, No. 12 Squadron RAF and No. 101 Squadron RAF . No. 13 Squadron was also based here for five years between 1924 and 1929, operating Armstrong Whitworth Atlas aircraft. No. 12 squadron operated Fairey Fawn light bombers from March 1924, and later

2220-546: The Air Transport Auxiliary were also stationed at the airfield. The airfield has a notable place in history as the site of the first attempt to develop a viable long-range electronic navigation system, during the First World War , and also of the first British military helicopter unit and first European helicopter flying training school, during the Second World War . RAF Andover was also used before and after

2331-603: The Battle of France ended in defeat. French Air Force aircraft and crews going into exile to continue fighting were on arrival initially directed to Andover. Andover was later also used by several operational flying training units and as an operational fighter station by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). From 1937, Andover was given the Pundit Code AV . The code AV was broadcast in morse code by

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2442-508: The Borough of Andover with a framed photo of the aircraft, and the type was also named after the town. The Andover's main role in RAF service was tactical transport , for which its unique ability to "kneel" – to allow vehicle entry at a shallow angle via a rear ramp – was an asset. Other roles included aero-medical evacuation, STOL , and parachute and 1 ton container drops. The Andover could also be fitted with long-range ferry tanks, which enabled

2553-508: The Boulton Paul Sidestrand , which had first flown in 1928 and like the Sidestrand, it was named after a village in Norfolk , home also of Boulton Paul's Norwich factory. The earlier Sidestrand had been largely similar to its predecessors of the First World War , featuring open cockpits and hand-operated defensive machine guns . Unlike its predecessors, the Sidestrand could fly at speed of up to 140 mph (230 km/h), which made operating

2664-524: The Bristol M.1 , that caused even those with relatively high performance attributes to be overlooked in favour of 'orthodox' biplanes, and there was an allegedly widespread belief held at that time that monoplane aircraft were inherently unsafe during combat. Between the years of 1914 and 1925, a clear majority of new aircraft introduced were biplanes; however, during the latter years of the First World War,

2775-521: The Fairey Fox bomber, which was significantly faster than its contemporaries. To this day, 12 Squadron's unit motto 'Leads the Field' and crest commemorates their time at RAF Andover by depicting the head of a fox. The Fairey Fox was the first all-metal aircraft in operational service, and 12 Squadron was the only squadron to operate it. The aircraft was a private venture by Fairey , which had been demonstrated to

2886-523: The First World War -era Fokker D.VII fighter and the Second World War de Havilland Tiger Moth basic trainer. The larger two-seat Curtiss JN-4 Jenny is a two bay biplane , the extra bay being necessary as overlong bays are prone to flexing and can fail. The SPAD S.XIII fighter, while appearing to be a two bay biplane, has only one bay, but has the midpoints of the rigging braced with additional struts; however, these are not structurally contiguous from top to bottom wing. The Sopwith 1½ Strutter has

2997-684: The Grumman Ag Cat are available in upgraded versions with turboprop engines. The two most produced biplane designs were the 1913 British Avro 504 of which 11,303 were built, and the 1928 Soviet Polikarpov Po-2 of which over 20,000 were built, with the Po-2 being the direct replacement for the Soviet copy of the Avro 504. Both were widely used as trainers. The Antonov An-2 was very successful too, with more than 18,000 built. Although most ultralights are monoplanes,

3108-570: The Hawker Hind . In 1936, 12 Squadron, with 44 and 142 Squadrons also stationed at Andover, played host to a visit by Generalfeldmarschall Werner von Blomberg when he was the German Minister of War . It was also around this time that the majority of B Flight were taken to form the nucleus of the newly formed No. 63 Squadron . In February 1938, the Squadron was re-equipped with Fairey Battles ,

3219-753: The Hawker P.1127 , the Hawker Siddeley Kestrel FGA 1 (both experimental vertical take-off aircraft), and the Hawker Siddeley Harrier partially took place on the station. The Harrier was the developed form of the P.1127 and Kestrel, and was the world's first operational vertical/short take-off and landing aircraft. Trials of the Hawker Siddeley Andover (the second RAF aircraft of that name) were also partially carried out at RAF Andover. In commemoration of this, Hawker Siddeley presented

3330-655: The Hoverfly I ) helicopters, and Auster AOP.6 aircraft to train British Army and Royal Air Force pilots and carry out operational trials. The Hoverfly IIs had little effective operational capability, but gave the Army valuable experience in the helicopter's potential use. In addition to artillery direction, the Flight's experimental activities included photography, radar trials, air/ground communications, and fighter evasion. In January 1948,

