"Airspeed Oxford" – nuotraukos ir vaizdo įrašai

2007 Airspeed AS.10 Oksfordas was a twin-engine monoplane aircraft developed and manufactured by Airspeed. It saw widespread use for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery roles throughout the Second World War.

Šaltinis: Airspeed Oksfordas Vikipedijoje

The Airspeed Oxford was a versatile aircraft that served as a trainer for various roles during the Second World War. It was based on the Airspeed Envoy, a civilian transport plane, but had several modifications, such as a retractable landing gear, a dorsal turret and a glazed nose. The Oxford was powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah X radial engines, each producing 375 horsepower. It had a wingspan of 16.26 meters, a length of 11.13 meters and a height of 3.38 meters. It could carry up to six crew members, including a pilot, a co-pilot, a navigator, a radio operator, a bomb aimer and a gunner. The Oxford had a maximum speed of 293 km/h at 2,530 meters, a service ceiling of 5,850 meters and a range of 885 kilometers. It was armed with a single Vickers K machine gun in the turret and could carry up to 180 kilograms of bombs.
The Oxford was widely used by the British Commonwealth air forces for training purposes. It was also employed as an air ambulance, a liaison aircraft and a radar calibration plane. Some Oxfords were even used as light bombers in Iraq during the 1941 revolt. The Oxford was produced in large numbers, with a total of 8,586 units built by various manufacturers. It was exported to several countries after the war, such as Egypt, India, Israel and Yugoslavia. The Oxford was considered to be a reliable and effective trainer that prepared many aircrews for combat operations.