Armstrong Whitworth Atlas

The Armstrong Whitworth Atlas was a single-engine biplane designed by a team under John Lloyd as a private venture to replace the DH.9A and Bristol Fighter, and it became the first aircraft purpose-designed for army co-operation to serve with the Royal Air Force. The prototype first flew on 10 May 1925 and beat several rivals at Martlesham Heath, but the swept-wing production redesign stalled dangerously and caused accidents until automatic slats and more sweepback cured it. The first batch of 37 entered service in 1927 with 13 and 26 Squadrons, and 175 dual-control trainers followed. It could pick up messages with a hook under the fuselage and carry bombs under the wings. The RAF replaced it with the Hawker Audax by 1935, while the Royal Canadian Air Force kept its Atlases flying coastal patrols into 1940.