| Varuna | |
|---|---|
|  | |
| Role | Transport flying-boat | 
| Manufacturer | Canadian Vickers | 
| Retired | 1932 | 
| Status | out of service | 
| Primary user | Royal Canadian Air Force | 
| Number built | 8 | 
| Developed from | Canadian Vickers Vedette | 
The Canadian Vickers Varuna was a Canadian flying boat of the 1920s built by Canadian Vickers as a twin-engined, unequal-span biplane, with a wooden hull and steel tube structure.
Design and development
The Varuna was developed in response to a Royal Canadian Air Force requirement for a flying boat to transport men and equipment to forest fires. It was a large-scale twin-engined version of the Vedette.
Operational history
Most Varunas spent their service in Manitoba operating in their intended role; all Varuna IIs were withdrawn in 1930 and the sole Varuna I was struck off in 1932
Variants
- Varuna I - with Wright J-6 Whirlwind radial engines, one built.
- Varuna II - with Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IV radial engines.
Specifications (Varuna II)
Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 4
- Length: 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m)
- Upper wingspan: 55 ft 1 in (16.8 m)
- Lower wingspan: 47 ft 4 in (14.42 m)
- Height: 13 ft 9 in (4.19 m)
- Wing area: 715 sq ft (66.4 m2)
- Empty weight: 3,369 lb (1,528 kg)
- Gross weight: 5,299 lb (2,404 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 90 imp gal (110 US gal; 410 L) in two wing tanks, with an optional 60 imp gal (72 US gal; 270 L) ferry tank in the hull
- Powerplant: 2 × Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IV 7-cyl. air-cooled radial piston engine, 187 hp (139 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 82 kn (94 mph, 151 km/h) 
- Alighting speed: 44 mph (38 kn; 71 km/h)
- Service ceiling: 14,000 ft (4,300 m)
- Time to altitude: 5,000 ft (1,500 m) in 9 minutes
- Wing loading: 7.4 lb/sq ft (36 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 0.0377 hp/lb (0.0620 kW/kg)
References
- ↑ Grey, C.G., ed. (1928). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928. London: Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd. pp. 69c–70c.
External links
 Media related to Canadian Vickers Varuna at Wikimedia Commons
 Media related to Canadian Vickers Varuna at Wikimedia Commons
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.