3441-476: The Joint Experimental Helicopter Unit , a joint Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm , Army Air Corps and Royal Air Force unit exploring operational helicopter roles, was based at the station from 1958 to 1959. The unit used Westland Whirlwind helicopters and was disbanded at the end of 1959 to form No. 225 Squadron RAF . The station's association with aviation research continued, as trials of

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3552-564: The Legio II Augusta . Very close to the site which became the airfield, in 1910 the British Army airship Beta made a forced landing at Little Park in Anna Valley . The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) opened a station near Andover in August 1917 during the First World War . The station was mainly built by German prisoners of war , some of whom left their signatures in roof spaces of buildings on

3663-595: The Lite Flyer Biplane, the Sherwood Ranger , and the Murphy Renegade . The feathered dinosaur Microraptor gui glided, and perhaps even flew, on four wings, which may have been configured in a staggered sesquiplane arrangement. This was made possible by the presence of flight feathers on both forelimbs and hindlimbs, with the feathers on the forelimbs opening to a greater span. It has been suggested that

3774-529: The Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain . At 1700 hours on 13 August 1940, approximately 12 high explosive bombs were dropped by Junkers Ju 88s of III Staffel, Lehrgeschwader 1 , of Luftflotte 3 , from Châteaudun in France. The Station Headquarters and officer's quarters were extensively damaged. One aircraft on the station was also damaged. Casualties were two killed. The following day, on 14 August 1940, Andover

3885-539: The Nieuport-Delage NiD 42 / 52 / 62 series, Fokker C.Vd & e, and Potez 25 , all serving across a large number of air forces. In the general aviation sector, aircraft such as the Waco Custom Cabin series proved to be relatively popular. The Saro Windhover was a sesquiplane with the upper wing smaller than the lower, which was a much rarer configuration than the reverse. The Pfalz D.III also featured

3996-685: The Royal Air Forces Association followed a conversation in 1929 in the Sergeants' Mess of RAF Andover. RAF Andover continued to be used for a variety of aeronautical research and flight testing. As part of this, several experimental military aircraft made their first flights from the airfield. Amongst them were the Westland Yeovil ; the Westland Witch ; the Westland F.7/30 ; and all of

4107-494: The Sopwith Dolphin , Breguet 14 and Beechcraft Staggerwing . However, positive (forward) stagger is much more common. The space enclosed by a set of interplane struts is called a bay (much as the architectural form is used), hence a biplane or triplane with one set of such struts connecting the wings on each side of the aircraft is a single-bay biplane . This provided sufficient strength for smaller aircraft such as

4218-561: The Western Communication Squadron RAF was re-designated at RAF Andover. It provided transport for senior officers in the western part of the United Kingdom and was disbanded following defence cuts on 31 March 1976. Just before the RAF station closed in 1977, 1213 (Andover) Squadron Air Training Corps moved into the building which had been used as Station Headquarters. The RAF station was closed on 10 June 1977 and

4329-419: The lift coefficient is reduced by 10 to 15 percent compared to that of a monoplane using the same airfoil and aspect ratio . The lower wing is usually attached to the fuselage , while the upper wing is raised above the fuselage with an arrangement of cabane struts , although other arrangements have been used. Either or both of the main wings can support ailerons , while flaps are more usually positioned on

4440-491: The 460 hp (340 kW) provided by the Bristol Jupiters used upon the Sidestrand, the second aircraft was outfitted with the improved Bristol Pegasus II.M3 engine, capable of 580 hp (430 kW), instead. Continued flight testing revealed the vibration issues to be present still, but would be largely resolved upon later new-build Overstrands. Having been encouraged by the demonstrated performance, which displayed

4551-638: The Allies prepared for the invasion of the Continent . The 370th also provided cover for Allied forces that crossed the English Channel on D-Day and flew armed reconnaissance missions over the Cotentin Peninsula until the end of the month. The 370th Fighter Group moved to their Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at Cardonville , France (ALG A-3) on 20 July. The USAAF lost a total of 31 P-38s from Andover before

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4662-503: The CR.42 was able to achieve success in the defensive night fighter role against RAF bombers that were striking industrial targets throughout northern Italy. The British Fleet Air Arm operated the Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber from its aircraft carriers, and used the type in the anti-submarine warfare role until the end of the conflict, largely due to their ability to operate from

