The Turboprop World-Beater VISCOUNT The Turboprop World-Beater VISCOUNT Gerry Sweet chronicles the history and development of the UK's most successful propeller-driven commercial airliner. BEA - British European Airways V.630, G-AHRF, c/n 1. This aircraft performed the airline's, and the type's, first turboprop passenger flight, to Paris from London/Northolt, in July 1950 The Vickers Viscount, which made its maiden flight 60 years ago on Friday, 16 July 1948, was the first turboprop airliner to operate a passenger service, and one of the few British types to achieve significant sales in North America. The type's success was largely attributable to its reliable Rolls-Royce turboprop engines, which were able to provide more power for the larger versions of the aircraft as they evolved. It was one of Britain’s most successful post war civil aircraft, its sales exceeded only by the smaller de Havilland Dove.

Background The Viscount, or Vickers VC2 project, as it was initially called by the company, was mooted by the company's chief designer, Rex Pierson, in December 1944 during discussions with the Brabazon committee, which had been formed the previous year to investigate the future needs of the British civilian airliner market. The VC2 was proposed as a second generation airliner; later ratified in the Committee’s Type IIB specification, which described a short to medium-range transport, powered by the then emerging turboprop engine. The Brabazon Type IIA specification referred to a similar, piston-engine type, which eventually emerged as the Airspeed Ambassador. The proposed design, which Pierson submitted to the Ministry of Aircraft Production (MAP) in 1945, was for a four-engine, 27-seater with a gross weight of some 34,000lbs (15,455kgs), a still air range of 1,000 miles (1,612km) and a cruising speed of about 300mph (484km/hr) at 20,000ft (6,154m).

MAP accepted this proposal with the additional requirement that the fuselage should be pressurised. Pierson’s original concept was for a double bubble fuselage design, but when George Edwards (later Sir George) was promoted to chief designer that September he decided against this, in favour of a single, circular fuselage with an increased capacity for 32 seats. A nose wheel undercarriage was also incorporated. Viscount c/n 13 G-AMOC under construction in 1952 The airframe structure followed the normal pattern of a stressed skin, single-spar wing with a fuselage based on unbroken hoop frames. However, the need for pressurisation presented new problems and variations from the optimum cylindrical cross section had to be made to cater for stresses set up in cut-outs made for the doors and windows. Large elliptical windows provided the strongest structure and gave passengers an excellent view. Good directional stability was provided by a high-angled dihedral on the horizontal tail plane.

Armstrong Whitworth Apollo As for the power plant, Edwards favoured the 1,130ehp (841kW) Rolls-Royce Dart, RDa1, which had a centrifugal compressor, believing that this would give the best service life and reliability over the alternative, axial compressor of the Armstrong Siddeley Mamba. As things turned out, he was right, for as an insurance against the VC2 project failing, the Ministry of Supply (MoS) ordered two Armstrong Whitworth Apollo prototypes, powered by the Mamba. Although the prototypes flew, this aircraft was not pursued to production, due to the engine’s unreliability at the time. In April 1946, the MoS issued Specification 8/46 to cover the Type IIB airliner concept, and a contract for two prototypes was awarded to Vickers on the understanding that it would finance a third itself.

The requirements called for a payload of 7,500lbs (3,410kgs) and capacity of 275cu ft (25.6 cu m), with a gross weight of 38,000lbs (17,270 kgs), which required a longer fuselage and greater wingspan than that originally proposed. Based on this specification, operating costs were estimated at 6 old pence (2.5p) per ton mile, with a 3,000 hour annual utilisation factor. As the newly-formed BEA - British European Airways, was expected to be the first recipient of the VC2, its development - and indeed, the 8/46 specification - had been pursued in close co-operation with this operator. But there was much post war underestimation of passenger capacity by the civil aviation industry and, as will be seen, the Viscount had to be stretched more than once to cope with increased demand.

