The B.A. Eagle was a light aircraft manufactured in the United Kingdom during the 1930s. It was a three-seat low-wing monoplane built by the "British Klemm Aeroplane Company" (which later became known as the British Aircraft Manufacturing Co.) Production was limited, with 43 aircraft built.

Design and development

The British Klemm Aeroplane Company developed the B.K.1 Eagle, a three-seat light aircraft as a follow-up to the British Klemm Swallow, its licensed copy of the

Klemm L.25 Klemm L 25, later Klemm Kl 25 was a successful German light leisure, sports and training monoplane aircraft, developed in 1928. More than 600 aircraft were built, and manufacturing licenses were sold to the United Kingdom and the United States ...

. While similar to the

Klemm Kl 32 The Klemm Kl 32 was a touring aircraft, developed in Germany in 1932, based on the Klemm Kl 31 as a competitor in the Challenge 1932 touring aircraft competition. Design and development Like its predecessor, the KI 32 was a conventional, low-wi ...

, it was an entirely independent design by G. Handasyde, the chief designer of British Klemm, first flying in early 1934. The Eagle was a low-wing wooden monoplane with a retractable

undercarriage Undercarriage is the part of a moving vehicle that is underneath the main body of the vehicle. The term originally applied to this part of a horse-drawn carriage, and usage has since broadened to include: *The landing gear of an aircraft. *The ch ...

. It had an enclosed cabin for the pilot and two passengers. Six of this initial version of the Eagle were built. As was the case with the Swallow, a revised version was introduced in 1935 when British Klemm was renamed the British Aircraft Manufacturing Co. This version, the B.A. Eagle II had a revised rudder and a deepened rear fuselage. A total of 37 Eagle IIs were built, including a single example fitted with a fixed undercarriage. BAEagle

Operational history

Eagles were mainly sold to private owners, with a few also being used by flying clubs or as executive transports. In India, the Nawab of Sachin operated an Eagle as his personal aircraft. Eagles were also used for air racing, with several being entered into the King's Cup Races between 1935 and 1937. Single examples were also entered into the MacRobertson Air Race of 1934 between Britain and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and the 1936

Schlesinger Race The Schlesinger Race, also known as the ''"Rand Race"'', the ''"Portsmouth – Johannesburg Race"'' or more commonly the 'African Air Race', took place in September 1936. The Royal Aero Club announced the race on behalf of Isidore William Sch ...

between England and South Africa. Neither aircraft completed the races. At the outbreak of the Second World War, seven Eagles were pressed into RAF service in the UK, with two in Australia and one in Kenya, but the undercarriages proved vulnerable in RAF service, with most airframes being written off due to undercarriage failure. Two aircraft survived the war to be flown by civil owners in Australia.

Variants

;B.K. Eagle :Initial production version, six built. ;B.A. Eagle 2 :Revised production version with modified structure, 37 built.

Operators

; * Royal Air Force operated seven aircraft. ; *

Spanish Republican Air Force The Spanish Republican Air Force was the air arm of the Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939. Initially divided into two branches: Military Aeronautics ('' Aeronáutica M ...

from LAPE

Survivors

Two Eagles currently survive. ;''G-AFAX'' :Exhibited at the ''Fundaćion Infante de Orleans'' air museum at Madrid, Spain. Still active 2009. ;''VH-UTI'' :Exhibited in Australia and still active in 2012.Air Britain News May 2012, p.594

Specifications (B.K. Eagle 2)

References

External links

Airliners.net – Photos
{{British Aircraft Manufacturing aircraft 1930s British civil utility aircraft

Eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

Low-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1934