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Armstrong Whitworth Siskin

For a description of the format and data included in Production Tables, see here.

Produced Variants

S.R.2 Siskin Original Siddeley Deasy prototypes. Single seat, single bay biplane fighter, of wood and fabric construction with parallel>
  interplane struts, initially to meet the requirements of Air Board Specification A1.(a) and later DofR Type 1 and RAF
  Specification Type I. One 320 h.p. ABC Dragonfly powerplant.
Siskin Mk.I A.W. prototype; original S.R.2 prototype fitted with the 300 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar I powerplant.
Siskin Mk.II Significant redesign of the Mk.I with larger wings and tailpane, still of wood and fabric construction, and a new wire braced,
  steel tube fuselage. One each of single and two seat variants built. One 300 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar I powerplant.
Siskin Mk.III As Mk.II but with fabric covered metal wings and tailplane of new geometry, V-type interplane struts and tapered ailerons, to
  Specifications 14/22 & 19/23. One 385 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar III powerplant.
Siskin Mk.IIIA Mk.III with deeper rear fuselage and removal of the under-fuselage fin, along with reduced upper wing dihedral, to
  Specifications 25/25 & 24/26. One 385 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IV powerplant.
Siskin Mk.IIIB Mk.IIIA, initially with Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IVS, later with 405 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar VIII powerplant, to>
  Specification F.20/27.
Siskin Mk.IIIDC Two-seat dual control version of Mk.III to Specification 1/28. One 385 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar III powerplant.
Siskin Mk.IV Mk.V with short span (25ft) wings: civil racing version.
Siskin Mk.V Similar to the single seat Mk.II but featuring a revised fin and rudder similar to the Mk.IIIB. At least G-EBLQ featured the
  tapered ailerons of the Mk.III. One 385 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar III powerplant.

Projected Variants

 Mk.VI Mk.V with long span (31ft) wings.