In to Production Work began at Weybridge, Surrey under the Vickers type number V.609 in 1946, but by August 1947, Rolls-Royce had already increased the power of the original engine to 1,250 ehp (931kW), and it had become known as the RDa4. The improved engines were fitted to the first prototype, G-AHRF under type number V.630, and around this time the aircraft was officially named the Viscount. It had been intended to call it the Viceroy, but because India had just become independent, the office of 'Viceroy' no longer existed. Airspeed Ambassador G-ALZR However, a serious setback occurred after BEA began to have doubts about the economics of operating the Viscount. Its calculations indicated that the aircraft needed to be bigger, and furthermore, under government pressure, the corporation ordered 20 Ambassadors, carrying at least 40 passengers. For some months, the Viscount project stalled, while Vickers looked at ways in which it might increase the passenger carrying capability.

Fortunately, Edwards, supported by Vickers' Managing Director, Sir Hew Kilner, fought to keep up the momentum. Prototype Viscount c/n 1 G-AHRF on its maiden flight 16 July 1946 With the first prototype completed by 1948, ‘Mutt’ Summers, the company's Chief Test Pilot, took G-AHRF on its maiden flight from Wisely Airfield in Surrey on July 16. Flight trials demonstrated its excellent performance and the smooth operation of the Dart turboprops. In the meantime, the Ambassador was delayed because of structural problems. Fortuitously, Rolls-Royce was also able to offer Vickers more power via its 1,250ehp (931kW) RDa4, Mk503, which now made a stretched version of the Viscount a practical proposition. Type V.700 As a result, the type V.630 was put on hold and the type V.700 Viscount emerged, with a wingspan increased by a further 5ft 6in (1.7m) and a fuselage lengthened by 7ft 6in (2.3m).

It had a gross weight of 45,000lbs (20,454kgs) and could accommodate 43 passengers, and the improved engine increased the cruising speed to 335mph (540kph). The MoS ordered one prototype in February 1949, covered by Specification 21/49, and this aircraft, G-AMAV, flew in August 1950. V.700 prototype Viscount c/n 3 G-AMAV at the Farnborough Air Show Having achieved the mandatory 15-hour flying time, the type V.700 was flown at the Farnborough Air Show the following month, where the silky whine of the Dart engines attracted much attention. The large oval windows were then also unique to the industry. Later the operational gross weight was later increased to 57,000lbs (25,909kgs), with a capacity for 53 passengers. But pre-empting this performance, BEA had already operated the world’s first scheduled, turboprop passenger service with the prototype G-AHRF.

Under a special Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA), it flew from London/Northolt to Paris on July 29, 1950, piloted by Captain Dick Rymer, with a compliment of specially-selected passengers. BEA continued these flights for two weeks and then went on to make eight trips to Edinburgh for the annual summer festival. The first BEA Viscount G-ALWE was delivered in January 1953 The airline was delighted with the performance of the type V.700 prototype, which confirmed the conviction of its Chief Executive, Peter Masefield, that the Viscount was the right aircraft at the right time. It placed an order for 20 type V.700’s (later increased to 26) and the first production example, G-ALWE, flew in August 1952. Deliveries began in January 1953, and a CofA for the type was granted on April 17. The following day, a scheduled service from London to Nicosia, via Rome and Athens, was inaugurated.

The BEA aircraft were initially fitted with the 1,400SHP RDa3 Mk505 that were gradually upgraded to the Mk506 standard which improved the aerodynamic flow through the compressor and turbine, reducing fuel consumption. BEA also used the prototype V.700 to compete in the England to New Zealand Air Race. It flew at a gross weight of 65,000lbs (29,545kg), covering the 12,000-mile (19,354km) route in 40hr, 45mins. One non-stop stage of 3,530 miles (5,694km) was at an average speed of 343mph (553kph). Air France ordered 12 Viscounts By the end of 1951, orders for the Viscount from overseas airlines had started to come in, Air France and Aer Lingus ordering respectively, twelve and four, aircraft. The following June, TAA - Trans Australia Airlines purchased six, enabling the company to fly the 1,300-mile (2,096km) route from Adelaide to Perth, non-stop.

