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The ABC Robin was a British single-seat light aircraft designed by A. A. Fletcher in
1929
This year marked the end of a period known in American history as the Roaring Twenties after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 ushered in a worldwide Great Depression. In the Americas, an agreement was brokered to end the Cristero War, a Catholi ...
. It was a high-wing, single-seat monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...
of conventional taildragger
Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft undercarriage consisting of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel or skid to support the tail.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms ...
configuration. The cockpit was fully enclosed, the first lightplane to be so equipped in Britain. It was designed at the request of T. A. Dennis (managing director) specifically to use the firm's 30–40 h.p. Scorpion engine.
Construction was primarily of wood with metal confined to fittings and a few highly stressed parts. The fuselage was constructed as a wooden box consisting of four spruce longerons with thin plywood covering with light internal bulkheads. The wood-framed wings, of RAF 34 section, were hinged at their inner rear corners to the top of the fuselage and supported by tubular struts in 'Vee' formation to the lower longerons of the fuselage. The tail was also wood-framed and both wings and tail were covered with doped fabric.
The Robin, registered G-AAID, was built by ABC Motors Limited at Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames, locally known as Walton, is a market town on the south bank of the Thames in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey, England. Walton forms part of the Greater London built-up area, within the KT postcode and is served by a wide ...
in 1929
This year marked the end of a period known in American history as the Roaring Twenties after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 ushered in a worldwide Great Depression. In the Americas, an agreement was brokered to end the Cristero War, a Catholi ...
. The first flight was at Brooklands
Brooklands was a Auto racing, motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's fir ...
in June, and it was displayed at the Olympia Aero Show
The name Olympia may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film
* ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games
* ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...
in July. ABC had no aircraft production facilities, so series production was to be done by S. E. Saunders at East Cowes
East Cowes is a town and civil parish in the north of the Isle of Wight, on the east bank of the River Medina, next to its west bank neighbour Cowes.
The two towns are connected by the Cowes Floating Bridge, a chain ferry operated by the Is ...
, Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight ( ) is a Counties of England, county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the List of islands of England#Largest islands, largest and List of islands of England#Mo ...
. Marketing was taken seriously, with the aircraft painted in the colours of National Flying Services
National Flying Services Ltd was a company aiming to create and manage a large number of airfields and flying clubs around Britain. It relied on government subsidy, and it collapsed when the subsidy was withdrawn in 1934, because the aims had not ...
(NFS) from whom an order was anticipated, and it was featured in the NFS 1929 Annual.
The aircraft was modified later in 1929 with the windscreen
The windshield (North American English) or windscreen (Commonwealth English) of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike, truck, train, boat or streetcar is the front window, which provides visibility while protecting occupants from the elements. ...
moved back to allow access to the fuel filler caps from the outside, and with an enlarged fin and rudder
A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally air or water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw a ...
. It was granted its certificate of airworthiness in June 1930 and a week later took part in the King's Cup Air Race
The King's Cup air race is a British handicapped cross-country event, which has taken place annually since 1922. It is run by the Royal Aero Club Records Racing and Rally Association.
The King's Cup is one of the most prestigious prizes of the ...
, but it dropped out with engine problems, which were common with the Scorpion engine. Due to the Great Depression, there was no demand for the aircraft, and the sole Robin built was scrapped at Brooklands
Brooklands was a Auto racing, motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's fir ...
in 1932.
Specifications
Notes
References
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Abc Robin High-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft 1920s British civil utility aircraft Robin Aircraft first flown in 1929