4773-518: The Caribou , performed the first non-stop flight between the Canadian mainland and Britain in 30 hours 55 minutes, although the intended target for this long distance flight had originally been Baghdad , Iraq . Despite its relative success, British production of the Dragon was quickly ended when in favour of the more powerful and elegant de Havilland Dragon Rapide , which had been specifically designed to be

4884-503: The First World War, the British Royal Aircraft Factory developed airfoil section wire named RAFwire in an effort to both increase the strength and reduce the drag. Four types of wires are used in the biplane wing structure. Drag wires inside the wings prevent the wings from being folded back against the fuselage, running inside a wing bay from the forward inboard corner to the rear outboard corner. Anti-drag wires prevent

4995-452: The Flight moved to Middle Wallop . On 14 September 1955, RAF Andover was honoured with the freedom of the Borough of Andover . No. 12 Squadron RAF took part in the ceremony with a flypast of its English Electric Canberra B Mk. 6 bombers, to mark the Squadron's pre-war association with RAF Andover. Andover continued its association with pioneering the use of helicopters in Britain when

5106-565: The French Nieuport 17 and German Albatros D.III , offered lower drag than a conventional biplane while being stronger than a monoplane. During the Interwar period , numerous biplane airliners were introduced. The British de Havilland Dragon was a particularly successful aircraft, using straightforward design to could carry six passengers on busy routes, such as London-Paris services. During early August 1934, one such aircraft, named Trail of

5217-644: The Germans had been experimenting with a new generation of monoplanes, such as the Fokker D.VIII , that might have ended the biplane's advantages earlier had the conflict not ended when it had. The French were also introducing the Morane-Saulnier AI , a strut-braced parasol monoplane , although the type was quickly relegated to the advanced trainer role following the resolution of structural issues. Sesquiplane types, which were biplanes with abbreviated lower wings such as

5328-645: The Royal Canadian Artillery and Royal Canadian Air Force . The pilots were trained to fly de Havilland Tiger Moth aircraft at No. 22 Elementary Flying Training School RAF (Cambridge); thereafter, successful candidates were further trained at No. 43 Operational Training Unit , the Air Observation Post School based at RAF Andover which was dedicated to training British and Commonwealth AOP flight-crews. Lieutenant-Colonel Terry Willett , Royal Artillery , commanded No. 43 OTU at RAF Andover as

5439-509: The Second World War for a variety of other aeronautical research and flight testing. The RAF Staff College, Andover was founded here in 1922, the first college to train officers in the administrative, staff and policy aspects of running an air force. RAF Andover saw action during the Second World War. Corporal Josephine Robins, one of only six members of the WAAF to win the Military Medal during

5550-752: The Squadron secretly during an 'At Home' at RAF Andover in 1925, when the Fox appeared in Royal Air Force markings and 12 Squadron colours. During the Air Defence of Great Britain exercise in 1928, the Squadron was tasked with the simulated bombing of London. To commemorate 12 Squadron's success in the exercise, the Commander in Chief of the Royal Air Force chose a fox's face as the Squadron emblem. A typical annual training programme for 12 Squadron consisted of individual training in

5661-509: The Squadron was issued with a Percival Pembroke with the serial number WV742, maintenance number 8111M, for instructional use. This was around 1978 sold to a film company and transported to Ilkley Moor in Yorkshire for use in the TV series The Sandbaggers . A former cadet of the Squadron, Lieutenant-Commander Gordon Batt, DSC, of 800 Naval Air Squadron Fleet Air Arm , was killed in action during

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5772-600: The War, won her award for courage while rescuing people during an air-raid on the airfield in the Battle of Britain . Three squadrons of the Royal Canadian Air Force were formed at RAF Andover. Before and during the Battle of Normandy , it was used by the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force as an operational tactical fighter airfield. The RAF station closed in 1977 and the site

5883-436: The ability of the newly developed powered turret. While aerial refuelling was still a somewhat experimental capability during the late 1930s, it is known that at least one Overstrand was modified to receive fuel from a Vickers Virginia tanker aircraft. The type would perform regular public displays of its capabilities, from mock interceptions to bombing demonstrations, throughout the 1930s; one particularly prominent occasion

5994-461: The aircraft after the village of Overstrand . On 22 February 1934, the prototype was delivered to RAF Andover for trials conducted by No. 101 Squadron . Some criticisms of the aircraft were produced during this time, one early report by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) observed the powered turret to be somewhat cramped, while excessive engine vibration and issues with