A notable breakthrough also came in November 1952, when TCA - Trans-Canada Air Lines (now Air Canada) placed an order for 15. This requirement involved considerable re-design to meet North American regulations, including a two-pilot crew and automatic flight control systems. In February 1953, the prototype type V.700 achieved another first for a turboprop airliner when it flew across the Atlantic by the northern route to carry out Canadian cold weather trials. Type V.800 to V.806 Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce continued to enhance the capabilities of the Dart, and BEA, excited by the prospect of more power, asked Vickers to build a Viscount, 13ft (4m) longer, which could take 86 passengers. In the event, this variant was not built as Vickers found that it could achieve almost the same result by moving back the rear bulkhead of the V.700 by 9ft 3in (2.84m) and extending the outer fuselage by 3ft 10in (1.2m), thus providing accommodation for up to 65 passengers.

This design became the type V.800, initially powered by the 1,535 ehp (1,143kW), Dart RDa6 and BEA ordered twelve examples in April 1954. Aer Lingus was one of many operators who ordered the V.800 series A notable innovation for the V.800 series was large rectangular access doors in place of oval doors, giving the option of transporting freight. Many type V.700 Viscounts were upgraded with RDa6 engines and designated Viscount V.700Ds, distinguished by having engine cowlings with a pronounced bulge. Other orders of note in 1953 included Hunting Clan, BWIA - British West Indian Airways, Iraqi Airways and the Indian Air Force while TCA came back for five more type V.700s with the RDa6 engines. As orders built up, Vickers needed more production capacity and opened another line at its Bournemouth/Hurn factory in Dorset.

Capital Airlines ordered 60 V.700s In 1954, KLM of Holland ordered nine type V.800s - an unusual occurrence as the airline normally preferred US-built aircraft. But the most significant trial order that year came from the American airline Capital, which took three of the original type V.700s and followed this in August with a requirement for 37, V.700Ds, plus a further 20 in December. In fact, Capital staked its whole operation on the Viscount, ordering 60 aircraft in all (although the last 15 eventually went elsewhere), representing a British export order valued at $67 million. Several modifications, in addition to those made for Canada, were necessary in order to obtain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval in the US. The US airline industry was stunned by the Capital orders - not least Consolidated Vultee, which manufactured the Convair CV-340, considered the Viscount’s main competitor in North America. American Airlines quickly introduced the Douglas DC-6 to try to match the Viscount’s speed, but the British type continued to gain in popularity.

A lucrative Viscount transatlantic ferry market developed, in which freight was carried to and from Prestwick via Iceland, Greenland and Goose Bay – quite an achievement for a short to medium-range aircraft. The BEA V.806 had the updated Rolls-Royce Dart RDa7 In 1956, a new, three-stage turbine Dart engine was introduced by Rolls-Royce as the RDa7. Mark 520, producing 1,630 SHP (1,210kW). BEA had just ordered a further 19 of the type for its fleet and decided to use the new engine for these. Designated as the type V.806, it was to feature a 58-seat interior. Ironically, the fleet was later converted to the RDa6 Mark 510 engine producing 1535 SHP as the RDa7 engines were returned to Rolls-Royce for conversion to Mark 526 standard for use in the new BEA Armstrong Whitworth Argosy.

Type V.807 onwards Vickers had been aware for some time that a Viscount which could fly faster, over greater distances, and with more weight, was highly desirable. By 1957, Rolls-Royce had again increased the power of the Dart, this time by modifying the RDa7 to produce 1,730 SHP, as the RDa7/1, Mark 525. Major structural changes were necessary for the proposed variant, to cope with greater speeds and loads. Further improvements resulted in the RDa7 Mark 530 producing 1,835 SHP. An RDa10 Mark 543 variant was proposed, producing 2,305 SHP but the Rolls-Royce Tyne and the Vickers Vanguard took over before it was developed any further. Both NAC in New Zealand and Aer Lingus in Ireland selected the earlier RDa6 Mark 510 engine for their V.807 and V.808 aircraft which continued to be a viable option for other airlines as well.

