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Avro 504: The A.V. Roe Company's design designated as the 504 was designed by Alliot Vernon Roe in 1913. It was typical for its time frame consisting of a wire-braced wooden box girder. Upper longerons were straight in side-elevation. The fuselage was terminated in a vertical sternpost to which was attached a coma-shaped rudder. There was no vertical fin and the tailskid was attached directly to the bottom of the rudder. The 2-bay wings were of equal span. Construction of the 504 design began is April 1913 and the first flight tests were conducted at Brooklands in July 1913.

AVRO Aircraft Company Logo.

The aircraft underwent numerous variations. A new version of the Avro 504B was produced early in 1915. This was a single-seater and this enabled the aircraft to store extra fuel and take part in long-range reconnaissance missions. It was also hoped that the Avro could be used against Zeppelins when they bombed Britain. When an Avro 504 was shot down on 22nd August, 1914, it became the first British casualty of the war. The Avro 504 was withdrawn from front-line action during the summer of 1915 and for the rest of the war was used as a training aircraft. Eventually, the 504K configuration arose. Under this designation adapters were installed by which any of the engine types could be fitted into the 504 airframe. All engines were carried on an overhung mounting and had an open-faced cowling. After a rather undistinguished military career it was realized that the Avro 504K could be used, because of its flying characteristics, was well suited for use as a trainer aircraft. The Avro 504K was such a delight to fly that it laid the foundation for the development in England for logical flying instruction (i.e. the Gosport System). In its mode as a trainer the aircraft was used as the next step, beyond the `Rumpty' in the progression of the student toward flying combat aircraft.

American cadets undergoing flight instruction in England progressed from the `Rumpty' to the Avro 504K before beginning familiarization flights with the aircraft they would be assigned in front-line service. A total of 8,340 Avro aircraft were built during the war and it remained in service as an RAF trainer until 1924.

Weight (empty): 1231lbs (558kg): Weight (Loaded): 1829lbs (829kg); Engine options: 100hp Gnôme Monosaupape, 110hp Le Rhône, 130hp Clerget. Et.al: Maximum speed (sea level): 95mph (152km/h); Maximum speed (10,000ft): 85mph (136km/h); Service ceiling: 16,000ft (4877m); Endurance: 3 hours; Span: 36ft (10.97m); Length: 29ft 5in (8.97m); Height: 10ft 5in (3.18m).

Production Figures
Design Company:	A.V.Roe and Co Ltd, Clifton Street, Miles Platting, Manchester
First Flight:	18 September 1913
Avro 504:	68 - A.V.Roe and Co Ltd
Avro 504A:	685 - A.V.Roe and Co Ltd 150 - S.E.Saunders Ltd 100 - The Bleriot & Spad Aircraft Works 300 - The Humber Motor Co Ltd 200 - Parnall and Sons 50 - The Eastbourne Aviation Co Ltd
Avro 504B:	60 - A.V.Roe and Co Ltd 110 - Parnall and Sons 60 - The Sunbeam Motor Car Co Ltd 20 - The Regent Carriage Co Ltd
Avro 504C:	50 - The Brush Electrical Engineering Co Ltd 30 - A.V.Roe and Co Ltd
Avro 504D:	6 - A.V.Roe and Co Ltd
Avro 504E:	10 - A.V.Roe and Co Ltd
Avro 504J:	1350 - A.V.Roe and Co Ltd 300 - Harland and Wolff Ltd 200 - The Sunbeam Motor Car Co Ltd 150 - The Brush Electrical Engineering Co Ltd
Avro 504K:	400 - Frederick Sage and Co Ltd 250 - The Henderson Scottish Aviation Factory 450 - Hewlett and Blondeau Ltd 550 - The Humber Motor Co Ltd 900 - The Grahame-White Aviation Co Ltd 250 - Parnall and Sons 300 - Harland and Wolff Ltd 200 - Morgan and Co 100 - Savages Ltd 1650 - A.V.Roe and Co Ltd 100 - The Eastbourne Aviation Co Ltd 350 - The Brush Electrical Engineering Co Ltd 350 - The Sunbeam Motor Car Co Ltd 15 - Australian Aircraft and Engineering Co Ltd 28 - SABCA, Belgium 2 - Canadian Aeroplanes Ltd, Toronto 250 - Nakajima Aircraft Manufacturing Co, Japan 30 - Aichi Watch and Electric Machinery Co, Japan
U-1 Avrushka:	737 - Russia
Avro 504L:	7 - A.V.Roe and Co Ltd 6 - The Eastbourne Aviation Co Ltd 4 - Nakajima Aircraft Manufacturing Co
Avro 504M:	1 - A.V.Roe and Co Ltd
Avro 504N:	555 - A.V.Roe and Co Ltd 5 - Danish Naval Shipyard 1 - Canadian Vickers Ltd 31 - SABCA, Belgium
Avro 504Q:	1 - A.V.Roe and Co Ltd
Avro 504R Gosport:	28 - A.V.Roe and Co Ltd 34 - Fabrica Militar de Aviones, Argentina

Built in Manchester by A.V.Roe as part of an order for 50 aircraft. It was delivered to Egypt for one of the training units, Aboukir. 22 squadron. The final fate of this aircraft is not known.

Built by Parnell as part of an order for 200 aircraft and delivered to the Royal Naval Air Service. The final fate of this aircraft is not known.

Built by the Humber Motor Company as part of an order for 200 504A/J & K variants. The final fate of this aircraft is not known.

Built by Parnell as part of an order for 30 aircraft all power4ed by 80hp Gnome. The final fate of this aircraft is not known.

Built in Manchester by A.V.Roe as part of an order for 300 504J & K variants. The final fate of this aircraft is not known.

Built as part of an order for 300 504J & K variants. The final fate of this aircraft is not known.

Built as part of an order for 500 aircraft. E3741 to E3750 were imperial gifts to Australia and powered by 110hp Le Rhone engines. The final fate of this aircraft is not known.

Built by Grahame-White as part of an order for 300 aircraft mainly powered by 130hp Clerget engines. This aircraft was an Imperial Gift offset sent to Canada. The final fate of this aircraft is not known.