6105-401: The aircraft to be developed, the principal difference being the adoption of a retractable undercarriage , designated the P.80 "Superstrand"; however, this project was ultimately abandoned due to alternative options involving rival monoplane designs proving to be more attractive in the eyes of military planners. A total of 24 Overstrands would be procured for the RAF, a quantity that facilitated

6216-670: The airfield was handed over to the British Army . It was used by Army Air Corps units based at Middle Wallop , as well as Defence Equipment & Support (formed by the merger of the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) and the Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO)). The last RAF personnel working in these units left in November 2009. The former airfield site retains an RAF link through the presence of 1213 (Andover) Squadron, Air Training Corps . Sometime after 1967

6327-413: The airfield's early history and later were donated to 1213 (Andover) Squadron Air Training Corps . These included a large carved wooden copy of the RFC cap badge which was later donated to the Army Flying Museum and is now on display in its café. Between the wars, the airfield housed a number of RAF units, including from 1919 the RAF School of Navigation, as No. 2 School of Navigation and Bomb Dropping

6438-400: The airfield, as from 24 December 1917 to 6 June 1918 Andover was host to a detachments of the 13th Aero Squadron and 104th Aero Squadron of the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps . In early 1918, experiments were conducted with Handley Page Type O bombers, based at Andover and Cranwell , fitted with Radio Direction-Finding (RDF as it was called) equipment for night flying. The intention

6549-409: The autumn, working up to Squadron training in the summer consisting of bombing, formation flying, navigation exercises and gunnery. Experimental trials carried out included some limited night flying and the introduction into service and testing of parachutes for aircrew. This involved a number of practice jumps being performed by observers, who would climb out of the aircraft onto a small ladder and await

6660-407: The biplane naturally has a deep structure and is therefore easier to make both light and strong. Rigging wires on non-cantilevered monoplanes are at a much sharper angle, thus providing less tension to ensure stiffness of the outer wing. On a biplane, since the angles are closer to the ideal of being in direct line with the forces being opposed, the overall structure can then be made stiffer. Because of

6771-498: The competition aerobatics role and format for such a biplane well-defined by the mid-1930s by the Udet U 12 Flamingo and Waco Taperwing . The Pitts Special dominated aerobatics for many years after World War II and is still in production. The vast majority of biplane designs have been fitted with reciprocating engines . Exceptions include the Antonov An-3 and WSK-Mielec M-15 Belphegor , fitted with turboprop and turbofan engines respectively. Some older biplane designs, such as

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6882-430: The complete replacement of the older Sidestrands flown by No. 101 Squadron , the only squadron equipped with the type, to commence in January 1935. The type was also briefly adopted by No. 144 Squadron , although it was quickly replaced by the more modern Bristol Blenheim bomber during 1938. The Overstrand proved to be relatively popular with its crews, who often appreciated the attention paid to crew comfort as well as

6993-402: The construction during or shortly after 43 AD of the Portway (called here Monxton Road ), a Roman road from Silchester ( Calleva Atrebatum ) to Old Sarum (Sorbiodunum), which just north of the airfield meets at East Anton crossroads the Icknield Way , the Roman road from Winchester ( Venta Belgarum ) to Mildenhall ( Cunetio ). The Andover sections of these roads were constructed by

7104-508: The day. 101 Squadron Sidestrands won a number of bombing and reconnaissance competitions and carried out trial anti-shipping strikes against Royal Navy battleships. In December 1934 the squadron left Andover. At the start of the Second World War , RAF Andover was home to 59 Squadron flying Bristol Blenheim bombers, and to the headquarters of RAF Maintenance Command . 59 Squadron deployed from Andover in October 1939 to Poix-de-Picardie in France , returning to Andover in May 1940 after

7215-418: The design. This led to a second Sidestrand being converted to the Overstrand configuration, incorporating these improvements, such as larger diameter turret, tweaks to the fins and elevators, and a simplification of the rear engine mount area. While the initial example had been powered by a pair of Bristol Pegasus IM.3 radial engines , each capable of generating up to 580 hp (430 kW), in comparison to

7326-470: The drag from the number of struts used. The structural forces acting on the spars of a biplane wing tend to be lower as they are divided between four spars rather than two, so the wing can use less material to obtain the same overall strength and is therefore lighter. A given area of wing also tends to be shorter, reducing bending moments on the spars, which then allow them to be more lightly built as well. The biplane does however need extra struts to maintain

