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The Avro 504G was a two seat training aircraft, armed with forward firing Vickers guns and a rear mounted Lewis gun.
Two aircraft may have been given the 504G designation. The best documented of these was a two-seat bombing and gunnery trainer produced for the RNAS. This was powered by the 80hp Gnome engine, could carry a synchronised forward firing Vickers gun and had a Scarff ring.
BAE Systems, the current owner of the Avro brand, describe the Avro 504G as a two seat navy trainer, converted from the 504B and armed with twin synchronised forward firing Vickers guns, a Scarff mount for a Lewis gun in the rear cockpit and bomb racks. They record thirty aircraft having been converted. This would fit with the figures given elsewhere for Avro production, with another twenty produced by the Regent Carriage Company (a car manufacturer).
The Avro 504G was in service with the RNAS during 1917. One aircraft, based at the RNAS Training Establishment at Cranwell, crashed in Lincolnshire on 5 July 1917.
At least one was still in use when the RAF was formed in April 1918. It was serving with 201 Training Depot Station and collided with a Sopwith Pup at Freiston on 18 May 1918, killing both pilots.
In 1925 Avro work’s manager R.K. Parrott described the 504G as a R.F.C. gunnery trainer, powered by a 130hp Clerget engine and carrying a front fixed forward firing Vickers gun and a rear mounted Lewis gun. Ten were built.
Engine: Gnome
Power: 80hp
Crew: 2
Span: 36ft 0in
Length: 29ft 5in
Height: 10ft 5in
Armament: Fixed forward firing Vickers gun, Scarff mount for Lewis gun
Bomb load: Bomb racks