1. Design and development

2. Aircraft

3. Operators

4. Specifications (Centaur IIA)

5. References

6. Further reading

The Central Centaur IIA, a.k.a. Central C.F.2a, was a British civil six-passenger joyriding biplane aircraft produced by Central Aircraft Company Limited of London.

Design and development

Following the success of the earlier Centaur IV for joyriding, A.A. Fletcher designed a larger twin-engined aircraft. Designated the Centaur IIB the first aircraft, registered G-EAHR, first flew during July 1919.^[1] The fuselage had an open cockpit for the two crew and six passengers. A second example, registered G-EAPC, was built. It had the same designation Centaur IIB but had an enclosed cabin for seven passengers. The second aircraft first flew in May 1920.^[1]

The second aircraft was tested by the Air Ministry in the 1920 Commercial Aeroplane Competition.^[1] It was described at the time as old-fashioned and low-powered, another problem was that loaded with all the fuel required for the three and half hour test flight meant it was unable to carry passengers or pilots. The aircraft did not win the competition. The prototype was destroyed in an accident at Northolt Aerodrome in July 1919,^[1] shortly after the competition. The second aircraft crashed in October 1920 at Hayes, Middlesex, with a loss of six lives.^[1] No further examples were built.

Aircraft

• Centaur IIA - G-EAHR - open cockpit version for six passengers, destroyed 1919.
• Centaur IIA - G-EAPC - enclosed cabin version for seven passengers, destroyed 1920.

Operators

{{UK}}

• Central Aircraft Company Limited

Specifications (Centaur IIA)

|crew=2
|capacity=6-9 pax
|length ft=39
|length in=3
|span ft=63
|span in=6
|width ft=27
|width note=wings folded
|height ft=12
|height in=6
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight lb=3850
|gross weight lb=5850
|max takeoff weight lb=7250
|fuel capacity=
|more general=

|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=Beardmore 160 hp
|eng1 type=6-cyl. in-line piston engines
|eng1 hp=160
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=wooden fixed pitch propellers
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop dia note=

|max speed mph=90
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed mph=40
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range nmi=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|wing loading lb/sqft=6.6
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=0.06 hp/lb (0.098 kW/kg)
|more performance=*Fuel consumption: {{convert|25|impgal/h|USgal/h L/h|abbr=on}}

• Oil consumption: {{convert|2|impgal/h|USgal/h L/h|abbr=on}}

References

Notes

Further reading

• {{cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|year= |publisher= Orbis Publishing|location= |issn=}}

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