7437-484: The end of World War I . At the start of World War II , several air forces still had biplane combat aircraft in front line service but they were no longer competitive, and most were used in niche roles, such as training or shipboard operation, until shortly after the end of the war. The British Gloster Gladiator biplane, the Italian Fiat CR.42 Falco and Soviet I-153 sesquiplane fighters were all still operational after 1939. According to aviation author Gianni Cattaneo,

7548-507: The final example of the type being withdrawn from frontline duties during the summer of that same year. Despite this, it continued to be operated in secondary roles, such as experimental flights and for gunnery training missions. Accordingly, the surviving Overstrands were allocated to the Armament Training Camps during 1938. At the outbreak of the Second World War , eleven Overstrands remained in service and six were used for gunnery training. They remained in operation until May 1941, though flying

7659-695: The first European military unit formed solely with helicopters was the Luftwaffe 's Transportstaffel 40 in 1944. The Helicopter Training Flight was equipped with nine Sikorsky R-4 B Hoverfly I helicopters, and trained 100 British Army pilots for AOP duties, as well as pilots for the first RAF squadron to be equipped with helicopters, 529 Squadron , which carried our radar calibration duties. Post-war, RAF Andover continued to be used for helicopter flying training and operational research, C Flight of 657 Squadron , Army Air Corps , being renamed 1901 (Air Observation Post) Flight in February 1947. The Flight used six Sikorsky R-6 A Hoverfly II (an improved version of

7770-530: The first Royal Review of the Royal Air Force, in which 12(B) Squadron led the Light Bomber Wing flypast at RAF Mildenhall . Andover was considered as one of the locations for the Royal Review before Mildenhall was chosen. Several home-based squadrons, including 12 Squadron, were re-deployed in October 1935 to the Middle East and Aden in preparation for action being taken by the League of Nations against Italy for invading Abyssinia . 12 Squadron returned to Andover in August 1936, and on its return took delivery of

7881-542: The first officer to command the AOP training organisation. Among the Canadian students trained by No. 43 Operational Training Unit at RAF Andover for No. 666 Squadron RCAF was Captain James Doohan , who later achieved fame as an actor playing Star Trek 's Chief Engineer Lieutenant Commander Scott . While under training he flew an Auster Mark IV between two telegraph poles on Salisbury Plain , to prove it could be done. British Army AOP training at RAF Andover, with Auster Mark V aircraft, continued until at least 1949. One of

7992-416: The gap between the wings, which add both weight and drag. The low power supplied by the engines available in the first years of aviation limited aeroplanes to fairly low speeds. This required an even lower stalling speed, which in turn required a low wing loading , combining both large wing area with light weight. Obtaining a large enough wing area without the wings being long, and thus dangerously flexible

8103-507: The guns in exposed positions difficult, particularly in the nose. To address this difficulty, the Overstrand was furnished with an alternative nose turret design, which was both enclosed and powered. At the time this was a relatively novel feature, the resulting aircraft being the first in the world to feature a fully-enclosed power-operated turret. The Overstrand's innovative turret was largely developed in-house by Bolton Paul's chief armament designer H. A. Hughes. In terms of its basic design,

8214-578: The hind limbs could not have opened out sideways but in flight would have hung below and slightly behind the fore limbs. RAF Andover RAF Andover ( IATA : ADV , ICAO : EGWA ) is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station in England, 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Andover, Hampshire . As well as RFC and RAF units, units of the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps , Royal Canadian Air Force , United States Army Air Forces , and

8325-399: The longitudinal controls were also noted. Various positive attributes were also noted, such the addition of crew comfort features, as well as the aircraft's ability to attain speeds as high as 153 mph (246 km/h) at an altitude of 6,500 ft (2,000 m) without any negative impact upon its manoeuvrability. Modifications were made after the aircraft's return on 19 March to refine

8436-612: The low speeds and simple construction involved have inspired a small number of biplane ultralights, such as Larry Mauro's Easy Riser (1975–). Mauro also made a version powered with solar cells driving an electric motor called the Solar Riser . Mauro's Easy Riser was used by "Father Goose", Bill Lishman . Other biplane ultralights include the Belgian-designed Aviasud Mistral , the German FK12 Comet (1997–),

