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Roy Chadwick's Aircraft Designs

A Visual Timeline, 1913–1947

Over a career spanning 36 years at A.V. Roe and Co. Ltd, Roy Chadwick designed more than 30 types of aircraft. Below are seventeen of his most significant designs, from the legendary Avro 504 to the preliminary drawings for the delta-wing Vulcan bomber.

1913

Avro 504

Famous WWI trainer and light bomber; over 7,000 built.

An Avro 504K biplane, the famous WWI trainer designed by Roy Chadwick — over 7,000 were built
1915

Avro Pike

First bomber with internal bomb stowage and gun turret.

Three Avro Pike biplanes at the Hamble Experimental Station — the first bomber with internal bomb stowage
1918

Avro Baby

World's first true light aeroplane.

Roy Chadwick standing beside the Avro Baby, the world's first true light aeroplane
1920

Avro Aldershot

World's biggest single-engine bomber.

The Avro Aldershot at an RAF display — the world's biggest single-engine bomber
1924

Avro Arctic

Seaplane for the Oxford Arctic Expedition to Spitzbergen.

The Avro Arctic seaplane used on the Oxford University Expedition to Spitzbergen
1925

Avro Avenger

All-metal single-seater fighter.

The Avro Avenger, an all-metal single-seater fighter designed by Roy Chadwick
1926

Avro Avian

Famous touring aeroplane; over 400 built.

Roy Chadwick, Bert Hinkler, and R.J. Parrott standing beside the Avro Avian
1928

Avro Ten

Eight-passenger commercial monoplane.

The Avro Ten, an eight-passenger commercial monoplane
1929

Avro Tutor

RAF's primary trainer; 380 built.

Avro Tutors flying in formation — the RAF's primary trainer, with 380 built
1933

Avro Anson

"Old Faithful"; nearly 11,000 built.

A line-up of Avro Anson aircraft — 'Old Faithful', with nearly 11,000 built
1940

Avro Lancaster

Best bomber of WWII; over 7,300 built.

The Avro Lancaster bomber in flight — considered the best bomber of World War II
1941

Avro York

Long-range transport; carried Churchill to Yalta.

The Avro York long-range transport aircraft — it carried Churchill to the Yalta Conference
1943

Avro Lincoln

Larger Lancaster variant for Far East operations.

The Avro Lincoln bomber — a larger Lancaster variant designed for Far East operations
1944

Avro Lancastrian

Long-range conversion; first jet airliner between countries.

The Avro Lancastrian — a long-range Lancaster conversion and the first jet airliner to fly between two countries
1945

Avro Tudor

Britain's first pressurised airliner.

The Avro Tudor — Britain's first pressurised airliner
1946

Avro Shackleton

Long-range maritime patrol; exceptionally long RAF service.

The Avro Shackleton maritime patrol aircraft — served the RAF for an exceptionally long period
1947

Avro Vulcan

Delta-wing bomber; Roy's final vision before his death.

Original model of Roy Chadwick's delta-wing bomber design, taken to the Air Ministry in May 1947 — it became the Avro Vulcan