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Parnall Elf

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Elf
Role Two-seat light aircraft
Manufacturer Parnall & Co
Designer Harold Bolas
First flight 1929
Number built 3
Parnall Elf G-AAIN, Shuttleworth

The Parnall Elf is a British two seat light touring aircraft of the 1920s. Built by George Parnall & Co. the Elf was the last aircraft designed by Harold Bolas before he left the company to go to the United States.

Design and development

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The Parnall Elf was designed by Harold Bolas, chief designer of the reformed George Parnall & Co. The type made its public debut at Olympia in July 1929.[1] The Elf was a biplane of wood and fabric construction with staggered wings set well forward on the fuselage as a feature to assist crew escape in an emergency. The wings were unusually braced with 'vee' interplane struts which dispensed with any flying wires[1] and could be folded for ease of hangarage. The main fuel tank was fitted in the fuselage, while a pump raised the fuel to a small tank in the wing centre section where it was then fed to the engine by gravity. An Elf placed fifth in the 1930 King's Cup Air Race out of a field of 88 entrants. The purchase price of the aircraft at this time was between £875 and £890.[2]

Survivors

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Specifications (Elf Mk.II)

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Parnall Elf 3-view drawing from Aero Digest January,1930

Data from Parnall Aircraft since 1914[3]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 22 ft 10.5 in (6.972 m)
  • Upper wingspan: 31 ft 3.5 in (9.538 m)
  • Lower wingspan: 26 ft 9 in (8.15 m)
  • Width: 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) folded
  • Height: 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
  • Wing area: 195 sq ft (18.1 m2)
  • Empty weight: 900 lb (408 kg)
  • Gross weight: 1,700 lb (771 kg)
1,500 lb (680 kg) for aerobatics
  • Fuel capacity: 21 imp gal (25 US gal; 95 L) in a fuselage main tank and centre-section gravity tank
  • Powerplant: 1 × Cirrus Hermes II 4-cylinder air-cooled in-line piston engine, 120 hp (89 kW)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 116 mph (187 km/h, 101 kn) at sea level
112 mph (97 kn; 180 km/h) at 5,000 ft (1,524 m)
  • Cruise speed: 103 mph (166 km/h, 90 kn)
  • Stall speed: 40 mph (64 km/h, 35 kn)
  • Range: 400 mi (640 km, 350 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,900 m)
  • Rate of climb: 800 ft/min (4.1 m/s)
  • Time to altitude: 10,000 ft (3,048 m) in 21 minutes

See also

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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

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  1. ^ a b Ogilvy, 1989.
  2. ^ Guttery, 1969. p. 43.
  3. ^ Wixey, Kenneth E. (1990). Parnall Aircraft since 1914. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books. pp. 181–189. ISBN 978-1-55750-930-7.

Bibliography

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  • Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. SBN 901319-01-5
  • Ogilvy, David. Shuttleworth – The Historic Aeroplanes. Shrewsbury, England: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1989 ISBN 1-85310-106-0
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  • Parnall Elf – British Aircraft Directory
  • Elf in Flight, 4 April 1930