8547-519: The lower wing. Bracing is nearly always added between the upper and lower wings, in the form of interplane struts positioned symmetrically on either side of the fuselage and bracing wires to keep the structure from flexing, where the wings are not themselves cantilever structures. The primary advantage of the biplane over a monoplane is its ability to combine greater stiffness with lower weight. Stiffness requires structural depth and where early monoplanes had to have this provided with external bracing,

8658-561: The most famed copies was the Siemens-Schuckert D.I . The Albatros D.III and D.V , which had also copied the general layout from Nieuport, similarly provided the backbone of the German forces during the First World War. The Albatros sesquiplanes were widely acclaimed by their aircrews for their maneuverability and high rate of climb. During interwar period , the sesquiplane configuration continued to be popular, with numerous types such as

8769-478: The move to France. Three Canadian Army air observation post (AOP) squadrons of the Royal Canadian Air Force – No. 664 Squadron RCAF , No. 665 Squadron RCAF , and No. 666 Squadron RCAF – were formed at RAF Andover between 9 December 1944 and 5 March 1945, equipped with Auster Mark IV and V aircraft. The pilots and observers were officers recruited from the Royal Canadian Artillery and O.R.s from

8880-472: The new generation of monoplane medium bombers, such as the Vickers Wellington and Armstrong Whitworth Whitley . Nevertheless, the Overstrand remained operational during the early years of the Second World War , albeit only being flown by training units. The few surviving aircraft were withdrawn from service during 1941, having been rendered surplus to requirements. The Overstrand was a development of

8991-529: The night ground attack role throughout the Second World War. In the case of the Po-2, production of the aircraft continued even after the end of the conflict, not ending until around 1952. A significant number of Po-2s were fielded by the Korean People's Air Force during the Korean War , inflicting serious damage during night raids on United Nations bases. The Po-2 is also the only biplane to be credited with

9102-483: The outbreak of the First World War biplanes had gained favour after several monoplane structural failures resulted in the RFC's "Monoplane Ban" when all monoplanes in military service were grounded, while the French also withdrew most monoplanes from combat roles and relegated them to training. Figures such as aviation author Bruce observed that there was an apparent prejudice held even against newly-designed monoplanes, such as

9213-424: The reduced stiffness, wire braced monoplanes often had multiple sets of flying and landing wires where a biplane could easily be built with one bay, with one set of landing and flying wires. The extra drag from the wires was not enough to offset the aerodynamic disadvantages from having two airfoils interfering with each other however. Strut braced monoplanes were tried but none of them were successful, not least due to

9324-634: The relatively compact decks of escort carriers . Its low stall speed and inherently tough design made it ideal for operations even in the often severe mid-Atlantic weather conditions. By the end of the conflict, the Swordfish held the distinction of having caused the destruction of a greater tonnage of Axis shipping than any other Allied aircraft. Both the German Heinkel He 50 and the Soviet Polikarpov Po-2 were used with relative success in

9435-700: The series of Nieuport military aircraft—from the Nieuport 10 through to the Nieuport 27 which formed the backbone of the Allied air forces between 1915 and 1917. The performance of the Nieuport sesquiplanes was so impressive that the Idflieg (the German Inspectorate of flying troops) requested their aircraft manufacturers to produce copies, an effort which was aided by several captured aircraft and detailed drawings; one of

9546-689: The short-range Andover to fly long distances, such as across the Atlantic Ocean . Andovers were still in RAF service for the photo reconnaissance role under the Open Skies Treaty and for use by the Empire Test Pilots' School until 2012. RAF Andover was throughout the post-1945 period the home of a number of communications squadrons, the last one of which was No. 21 Squadron RAF, which used de Havilland Devon and Percival Pembroke aircraft. The squadron had been re-formed on 3 February 1969, when

9657-520: The squadron leaving RAF Andover in May 1939. In October 1929 No. 101 Squadron , the second experimental bomber squadron, was also posted to RAF Andover, to enable its Boulton-Paul Sidestrand bombers to work alongside 12 Squadron with its Fairey Fox light bombers. The high performance of the Sidestrand impressed crowds at the Hendon Air Pageants, where it flew mock combat aerobatics with the fighters of

9768-400: The station was No. 2 School of Navigation and Bomb Dropping, which took up residence while the station was still under construction. Amongst squadrons formed at Andover was 106 Squadron , on 30 September 1917, who were equipped with Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 reconnaissance aircraft for army co-operation duties, being posted to Ireland in May 1918. American squadrons were also based at

