- History
- Variants
- Operators
- Specifications (Centaur IVA)
- References
- External links
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}{{Use British English|date=April 2017}}| name = Centaur IV | image = | caption = }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type | type = three-seat biplane trainer | manufacturer = Central Aircraft Company Limited | designer = A A Fletcher | first flight = 1919 | introduced = | retired = | status = | primary user = Central Aircraft Flying School | more users = | produced = | number built = 8 | unit cost = | developed from = | variants with their own articles =
}} |
The Central Centaur IV, a.k.a. Central C.F.5, was a British civil two/three-seat biplane aircraft produced by Central Aircraft Company Limited of London. HistoryThe Centaur IV was a two-seat wire-braced, fabric-covered wooden biplane designed by A.A. Fletcher. It was the first original design to be built by Central Aircraft Company at Kilburn, London during 1919. The prototype had a 70 hp (52 kW) Renault air-cooled V-8 engine but the seven production aircraft were fitted with an Anzani radial engine. The Centaur IV was originally proposed in two versions: - A two-seat aircraft, with the two seats side-by-side in an open cockpit;
- A three-seat aircraft, with two seats side-by-side and the open cockpit extended to allow installation of a third (single) seat.
No market existed for private ownership at that time, so the eight aircraft were all built as three-seaters. All the aircraft were initially used by Central Aircraft for joyriding or instruction at Northolt Aerodrome. The fifth aircraft was fitted with a three-float undercarriage. It was used for a week giving joyrides at Southend-on-Sea. It was converted into a landplane later in 1920 and crashed in October 1920. As the postwar slump continued, some of the aircraft were sold in Belgium and were still operating in 1938. The last survivor was destroyed in the German invasion of Belgium in May 1940. Variants- Centaur IV – dual-control version
- Centaur IVA – single-pilot version
- Centaur IVB – float landing gear
Operators- {{BEL}}
- {{UK}}
- Central Aircraft Flying School
Specifications (Centaur IVA){{Aircraft specs
|ref=Flight060319[1]
|prime units?=imp
|crew=1
|capacity=1 or 2 passengers
|length m=
|length ft=24
|length in=9
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=24
|span in=2.5
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|wing area sqm=
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|empty weight lb=900
|gross weight lb=1400
|max takeoff weight kg=
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|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=British Anzani 100hp
|eng1 type=10-cyl. air-cooled two-row radial piston engine
|eng1 kw=
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|max speed mph=75
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|stall speed mph=30
|never exceed speed kmh=
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|endurance=3 hours
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References1. ^{{cite journal|journal=Flight|date=6 March 1919|pages=324-324}}
- {{cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985)|year= |publisher= Orbis Publishing|location= |issn=}}
- {{cite book |last= Jackson|first= A.J.|authorlink= |coauthors= |title= British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1|year= 1974|publisher= Putnam|location= London|isbn=0-370-10006-9 }}
External links- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930154520/http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=830 Central Centaur IV] – British Aircraft Directory
5 : British civil utility aircraft 1910–1919|Central Aircraft Company aircraft|Biplanes|Single-engined tractor aircraft|Aircraft first flown in 1919 |