Their first in both categories was the Pike, developed in early 1916 to Royal Flying Corps (RFC) guidelines for a short-range bomber.

The first,[1] just known as the Avro 529, had a pair of uncowled Rolls-Royce Falcon water-cooled in-line engines mounted midway between the wings.

The second machine,[1] designated the Avro 529A, had a pair 230 hp (170 kW) BHP in-line water-cooled engines, cowled and mounted in nacelles on the lower wing.

The type 529A had slightly different wings to the first prototype, 13 in (33 cm) greater in span, smaller in area and hence of higher aspect ratio.

[1] In the first machine, this was done from the seat of the front cockpit, but in the 529A there was provision for a prone bomb-aimer's position with a small window, noticeable in side view.

The 529A could carry 20 50 lb (20 kg) bombs racked nose up inside the fuselage between the lower wing spars.