9879-472: The station. Plans for an RFC "Training Depot Station" on the site had first been made in 1912. The station motto was Vis et armis consilioque orta ( Latin : With determination and equipment, I take counsel to rise up ), reflecting the station's role in training aircrews, who had completed basic flying training, to learn to fly the Handley Page Type O and Airco DH.9 bombers. The first unit to occupy

9990-415: The structural problems associated with monoplanes, but offered little improvement for biplanes. The default design for a biplane has the wings positioned directly one above the other. Moving the upper wing forward relative to the lower one is called positive stagger or, more often, simply stagger. It can increase lift and reduce drag by reducing the aerodynamic interference effects between the two wings by

10101-571: The three squadrons was re-established after the war as 665 Squadron , Army Air Corps , based in Northern Ireland. RAF Andover has a unique place in British history: the first British military unit to be equipped with helicopters , the Helicopter Training Flight , was formed in January 1945 as part of 43 OTU under the command of Squadron Leader B. H. Arkell. This was also the first European helicopter flying-training school, although

10212-537: The time – had female pilots, the ATA ferried new, repaired and damaged military aircraft between factories, assembly plants, transatlantic delivery points, Maintenance Units, scrapyards, and active service squadrons and airfields. Central Ferry Control allocated the required flights to all ATA Ferry Pools. RAF Andover was one of four airfields in Hampshire to be given a decoy site in 1940, to deceive enemy aircraft into attacking

10323-490: The turret was a metal-framed cylinder with a domed upper and lower area; Perspex was used as glazing, in which there was a vertical slot for the single Lewis gun , which was covered by a canvas strip with a zip fastener to facilitate movement of the gun itself. Traverse motion of the turret was driven by pneumatic motors, powered by air bottles on board that were pressurised to 200 psi (1,400,000 Pa) using an engine-driven air compressor. The turret could move through

10434-665: The two planes when the high pressure air under the top wing and the low pressure air above the lower wing cancel each other out. This means that a biplane does not in practice obtain twice the lift of the similarly-sized monoplane. The farther apart the wings are spaced the less the interference, but the spacing struts must be longer, and the gap must be extremely large to reduce it appreciably. As engine power and speeds rose late in World War I , thick cantilever wings with inherently lower drag and higher wing loading became practical, which in turn made monoplanes more attractive as it helped solve

10545-400: The upper and lower wings together. The sesquiplane is a type of biplane where one wing (usually the lower) is significantly smaller than the other. The word, from Latin, means "one-and-a-half wings". The arrangement can reduce drag and weight while retaining the biplane's structural advantages. The lower wing may have a significantly shorter span, or a reduced chord . Examples include

10656-434: The wings from folding up, and run from the underside of the outer wing to the lower wing root. Conversely, landing wires prevent the wings from sagging, and resist the forces when an aircraft is landing, and run from the upper wing centre section to outboard on the lower wings. Additional drag and anti-drag wires may be used to brace the cabane struts which connect the fuselage to the wings, and interplane struts, which connect

10767-421: The wings from moving forward when the aircraft stops and run the opposite direction to the drag wires. Both of these are usually hidden within the wings, and if the structure is sufficiently stiff otherwise, may be omitted in some designs. Indeed many early aircraft relied on the fabric covering of the wing to provide this rigidity, until higher speeds and forces made this inadequate. Externally, lift wires prevent

10878-414: Was also fitted, while the tailskid of the Sidestrand was replaced by a tailwheel. The wing design was also revised, a noticeable sweepback was added to the outer sections in order to compensate for the aircraft's heavier nose section. During 1933, the first Overstrand performed its maiden flight , at which point the type was still known as the Sidestrand Mk IV . Shortly thereafter, it was decided to rename

10989-522: Was attacked again, about 15 high explosive bombs being dropped which destroyed a transmitting set in the centre of a group of radio masts, and killing a civilian radio operator. Corporal Josephine Robins, a Women's Auxiliary Air Force ( WAAF ) telephone operator at RAF Andover was awarded the Military Medal for her courage during these raids. The citation for the award, printed in The London Gazette of 20 December 1940, stated that: "Corporal Robins

11100-521: Was during the Silver Jubilee of George V , with the King himself inspecting one such aircraft externally and internally. During 1935, an Overstrand of No. 101 Squadron was awarded to Sassoon Trophy for aerial reconnaissance , having the highest score achieved at that time. Due to the rapid advances made in bomber technology during the late 1930s, the Overstrand had been effectively rendered obsolete by 1938,

