G-EBOZ
Armstrong-Whitworth Argosy
I
(c/n AW.156)
In 1927 Sir W.G. Armstrong-Whitworth Ltd, which had previously only
produced fighters
developed a large three motor craft on an Imperial Airways
specification. Three Mark Is
were built of which G-EBOZ was the last.
Four Mark II were later produced (see
G-AACZ)
The Mk I was powered by three 385 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IIIA
engines, giving it a top speed of 110 mph, and cruising at 90
mph . Considering the
appalling
amount of parasitic drag .that this beast must have produced may have
made
these speeds
somewhat ambitious. Twenty passengers were carried in
comparative
luxury.
Now here's the thing. The London to Paris schedule on which these
Mark Is
were used was,
in 1928, an hour and fifteen minutes. Today's schedule is
an hour and
thirty
minutes. Go figure. Plus in those days passengers did not
suffer security delays,
much less the
aircraft control queues which are now the norm at
LHR. G-EBOZ was
wfu at
Almaza, Egypt in 1934.