The Armstrong Whitworth Atalanta was a high-wing streamlined monoplane airliner. Its square-section fuselage was relatively clean and featured rounded edges to reduce drag. The aircraft's composite construction included steel, plywood and fabric. The undercarriage was fixed, but was partially enclosed within the fuselage and covered by streamlined fairings in order to minimise drag. Passengers were carried within a relatively quiet and cool cabin and provided with comfortable adjustable chairs. The overall design of the Atalanta was rather modern for the era; Century of Flight allege that the Atalanta somewhat closed the performance gap between British and American airliners.