Continental Airlines ordered 15 V.812s Continental Airlines of Denver, Colorado, had been much impressed by the projected performance of such an aircraft and had already taken out an option for 15, should Vickers be successful. Deliveries to Continental began shortly after FAA type certification for the V.810 in April 1958. The new variant could handle a gross weight of 67,000lbs (30,454kgs) at take-off, with a payload of 15,000lbs (6,818kgs), and maintain a cruise speed of 365mph (588kph). Continental’s order was followed by nine other national airlines and many independents, and final production totalled 84. By 1958, Vickers’ orders for the Viscount had reached 400, of which 300 had already been delivered. BEA’s fleet alone stood at 77, and with load factors consistently at 80%, the airline was showing excellent profits.

By the time Vickers ceased production of the type in 1964, a total of 444 had been sold to 50 major airlines, with a value, including spares, of £177 million, export sales accounting for £147 million. The final Viscount delivered was to CAAC, the national carrier of The People’s Republic of China. BAF - British Air Ferries was the largest UK operator of retired Viscounts When second-hand aircraft became available, they were immediately snapped up by other airlines, independents and corporate customers. Channel Airways, for example, took eleven of Continental’s type V.810’s and operated them until 1972. BAF - British Air Ferries, the largest UK operator of retired Viscounts, introduced a life extension modification programme in 1980 for up to 17 aircraft and leased them out for passenger and freight work until 1998. Many others were still flying overseas for charter and freight until the late 1990s.

According to the 2007 edition of Survivors (A survey of surviving classic transport aircraft by Roy Blewett, published by the Gatwick Aviation Society) a total of 47 Viscount airframes survive worldwide. Of these, 15 are preserved in various museums. Five are in England, including type V.806, G-APIM, which is on display at the Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, where construction began in 1946. This article by Gerry Sweet was also published in the July 2008 issue of Airliner World. history of airliners 1950 to 1959 1950 to 1959 During the 1950s the first turbo-propeller airliners ('prop-jets' in the USA) were introduced followed shortly by the first jet airliners. The jets didn't have an easy time to begin with due to pressurisation accidents and a false start to the 'Jet-Age'. The first jet airliner, the De Havilland Comet 1, entered service on May 2, 1952 on the London - Johannesburg route.

This historic BOAC flight was followed by UAT Comet flights between Paris and Dakar, and South African Airways' own Jo'burg to London service in competition with the BOAC service. Air France flew Comet 1 jets on their Paris - Beirut service and Pan American ordered Comet 3 jets from De Havilland. The first Comet crashes were masked by genuine accident's as three Comets were lost in landing accidents and one was lost in a thunderstorm. Like all new aircraft types civil or military, the jet airliner was a handful for pilots converting from the older propeller types. But when a BOAC Comet 1 broke-up during departure from Rome on January 10th, 1954 doubt was starting to set in which was fully confirmed on April 8th when a South African Airways Comet disappeared off the coast of Sicily at high altitude. The comet 1 jets were grounded (permanently) and metal fatigue around the window frames were found to be the cause of the cabin disintegrating.

The 'Jet-Age' made a tragic false start only to begin again fully in 1958 with the introduction of the Comet 4 and the Boeing 707-120, with the DC8-30 following into service one year later. Aeroflot used Tu-104s internally from 1955 and Air France flew 'test flights' with their new short-haul Caravelle jet from 1956. The first jet service across the North Atlantic was by a BOAC Comet 4 at the beginning of October 1958 with Pan American flying it's first jet service in competition with BOAC using a Boeing 707 three weeks later. The first sustained scheduled jet airline service was by the (then) Soviet Union's Aeroflot airline using Tupolev Tu-104 'Camel' jets (developed from the Tu-16 'Badger' bomber) extensively on internal routes from the summer of 1955.

Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador Airline: Dan-Air London in 1970 (1952) Country: UK 49 passengers 2 Bristol Centaurus engines 240 mph cruise The AS.57 was another of those British airliners designed for the flag carrier (in Europe) BEA. It was introduced in 1952 and taken out of service again temporarily due to problems with the undercarriage. BEA called it the 'Ambassador'. It was quickly replaced with the new Viscount and went on to serve with a handful of holiday airlines, notably, Dan-Air London, Globe Air and Autair. BKS Air Transport of the UK flew it on scheduled services to Europe. thanks to Caz Caswell/AirTeamImages 8-10 Passengers 2 DH Gipsy Queen engines The Dove is a twin-engined piston type and a civil variant of the British military 'Devon' communication aircraft used in the 1960s.

De Havilland D.h.114 Heron Airline: Air Paris in 1970 (1953) 14 Passengers 4 DH Gypsy Queen engines 183 mph cruise Span 71 feet Length 48 feet The Heron was used by many airlines in the 1950s and 1960s. This elegant, slim four-engined airliner was used by BEA on that airline's Scottish islands operations. BUIA, Jersey Airlines, Morton , Martinair and U.A.T. used them too. Even A.N.A. Japanese airlines used them. They can still be found in all parts of the world. In the USA a re-engined version - the Riley Heron -is still operating. De Havilland D.h.106 Comet 1 Airline: Prototype Comet 1 G-ALVG in 1952 40 Passengers 4 DH Ghost engines 465 mph cruise The prototype flew with BOAC's 'Speedbird' logo on the nose. The airspeed indicator probe would be removed when the prototype flew at Farnborough.

The single main-wheels would be replaced with the standard four-wheel bogie when the Comet 1 went into production. After several Comet crashes the entire Comet 1 fleet would be found to have an unsafe pressure hull and withdrawn from use permanently. De Havilland Comet 4 and 4C Airline: Sudan Airways on delivery in 1958 (1958) 84 Passengers Span 115 feet Length 118 feet After the tragic end of the original Comet 1 De Havillands worked to build a new version, taking into account what the jet airliner world had learned from the early cabin failures. The result was the Comet 2 which was used by the RAF and the CAF. The civilian airliner to come next was the Comet 4 in 1958, a long-range improved variant. The Comet 4 and later 4C were used by BOAC and many British Commonwealth airlines and by airlines across the world. The Comet 4 and 4C had unusual fuel pods on the forward tips of the wings, making it a distinctive sight.

Sadly the western world's first jet airliner lost it's place against the newer Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 jets. The Comet 4 series remained in service (with Dan-Air London at Gatwick) until 1980. De Havilland Comet 4B Airline: British European Airways (1959) 84+ Passengers 4 Rolls-Royce Avon engines 535 mph cruise A year after the new Comet 4 had been introduced on BOAC's routes BEA, the European wing of BOAC, wanted a Comet of their own. Until this time BEA had only used turboprop types and a pure-jet was needed to compete with the Caravelle in common use by BEA's European competitors. The Comet 4B variant was flown in 1959 and carried more passengers on medium-haul routes. This version of the Comet 4 did not have the extra fuel pods but had a clean wing. The Comet 4B was designed purely for BEA's route needs and was not used by other airlines.

Douglas DC8-30 series Airline: The prototype DC8 series 30 (1959) 150 Passengers 4 Pratt&Whitney JT4A engines 535 mph cruise Span 142 feet Length 151 feet The DC-8 was Douglas's answer to the Boeing 707. It entered airline service in the same year and had a large customer base among important airlines, especially in the USA. TCA of Canada purchased a fleet of series 40 jets as did KLM and SAS in Europe. Like the Boeing 707-100 the DC8-30/40 was too small and airlines wanted more. But for1959 the original DC-8 was a real success. Fokker F-27 friendship Airline: Iberia with Side Cargo Door in the late 1960s(1959) 40 Passengers 4 Rolls-Royce Dart engines 270 mph cruise The Friendship first entered airline service in 1959. This modern design remains in use today as a feeder-liner and freighter.

