AS 39 Fleet Shadower

The Airspeed AS 39 was built to meet a pre-war British requirement for an aircraft capable of shadowing enemy ships at night. Specification S.22/37 was written around Operational Requirement OR.52, the type of aircraft envisaged was a 3 seater capable of operating from an aircraft carrier flight deck. There were 5 companies interested in this specification, Percival, Short Bros, Fairey, General Aircraft and Airspeed. The As 39 was a high-wing monoplane of mixed construction with the wings of Wooden construction with two spruce and plywood box spars, former ribs, and a plywood covering. Sections between the spars were watertight to provide buoyancy in the event of a forced-alighting at sea. Wing bracing struts each consist of two steel tubes arranged in Vee formation. The fuselage is of metal construction with a detachable forward observer's compartment. The undercarriage consisted of a conventual fixed type. The AS 39 was powered by four 130 h.p. Pobjoy Niagara V seven-cylinder radial air-cooled geared engines, each driving a two-blade fixed-pitch wooden airscrew 8 ft. (2.4 m.) in diameter. The crew of the AS 39 consisted of a Pilot, observer & radio-operator.

AS 39 Fleet Shadower

Two prototypes of the A.S.39 were ordered, N1323 and N1324, but only one was completed, N1323 being flown on 17/10/40, later than the GAL. 38 as it awaited the arrival of Niagara V's. In common with the GAL.38, the aircraft's performance during flight trials was disappointing due to aerodynamical problems, particularly when one engine was cut. In the end this aircraft like the GAL 38, no longer served a viable purpose.

For more information try looking at the GAL 38 entry.

Sources

• Jane's All The World's Aircraft "Collectors Edition"
• The British Aircraft Specifications File by KJ Meekcoms & EB Morgan

Any Comments please feel free to e-mail me.

This page was last edited on 04/01/99