INDEX OF NAVAL AIRCRAFT

 

  

Avro 621

Tutor
 

History

The Avro Tutor was a British built pre-war biplane trainer, of steel tube construction with fabric covering which replaced the Avro 504 which had been in use since WWI. The Tutor was an excellent prilmary trainer and 795 were built, many were exported or sold to civil customers.

Four survivors of this pre-war type remained with the Fleet Air Arm at the start of WWII, the Tutor having been last used by front line units in May 1937 with 811 squadron.

The wartime role of the Tutor was primarily training duties and station flights. Tutor K3350 served with the Station Flight Hal Far till December 1939, K6115 with the RAF Station Gosport till November 1939, K6117 with 12 MU till November 1939 and the very last K5602 served with 780 squadron from May 1940 at the height of threat from Nazi invasion  in the role of converting to naval standards civilian trained volunteer pilots until it finally retired in August 1942.

       Fleet Air Arm history
           Avro Tutor
           Total FAA 1939-1945:             4
            First delivered to RN:               pre-war
            First squadron 1939-1945:         only with 780 sqdn
            Last served with RN                 5.1937 with front-line sqdns,  8.1942 with 780 sqdn
 
Aircraft Type:
 Avro 621 Tutor
Mark:
 -
Primary Role:
 Biplane trainer and Station Flights
First Flight: 
 1932
Date operating with FAA squadrons:
 1932-1942
Manufacturer:
 Avro
Engine:
 One 240hp Armstrong Siddeley Lynx engine
 Wing Span: Length: Height: Wing Area: 
 Span:10,36 m
Length: 8,08 m
Empty Weight: Max.Weight:
 Max: 1115 kg
Speed: 

Ceiling: 

Range:

 Speed: 196km/h Ceiling: 4940m Range: 400km
Armament: 
 None 1939-1945
Crew:
 2
Squadrons:
 Station Flight Hal Far, RAF Station Gosport, 12 MU, 780 squadron 
Battle honours:
 None 1939-1945
Additional references and notes:
 -

Battle Honours and Operational History
None 1939-1945

Surviving aircraft and relics
There is only one extant example in Europe and probably worldwide, Tutor K3215 preserved in airworthy condition at the Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden (UK).

K3215 preserved at the Shuttleworth Collection (UK)
The Shuttleworth collection Tutor K3215/G-AHSA. The sole surviving Tutor. One of the main RAF production batch built in 1933. Served with the RAF College, Cranwell, 1933-36 and then with the Central Flying School. Latter used on communications duties and believed to be the last Tutor on RAF strength when struck off as late as December 1946. Privately owned at Burnaston, Derby, by Wing Commander Heywood, it suffered crankshaft failure on a ground-run for the film Reach for the Sky, when it was purchased by the Collection. The engine subsequently used was built-up by Armstrong-Siddeley at Coventry from the best components of three non-working units including one in the museum of the College of Aeronautics at Cranfield. Engine problems in 1979 caused the machine to be grounded for a considerable time, but as a world-wide search failed to find a suitable Lynx, the existing engine was painstakingly rebuilt at Old Warden in 1981-82 by a senior member of the engineering staff (for more information about Tutor K3215/G-AHSA). 

Associations and reunions
No information

 
FURTHER INFORMATION
  
Sturtivant, R. & Burrow, M (1995) 
  'Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 to1945'  Published by Air Britain (Historians) Ltd, 1995 ISBN: 0 85130 232 7 
Created 3-4-1999, Modified 3-4-2000
 

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