ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH A.W.17 ARIES. Another lesser-known British military prototype of the late 1920s is the Armstrong Whitworth A.W.17 Aries, a two-seat Army Cooperation general-purpose biplane. Fortunately a general arrangement drawing. prepared for the Air Ministry and traced on 15th April 1929. survived the war-time bombing of A.W.A.'s Coventry offices. The only noticeable difference between the drawing and the actual 1929 prototype J9037 is a Townend ring cowling over the 460-h.p. Armstrong Siddeley (special geared) Jaguar IV.
Only one prototype was built. Tested in 1930, the Aries Mk. I was virtually a twin of the more successful Type 137 Atlas Mks. I and II which served with the R.A.F.

ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH A.W.17 ARIES. Data: Manufacturer: Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. Ltd., Coventry, Warwickshire, England. Design No. and name: A.W.17 (Type 130 of September 1927) Aries Mk.1. Powerplant: One 460-h.p. Armstrong Siddeley (special geared) Jaguar IV air-cooled radial driving a 10 ft. 6 in. diameter fixed-pitch, wooden airscrew at 2,200 r.p.m. (max.) and 2,000 r.p .m. (normal). Dimensions: main-plane. upper 42 ft. 0 in., chord 6 ft. 7 in., lower 28 ft. II in., chord 5 ft. 7 in .; mainplane gap 5 ft. 7t in .; length 28 ft. 4t in.: height 10 ft. 11 in. Total areas: wings 399.4 sq . ft.; ailerons 44 sq. ft.; tailplane 50.9 sq. ft. (volume coefficient 0.301); elevator 19.1 sq. ft.; rudder 20.75 sq. ft. (volume coefficient 0.045). Mainwheel track 7 ft. 2 1/4 in . Tankage : petrol 75 Imp. gal.; oil 7 Imp. gal. Loadings: power 9.25 Ib ./ h.p.; wing 10.6 Ib ./sq. ft. Other details including performance are not available in the manufacturer's files.