It was updated by the 1990s by Fokker as the larger Fokker 50. Sadly Fokker ceased business in the 1990s. Ilyushin IL-18 Airline: Tarom Romanian Airlines in 1982 (1959) 80 Passengers 4 Ivchenko AL20 turboprop engines 420 mph cruise The IL-18 - NATO codename 'Coot' - was introduced in the Aeroflot and Soviet Block airlines in the 1950s replacing the older and smaller IL-14 type. Similar to the Vanguard and L-188 Electra, the IL-18 operated extensively throughout Europe until it's replacement - the Tu-134 jet - came about toward the end of the 1960s.

Lockheed L.1649 Starliner Airline: Lufthansa L-1649C in 1958 (1956) 81 passengers 4 Wright R.3350 piston engines 320 mph cruise Span 150 feet Length 116 feet The 'Starliner' was introduced in 1956 and was the final and largest, fastest of the 'Constellation' series. It was purchased in the couple of years before the first long-range jetliners (like the DC-7C) and so it's life was short-lived in the fleets of the large airlines. This sleek design did not sell as well as the Super-G version. Lockheed L-188 Electra Airline: Lockheed's prototype Electra during trials (1959) 85 Passenger Span 99 feet Length 104 feet The Electra was another of the first-generation turbo-props that came out of the 1950s.

Like most pre-1970s airliners designed in the USA, the L-188 was for the US domestic airline market as a short/medium haul aircraft operating out of smaller airports. It was launched by American Airlines and was used around the world by Qantas and TAA in Australia and KLM in Europe. It flew it's last passenger operation in 2000. It continues to fly the world but in pure-freighter configuration. Saab Scandia Airline: VASP of Brazil used 5 Scandias from 1950 (1949) 2 piston engines The Scandia was a Swedish designed and little used twin-piston engined feeder liner. It was mainly used by SAS in Scandinavia although VASP and Aerovias Brazil used them in small numbers, both within Brazil.

Sud Est 210 Caravelle 3, 6 and 10 Airline: A prototype Caravelle 3 in 1963 (FF: 1956) 70 Passengers 2 Rolls-Royce Avon 531 engines (Caravelle 6R) 525 mph cruise Span 112 feet Length 105 feet The Caravelle was the success story of the French airliner industry which, like Britain, often designed for the French airlines with disastrous commercial consequences. The Caravelle 3 started the run of SE-210 successes ending in the 'Super Caravelle'. Sud Est used the nose of the British Comet 1 jet enabling the French manufacturers to quickly begin experimental Air France flights from 1956. The elegant Caravelle was used right up to the year 2000. The Caravelle was introduced with big fleets by Air Inter and Air France. Many of Europe's airlines used the jet including Sabena, SAS, Luxair, Iberia, Sobelair, Swissair, Alitalia and TAP Air Portugal.

It was first used by a surprising order from United Airlines in America and was used in Latin America by VARIG and other carriers. Sud Est 210 Caravelle 12R Airline: A prototype Caravelle 12Rin 1983 (FF: 1956) The Caravelle 12R was a re-engined version of the 10R and was only sold to France's Air Inter at Orly. This longer and more powerful version of the classic SE-210 was the most attractive model too.. previous models had a fin ridge that ran down the leading edge of the fin and half-way along the top of the fuselage but the Twelve-R variant had a clean fuselage top. Tupolev Tu-104 Airline: Aeroflot in 1968 (FF:1956) 70 Passengers Span 84 feet Length 100 feet The Tu-124 was a smaller version of the Tu-104 jet carrying 26 less passengers. It was not used extensively unlike the 104.

