The Atalanta was the first four engine cantilever monoplane to fly, making its first flight on 13th July 1932. It was also the first aircraft to have its engines mounted directly on the wings. It was originally intended to operate with 4 A.S. Double Mongoose radial engines, but it actually went into service with "Serval" engines.
| Power Plant: |
4 x 340 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Serval engines with Townend rings. |
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| Dimensions: |
Span 90 ft. Length 71 ft. 6 in. Wing Area 1285 sq. ft. |
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| Weight: |
21,000 lb. (A.U.W.)
12,800 lb. empty (excluding fixed & removable equipment)
5,500 lb. payload & crew |
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Performance:
Max. Speed 156 mph. (at 3,000 ft.)
Initial Rate of Climb 700 ft/min
Normal Range 400 miles
Max. Range 660 miles
Accommodation:
2 Crew & Steward
Up to 17 Passengers
Cargo & Mail Compartments
Registration Numbers:
G-ABPI, G-ABTI, G-ABTL, G-ABTG, G-ABTJ, G-ABTM, G-ABTH & G-ABTK
Eight aircraft were built for Imperial Airways and were used mainly on their African routes (Cairo to Capetown). In 1933, two were loaned to the newly formed Indian Trans Continental Airways Ltd. One of these carried out the first direct airmail flight from Karachi to Calcutta on 7th July 1933.
One of the fleet was the first Imperial Airways aeroplane to land in Sydney, the year being 1933.
Aircraft of the original build (1932) were flying in Africa in 1946.