[1] The Avro 511[2] was designed as a fast scout for military use at a time (1913) when the role of aircraft in war was first emerging.
The fuselage was of square cross-section and carried Avro's characteristic "comma" rudder, with no fin.
The interplane struts were not the usual single-piece shaped rods, but built up multi-piece, wide chord structures covered in canvas.
Later in 1914 the 511 was modified with a new pair of wings with no sweepback and a V-form (cranked axle), skidless main undercarriage, becoming the Avro 514.
Though not as fast as had been estimated (95-100 mph/150–160 km/h), it was entered for the postponed race in June after modification into the Avro 514, but a mechanical failure while taxiing prevented participation.