Aeroflot and Interflug - the East German state airline - operated the type as did Iraqi Airways. Vickers v.700 Viscount series Airline: Air France was one of the first to use the type (1953) 48 Passengers 4 Rolls-Royce R Dart R.Da6 engines 315 mph cruise Span 94 feet Length 81 feet The turboprop Viscount first flew in 1953 by BEA and Air France on the Paris-London route and showed itself to be a real winner. It was sought after by airlines across Europe. It was first used in the USA by Capitol Airlines. Lufthansa, KLM, Air Inter, Aer Lingus and Alitalia used it in Europe. In Britain BEA, British Eagle, Cambrian and BKS Air Transport used it for domestic and European routes.

Vickers v.800 Viscount series Airline: BEA series 800 had a larger door for freight (1958) 48 Passengers 4 Rolls-Royce R Dart R.Da6 engines 315 mph cruise BEA was the main user of Viscount 700 series although it was used by many other carriers and was Britain's most successful airliner. Used on every continent in the world. The Viscount 800 series was a larger version and Vickers had also taken the airline users' needs into account when it enlarged the forward port-side hatch allowing the Viscount 800 to be used for freight work as well as passenger flights. The Viscount was used by BEA until the early 1980s and continued to be operated by smaller carriers until the end of the century. thanks to Caz Caswell/AirTeamImages h2g2 - British Airliner Development - Edited Entry British Airliner Development Content from the guide to life, the universe and everything British Airliner Development 1 Conversation As the tide of the Second World War turned in the Allies favour, some eyes were already looking towards peaceful times.

One set of eyes was the committee headed by Lord Brabazon of Tara and they were focused on the civil aircraft scene. The committee saw that Britain's aircraft industry had, by necessity, specialised in warplane production. Promising modern civil designs of the 1930s had been cast aside in the race to defeat Hitler's Luftwaffe and bomb his cities and industry. The USA, on the other hand, had no such specialisation. They had time to develop and prefect civil air transport and looked like cornering the market after the War. Something had to be done about that. The purpose was not to design immediate post-war aircraft, as war surplus equipment and bomber conversions would meet that market. The aim was to develop the next generation of civil aircraft for Britain and the Commonwealth, to improve links and transport quality, to economise and reduce transit times. The Plan The plan was to develop and produce a range of aircraft types that would be useful to the British Civil market and, of course, to the rest of the world. The Americans had a head start, but by using modern technology, the British would give them a run for their money. So advanced were they, that some were before their time and destined to fail.

The biggest failure was the biggest aircraft, the Bristol Brabazon I, which was too advanced for the construction methods of the day. However, much was learnt from it. The US industry was more concerned with developing the old technology to worry about this failure, but the Brits had a few tricks up their sleeve. The De Havilland Comet The DH106 Comet was the world's first jet airliner. Powered by four Rolls-Royce Ghost turbojets, it was designed to fly high and fast. High meant flying above bad weather and air turbulence, fast meant getting there in less time; New York was only twelve hours flying time away from London instead of eighteen hours by piston-engines competitors. This was a dead cert to win long and medium distance routes. The competition at the time were all US aircraft, developed from wartime transports and bombers. 27,000 295 It had four-engine safety, as had the others, and looked like a world leader when it entered service with BOAC 1 in 1952. Unfortunately, it was let down by poor technology, not in its engines, but in the pressurised fuselage.

Geoffrey De Havilland insisted on square windows to be different from the round portholes of the US competition and this proved to be the downfall of the design. There were some pilot error accidents that could be put down to lack of familiarisation with a pioneering design but there were a number of unexplained accidents with the aircraft disintegrating in mid-air. Services were suspended. After much investigation and testing, it was found that the thin exterior skin of the aircraft was subject to metal fatigue 2 . Stresses built up due to the pressurisation-depressurisation cycle during landing and take-off and cracks developed from the corner of one of the square cabin windows which lead to a catastrophic depressurisation; it literally blew itself to pieces in the air. After redesign, it was reintroduced in 1958, but it now had a reputation. In the meantime, the Boeing 707, the first US jet airliner had entered service with a similar performance, followed by the Douglas DC 8 of similar appearance and technological superiority 3 . The 707 and Boeing never looked back as the Comet slid into the also-ran's place.