Production List Page Top
Serial Range /
Initial Registration
C/n
Type
Batch Qty
Conv.
Canc'd
Notes
 6 aircraft ordered from the Siddeley Deasy Motor Car Co, Parkside to contract AS.11537. First flew spring 1919. Only three completed.
 C4541 - C4546    S.R.2  3  (1)  3  C4544 - C4546 canceled. C4541 rebuilt as A.W. Siskin Mk.I, first flew March 1921.
 2 civil aircraft built by Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, in 1922-23.
 G-EBEU  10  Mk.II  2      Two seater. Retained by by Armstrong Whitworth. Later converted to single seat.
 G-EBHY  11          Single seater. To Swedish Army Air Force as 123.
 1 prototype aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 217448/20 dated May 1920. First flew May 1923.
 J6583  12  Mk.III  1      
 3 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 342619/22 dated October 1922. First flew March 1924.
 J6981 - J6983  19-21  Mk.III  3      See note 1.
 6 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 369339/22 dated January 1923.
 J6998 - J7003  22-27  Mk.III  6      See note 2.
 37 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 439840/23 dated August 1923. Delivered as 35 Mk.III and 2 Mk.IIIDC.
 J7145 - J7179  29-63  Mk.III  35  (5)    J7157, J7176 - J7179 conv. to Mk.IIIA late 1926.
 J7180 - J7181  64-65  Mk.IIIDC  2      Prototype Mk.IIIDC, J7180, first flew 27 April 1925.
 2 civil aircraft modified by Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, in mid 1924.
 G-EBJQ, G-EBJS  66, 67  Mk.III    (2)    Built for the 1924 Kings Cup Air Race. (See note 1)
 65 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, for Romania. 34 aircraft were completed between September 1924 and May 1925 before the contract cancelled. None delivered to Romania. See note 3.
 1 - 29, 31 - 33  68-96, 98-100  Mk.V  32      No 6 (c/n 73) tested to destruction at Farnborough
 G-EBLN, G-EBLQ  97, 102    2      Ex-Romanian 30 and 35, retained by by Armstrong Whitworth. Both flown in 1925 Kings Cup Race.
 34, 36 - 65  101, 103-132        31  
 6 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 530519/24. Delivered late 1925.
 J7549 - J7554  133-138  Mk.IIIDC  6      
 One civil aircraft built by Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley. First flew in June 1925.
 G-EBLL  143  Mk.IV  1      Retained by by Armstrong Whitworth; 2nd in 1925 Kings Cup Race. Possibly sold abroad 1927.
 10 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 576184/25. Delivered 1925/1926.
 J7758 - J7764  147-153  Mk.III  7      J7758,  J7759 to RCAF in January 1926 for evaluation.  J7759 became RCAF 10, later 301.
 J7820 - J7822  157-159    3      
 One aircraft built by Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley. First flew 21 October 1925. See note 2.
 J8428  160  Mk.IIIA  1      
 13 aircraft ordered in June 1926 from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 625304/25, to meet Specification 25/25. Delivered 1925/1926.
 J8048 - J8060  161-173  Mk.IIIA  13      
 24 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 709171/26 dated January 1927, to meet Specification 24/26.
 J8381 - J8404  174-197  Mk.IIIA  24      
 50 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 751234/27 dated August 1927, to meet Specification 24/26.
 J8623 - J8631  198-206  Mk.IIIA  9  (1)    J8627 conv. to Mk.IIIB, first flew October 1928. Retained by Armstrong Whitworth.
 J8632 - J8633  281-282    2      Replacements for c/n's 207 and 208, diverted to Canada.
 J8634 - J8659  209-234    26      
 J8660 - J8661  283-284    2      Replacements for c/n's 235 and 236, diverted to Canada.
 J8662 - J8672  237-247    11      
 42 aircraft ordered from the Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd., Filton, Bristol, to contract 772528/27.
 J8822 - J8863  7179-7220  Mk.IIIA  42      
 42 aircraft ordered from the Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Co. Ltd., Olympia Works, Leeds, to contract 772529/27.
 J8864 - J8905    Mk.IIIA  42      
 4 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 783693/27 for delivery to the RCAF. Delivered in December 1927.
 20 - 23  208, 207, 235, 236  Mk.IIIA  4      Regn G-CYZE reserved for c/n 207, only used briefly, if at all. 20 - 22 renumbered 302 - 304.
 42 aircraft ordered from the Gloster Aircraft Co., Hucclecote, to contract 785955/27.
 J8933 - J8974    Mk.IIIA  42      
 47 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 823022/28.
 J9190 - J9236  299-345  Mk.IIIDC  47      
 27 aircraft ordered from the Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd., Filton, Bristol, to contract 855125/28, to meet Specification 14/27.
 J9304 - J9330  7274-7300  Mk.IIIA  27      
 22 aircraft ordered from the Gloster Aircraft Co., Hucclecote, to contract 855126/28, to meet Specification 14/27.
 J9331 - J9352    Mk.IIIA  22      
 27 aircraft ordered from Vickers (Aviation) Ltd., Weybrige, to contract 855124/28, to meet Specification 14/27.
 J9353 - J9379    Mk.IIIA  27      
 5 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 783693/27 for delivery to the RCAF. Delivered as 3 Mk.IIIA and 2 Mk.IIIDC between May and July 1929.
 59 - 61  397, 396, 395  Mk.IIIA  3      59, 60 renumbered 305, 306.
 62, 63  398, 399  Mk.IIIDC  2      Renumbered 307, 308.
 27 aircraft ordered from Vickers (Aviation) Ltd., Weybrige, to contract 937776/29 dated August 1929, to meet Specification 8/29.
 J9872 - J9896    Mk.IIIA  25      
 15 aircraft ordered from the Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd., Filton, Bristol, to contract 937777/29, to meet Specification 8/29.
 J9897 - J9911  7404-7418  Mk.IIIA  15      
 10 aircraft ordered from the Gloster Aircraft Co., Hucclecote, to contract 937778/29, to meet Specification 8/29.
 J9912 - J9921    Mk.IIIA  10      
 2 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, for the Estonian Air Defense Force (Eesti Õhukaitse). Delivered in 1930.
 134 - 135  604, 605  Mk.IIIDC  2      
 2 civil aircraft built by Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley. Delivered to Air Service Training, Hamble, in May and June 1931.
 G-ABHT, G-ABHU  651, 652  Mk.IIIDC  2      To the Armstrong Whitworth flying School, Hamble (later Air Service Training).
 1 aircraft ordered from Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 783693/27 for delivery to the RCAF. Delivered March 1931.
 210  699  Mk.IIIA  1      Renumbered 309.
 
