Parnall Elf
Elf | |
---|---|
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Role | Two-seat light aircraft |
Manufacturer | Parnall & Co |
Designer | Harold Bolas |
First flight | Template:Avyear |
Number built | 3 |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Parnall_Elf.jpg/220px-Parnall_Elf.jpg)
The Parnall Elf is a British two seat light touring aircraft of the 1920s. Built by George Parnall & Co. the Elf was the last aircraft designed by Harold Bolas before he left the company to go to the United States.
Design and development
The Parnall Elf was designed by Harold Bolas, chief designer of the reformed George Parnall & Co. The type made its public debut at Olympia in July 1929.[1] The Elf was a biplane of wood and fabric construction with staggered wings set well forward on the fuselage as a feature to assist crew escape in an emergency. The wings were unusually braced with 'vee' interplane struts which dispensed with any flying wires [2] and could be folded for ease of hangarage. The main fuel tank was fitted in the fuselage, while a pump raised the fuel to a small tank in the wing centre section where it was then fed to the engine by gravity. An Elf placed fifth in the 1930 King's Cup Air Race out of a field of 88 entrants. The purchase price of the aircraft at this time was between £875 and £890.[3]
Survivors
- Parnall Elf, G-AAIN, is maintained and operated by the Shuttleworth Collection in Bedfordshire, England and is flown regularly throughout the summer months.[4]
Specifications (Elf)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/Parnall_Elf_3-view_Aero_Digest_January%2C1930.png/220px-Parnall_Elf_3-view_Aero_Digest_January%2C1930.png)
Data from The Shuttleworth Collection, 1969.
General characteristics
- Crew: Two
Performance
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References
Notes
- ^ Ogilvy, 1989.
- ^ Ogilvy, 1989
- ^ Guttery, 1969. p. 43.
- ^ The Shuttleworth Collection – Parnall Elf www.shuttleworth.org Retrieved: 8 April 2010
Bibliography
- Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. SBN 901319-01-5
- Ogilvy, David. Shuttleworth – The Historic Aeroplanes. Shrewsbury, England: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1989 ISBN 1-85310-106-0
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Parnall Elf – British Aircraft Directory
- Elf in Flight, 4 April 1930