Avro 510

The Avro 510 was a British two‑seat biplane built by Avro in the years leading up to the First World War. Designed in 1912 as a civil trainer and sporting aircraft, the 510 featured a wooden frame covered with fabric, a single-bay wing arrangement and a 70‑horsepower RAF 1a rotary engine that gave it a top speed of about 70 mph. Its open cockpits were arranged in tandem, allowing an instructor and pupil to communicate directly while practicing basic flight maneuvers. Although initially intended for the civilian market, the outbreak of war in 1914 prompted the Royal Flying Corps to evaluate the type as a potential reconnaissance platform. Tests showed the aircraft was reliable and easy to handle, but its limited payload and modest performance meant it never entered mass production. Only a handful of prototypes were built, and the type was quickly superseded by more powerful designs such as the Avro 504. Nevertheless, the 510 provided valuable experience in biplane construction and rotary‑engine integration, influencing Avro’s later successes and helping to establish the firm as a leading wartime aircraft manufacturer.

Avro

Classification

Production & History

Design & Classification