Armstrong Whitworth A.W.29

In August 1932, the British Ministry of Aviation issued specifications P.27/32, in which it formulated requirements for a daily single-engine bomber. He was to replace Hawkery Hart at the RAF. The new machine was to be an all-metal monoplane with a load capacity of 450 kg, a range of 1600 km and a maximum speed of 322 km/h. The armament was to consist of two machine guns, fixed and movable, controlled by another member of the crew. In May 1933, Hawker, Bristol, Vickers Armstrong, Fairey and Armstrong Whitworth submitted their projects to bankruptcy, but only the last two advanced and received an order for prototypes.
The Armstrong Whitworth machine was marked A.W.29, its competitor was Fairey Battle. A.W.29 was designed by John Lloyd and was a metal mid-plane, covered with aluminum sheet (part of the wings and tail canvas), with wings based on a twin-engine A.W.23. There were bomb bays in the centerplane with a maximum load capacity of four 113.5 kg of bombs. The chassis was hydraulically retractable, but part of the wheels protruded under the lower wing. The defense tower was used to defend the aircraft of its own design (most machines of similar purpose had at that time only a machine gun mounted on a pin) with a Lewis machine gun, in addition to the pilot and shooter was also a member of the crew radio operator who shared a cabin with the pilot. The engine was a fourteen-cylinder star Armstrong Siddeley Tiger VIII with an output of 686 kW, the possibility of installing a 21-cylinder Armstrong Siddeley Deerhound with an output of 1119 kW was considered.
However, the project did not have much support from the Ministry, because at this time only began to be delivered aircraft based on the very popular Hartu, as was Hind, Audax and others. Armstrong Whitworth therefore tried to give its type elsewhere, specifically to the Canadian Air Force. However, this did not show interest. The progress of work was also hampered by the newly introduced serial production of the Whitley bomber. The first prototype A.W.29 was first flown on December 6, 1936 by pilot Charles K. Turner. Competitive Battle was already ready for serial production at this time. Compared to Battle, the AW29 was slightly worse, its engine was weaker than the Merlin and larger the frontal resistance of the engine and thicker wings also did not help the performance much.
Although A.W.29 no longer had a chance to apply in the original bankruptcy, work continued on its modernization, mainly on improving its aerodynamic properties, increasing its payload and speed. In 1937 the company stopped working, the machine was handed over to A&E in Martlesham Heath , where it was until 1940. In August of this year, the only built prototype was scrapped.

Source:
http://www.samoloty.ow.pl/str191.htm
http://www.aviastar.org/air/england/arm_aw-29.php
http://www.airwar.ru/enc/bww2/aw29.html
www.britishaircraft.co.uk