Only 69 improved Comet 4s were built, a victim of pioneering design. Note - Both designs are still going strong as military aircraft. The Comet 4 was the basis for the RAF's Nimrod Maritime Reconnaissance and Patrol aircraft and the Boeing 707 is the basis for the E3 AWACS aircraft used by the USAF and NATO. The Vickers Viscount Another Brabazon design was for a medium range turboprop. Vickers developed their Model 609 carrying 32 passengers powered by four Rolls-Royce Dart turboprops. It was redesignated the Model 630 and given the name Viscount. Once again, it was a first, the first turboprop airliner to enter service. Unfortunately, by the time it was ready for airline use in 1950, it was not an economical aircraft in terms of passenger capacity, so Vickers 'stretched' it to carry 53 and redesignated it the Type 700. This was the winner that entered service in 1953. Vickers had also incorporated modifications to allow it to be used in the USA and the US operators snapped it up.

It was a success, 436 being built and operated by 60 companies in 40 countries. The last one left the production line in 1964 and most lasted until the mid-70s in commercial service. Some are still being used as executive transports. The Bristol Britannia This was the long-range turboprop airliner of the Brabazon committee's types. It was designed closely to BOAC's requirements but, unlike the Viscount, it had developmental problems, some of which were linked to the requirement for an alternative piston-engined design and some to icing of the four Rolls-Royce Proteus engines. As the design progressed, the capacity rose from only 36 passengers to 90 but by the time of its introduction into service in 1956, the writing was already on the wall for long range propeller airliners. It was a handsome aircraft, of that there was little doubt, but looks do not win orders. Only 85 were built. After BOAC service most survived as charter aircraft (Britannia Airways started with them), some as freighters into the mid-70s and the last survivor flew into preservation in 1997.

Note - Once again, the military aspects have been more successful. Canadair built a model of the Britannia, the CL 44 which, as the CC106 Yukon, were used as freighters by the RCAF. This was developed into the CP 107 Argus Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft, although re-engined with piston-engines for low speed economy. This was replaced by the CP 140 Aurora which is a Canadian version of the Lockheed P3 Orion, itself a development of the Lockheed L188 Electra airliner! The Result Once again, the British paid the price for being innovative. The other big problem was that, apart from Vickers, the design companies stuck to BOACs requirements, which made them less competitive in the World Market. They were aiming for only one market. Boeing, on the other hand, had a basic design that could be tailored to the customer's requirements and so were able to adapt to the changing demands of their customers. Thus the Brits lost again – or did they? Our aircraft did have an aesthetic appeal that some of the US aircraft lacked.

Let us take pride in the fact that the first, and still only, supersonic transport had a great deal of our research. technology and skills incorporated in it. At least we did it with the French and not the USA. Vive le Concorde 4 . And that looks good too! 1 British Overseas Airways, the national international carrier, which combined with BEA (British European Airways), the domestic carrier, to form British Airways in 1974. 2 The Vickers Valiant (in service from 1955), one of the trio of V Bombers, was designed at the same time as the Comet and it too suffered from metal fatigue, this time in the wing main spar. It was discovered by routine testing in 1965 after the role was changed to Low Level Penetration and withdrawn before any accidents occurred. 3 This Researcher thinks that, despite the technology, the Comet was by far the most aesthetic of these aircraft. 4 Also known, in France, as l'oiseau magique (the magic bird) apparently.

Question: What was the name of the first turbo prop airliner, built in 1950?
Answer: Vickers Viscount