11211-445: Was in a dug-out which received a direct hit during an intense enemy bombing raid. A number of men were killed and two seriously injured. Though dust and fumes filled the shelter, Corporal Robins immediately went to the assistance of the wounded and rendered first aid. While they were being removed from the demolished dug-out, she fetched a stretcher and stayed with the wounded until they were evacuated. She displayed courage and coolness of

11322-561: Was later redeveloped. In 2009 part of it became Marlborough Lines , home to the Headquarters of the British Army . The earliest known human activity on the site of Andover Airfield took place in the Bronze Age , according to archaeological evidence, which has uncovered significant Iron Age and later activity, including Anglo-Saxon and medieval cemeteries. Military activity began with

11433-813: Was limited following the fatal mid-air breakup of Overstrand K8173 on 22 April 1940. A replica of an Overstrand nose section, marked as K4556, is on display at the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum . [REDACTED]   United Kingdom A number of Overstrands were destroyed or beyond economic repair in accidents, the type had only two fatal accidents. Data from The British Bomber since 1914. General characteristics Performance Armament Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Biplane Biplanes offer several advantages over conventional cantilever monoplane designs: they permit lighter wing structures, low wing loading and smaller span for

11544-404: Was more readily accomplished with a biplane. The smaller biplane wing allows greater maneuverability . Following World War I, this helped extend the era of the biplane and, despite the performance disadvantages, most fighter aircraft were biplanes as late as the mid-1930s. Specialist sports aerobatic biplanes are still made in small numbers. Biplanes suffer aerodynamic interference between

11655-428: Was put into formation flying in cloud, instrument flying, pattern bombing and aircraft icing trials. The purpose of these trials was to enable Royal Air Force aircraft to bomb an enemy ship successfully, regardless of weather. To this end, 12 Squadron dropped several practice bombs on an obsolete battleship, HMS Centurion , which was a radio-controlled target off the south coast. On 6 July 1935, King George V performed

11766-520: Was retitled. The RAF Staff College was founded here on 1 April 1922, to provide staff training to selected officers, and eventually moved to Bracknell in 1970. A still preserved reminder of the RAF Staff College on the former airfield is a headstone from 1926 on the North Site marking the grave of Jane . She was a dog belonging to the first Commandant Robert Brooke-Popham . The formation of

11877-615: Was taken over from the German Embassy when war was declared. From February through July 1944, Andover was used by fighter squadrons (the 401st, 402nd, and 485th squadrons of the 370th Fighter Group ) of the 71st Fighter Wing of the Ninth Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces , flying Lockheed P-38 Lightning aircraft. Flying from RAF Andover, the 370th dive-bombed radar installations and flak towers, and escorted bombers that attacked bridges and marshalling yards in France as

11988-480: Was the intended target, as the Luftwaffe thought wrongly that it was an operational bomber station. In 1941 RAF Andover was attacked twice, causing heavy damage to one hangar, which had to be demolished. In June 1941, No. 2 School of Army Co-operation at Andover was re-designated as No. 6 Operational Training Unit (OTU). It was equipped with Bristol Blenheims and operated within No. 17 Group, Coastal Command . Its task

12099-547: Was to guide British bombers to and from Berlin, and early results led to 550 sets of RDF equipment being ordered by the United States Army Air Service , but the war ended before any operational use was made of the system. This was the first attempt to develop a long-range electronic navigation system, of a kind that is today used routinely worldwide. When the RAF Station closed in 1977 a number of artefacts from

12210-666: Was to re-train Westland Lysander pilots onto Bristol Blenheim Mk. Vs in the ground attack role, to serve primarily in the Middle East and Far East. No 6 OTU was absorbed into No. 42 OTU on 18 July 1941, moving to RAF Ashbourne in October 1942. The Maintenance Command Communications Squadron from 1942 used three Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifuns , known in RAF service as the Aldon. Two were impressed from pre-war British civilian owners, and one

12321-741: Was widely used by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) while the US Navy operated the Naval Aircraft Factory N3N . In later civilian use in the US, the Stearman became particularly associated with stunt flying such as wing-walking , and with crop dusting, where its compactness worked well at low levels, where it had to dodge obstacles. Modern biplane designs still exist in specialist roles such as aerobatics and agricultural aircraft with

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