Armstrong Whitworth AW.660 Argosy

what is it?

The Armstrong Whitworth Argosy is a British post-war transport/cargo aircraft. It was the final aircraft to be designed and produced by the aviation company Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. Although given different internal design numbers, the AW.650 civil and AW.660 military models were, for most practical purposes, the same design and shared the "Argosy" name.

🔎How to recognise it: 4 turboprops · shoulder wing · retractable tricycle gear · 35.1 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 407 km/hcruise speed
• seats 69passengers
• size 47.6 tmax take-off weight
• built 74made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 67 years ago, in 1959.
• 🚗Wingspan of 35.1 m: about 8 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🐘Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 8 African elephants (~6 t each).

turboprop: A jet-style turbine turning a propeller: efficient on short hops.

spec sheet

first flight

1959-01-08

introduced

1961

retired

1991

status

retired

number built

74

role

cargo transport

origin

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

makers

Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft

engines

4× Rolls-Royce Dart RDa.8 Mk 101 / RB.53 Dart

passengers

69

length

26.4 m

wingspan

35.1 m

height

8.9 m

max take-off weight

47.6 t

top speed

—

cruise speed

407 km/h

range

—

ceiling

7,010 m

wings

shoulder wing

landing gear

retractable tricycle gear

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.