Total Production
504
(9)
34
 

Siskin IIIDC converted from Siskin III 

Production List Top Page Top 

Serial Range
Notes
 1 aircraft converted by Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to Specification 33/23. later 7/28.
 J7000  First Flew 21 October 1924.
 30 aircraft converted by Armstrong Whitworth, Whitley, to contract 928314/29 to Specification 7/28.
 J7002, J7003,  
 J7145, J7146, J7148 - J7150, J7152 - J7154,  
 J7156,  J7157*, J7158, J7160 - J7165, J7167,  
 J7170, J7171, J7173,  
 J7760 - J7764, J7820,  J7821  
 2 aircraft converted by Vickers (Aviation) Ltd., Weybrige, to contract 33589/30 (see note 4) to Specification 7/28.
 J8382, J8392  
Total Conversions  (33)

Reconditioned Aircraft (All Mk.IIIA)

Production List Top Page Top 

Serial Range
New C/n
Notes
 15 aircraft reconditioned by the Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd., Filton, Bristol and allocated new Bristol c/ns.
 J8631, J8383, J8963, J8846, J8848  7269-7273  
 J8059, J8060, J8058,  7359-7361  
 J7178, J8386  7362-7363  
 J8974, J8646, J8826, J8847, J8660  7551-7555  
 27 aircraft reconditioned by Vickers (Aviation) Ltd., Weybrige, to contract 928313/29.
 J8381, J8396, J8649, J8837, J8841*, J8853,    For *, see note 5.
 J8856, J8867, J8889, J8894, J8896, J8900,    
 J8905, J8947, J8955, J8959, J8967, J8971,    
 J9304, J9345, J9306, J9320, J9323, J9329,    
 J9339, J9352, J9365,    
 6 aircraft reconditioned by Vickers (Aviation) Ltd., Weybrige, to contract 25036/30.
 J8629*, J8631*, J8639, J9333, J9334, J9378,    For *, see note 5.
 30 aircraft reconditioned by Vickers (Aviation) Ltd., Weybrige, to contract 33589/30
 J8048, J8396*, J8626, J8632, J8633, J8655,    For *, see note 5.
 J8671, J8838, J8841, J8842, J8846, J8849,    
 J8855, J8857, J8886, J8892, J8897, J8898,    
 J8936, J8939, J8944, J8952, J8961, J8972,    
 J8973, J9305, J9342, J9345, J9361, J9873    



Production Summary

Page Top 
Total Siskin New Production By Mark and Manufacturer
Constructor S.R.2 Mk.II Mk.III Mk.IIIA Mk.IIIDC Mk.IV Mk.V Total
 Siddeley Deasy 3             3
 Armstrong Whitworth   2 55 96 61 1 34 249
 Blackburn       42       42
 Bristol       84       84
 Gloster       74       74
 Vickers       52       52
  3 2 55 348 61 1 34 504

Total Siskin Production By Mark
Type Built New Conv. Canc'd Total
 S.R.2 3   3 6
 Siskin Mk.I   (1)   1
 Siskin Mk.II 2     2
 Siskin Mk.III 55     55
 Siskin Mk.IIIA 348 (5)   353
 Siskin Mk.IIIB   (1)   1
 Siskin Mk.IIIDC 61 (33)   94
 Siskin Mk.IV 1     1
 Siskin Mk.V 34   31 65
  504 (40) 34  


Notes
  1. Per Thompson and Sturtivant [2], these were J6981 and J6982, returned to Armstrong Whitworth, civil registered on 29 July 1924 with new c/ns and modified for the Kings Cup Air Race of that year. Returned to the RAF in November 1924.
     
  2. J8428 was the second Mk.IIIA to fly, one day after J8048, but was effectively the prototype Mk.IIIA, undergoing all the type testing. Williams [5] states that the Mk.IIIA prototype was most probably built as a private venture and recieved no identification. It was aquired by the Air Ministry in 1926 and, following reconditioning, fitted with experimental wings at Whitley to contract 716958/26 and given the serial J8428. Thompson and Sturtivant [2] point out that that J7001 has been reported elsewhere as being rebuilt as the Mk.IIIA prototype, but the service history of J7001 shows this to be incorrect.
     
  3. Figures per Williams [5]. Tapper [1], other than the two civil registered aircraft plus one tested to destruction, gives only 10 aircraft confirmed as built - Romanian No's 1, 2, 4, 10, 13, 14, 15, 28, 29 & 33. This may imply that those 10 were the only aircraft to be test flown, before all airframes were scrapped.
     
  4. Contract number as given by Thompson and Sturtivant [2], but this is the same contract number they give for reconditioned aircraft.
     
  5. For reconditioned aircraft marked *, Thompson and Sturtivant [2] do not give contract numbers, but the Taken On Charge dates after reconditioning would indicate association with the contracts as shown.

Production References
  1. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Since 1913, Oliver Tapper (Putnam., 1973)
  2. Air Britain RAF Aircraft Register Series J1-J9999 (Air-Britain Publications, 1987)
  3. Aerodata Data Plan #3 - Armstrong Whitworth Siskin, Arthur Granger (Vintage Aviation Publications, 1977)
  4. Canadian Military Aircraft Serial Numbers at http://www.rwrwalker.ca/
  5. Aeroplane Monthly Feb-Mar 1978.

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