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Aviation History
1948
1948 - 0005.PDF
JANUARY IST, 1948 One of Britain's proudest achievements was the Airspeed Ambassador (two Bristol Centaurus), selected late in the year as equipment for British European Airways. For sheer refinement of design this elegant machine is likely to remain unchallenged for a considerable time. Widespread regret was occasioned by the abandonment —not on technical grounds—of the Cunliffe-Owen Con- cordia feeder liner, though the lack of this type will be offset by the introduction of the Percival Prince, similarly powered with two Alvis Leonides engines, during the pre- sent year. The smaller Gipsy-powered Mergauser was fly- ing during the latter half of 1947, while Short Brothers were putting the finishing touches to the Sealand—a machine which, in many respects, may be considered as an amphibian counterpart of this type. Miles aircraft of the year included the four-engined Merchantman, a larger machine following the Aerovan formula, and the M.68, a light freighter, having a detachable "box-car" fuselage. Marathons were in production for the short-range services of British European Airways, but not, as had at one time been planned, with Armstrong-Siddeley Mamba gas tur- bines. Four D.H. Gipsy Queens are fitted. S.R.45 takes Shape the Saunders-Roe factory at Cowes, the hull of the t S.R.45 transoceanic flying boat (ten Proteus gas tur- IMes) began to take form. Meanwhile, the second Shet- land, a joint product of Short and Saunders Roe, was flown. The first of a series of Short Solents, smaller boats than the Shetland and more closely akin to the well-established Hythe, set out on a proving flight during December. The only new types of light aircraft which materialized An imaginative " utility " transport was the Miles Mer- A Short Solent, as shown above, was engaged on a proving flight g cbantman, demonstrated at Radlett. /ate '" the ££• h BeJ0W Is ** ,Perj"al Merganser, an attract™ 1 OA7 product for feeder-line or charter work. Encouraging results were obtained with the Avro Tudor IV (four R-R. Merlin) on the South Atlantic route of B.S.A.A.
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