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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 1384.PDF
While the Martin 2-0-2 was the first post-war US. civil transport (that shown is a 2-0-2A) the Super DC-3 (below) is a rebuilt basic design of 1930. COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT TODAY . .. Convair Turbo-Liner. Although only one example of the type is flying—and that purely on experimental work—the Turbo- Liner deserves a mention as having been the first gas-turbine-powered transport of American design. The present example was once a standard model 240 which was purchased by the Allison division of General Motors for use as a test-bed for the T-38 turboprop; much use has also been made of the aircraft as an operational test vehicle for fundamental turbine-transport research. The high-pressure T-38 units, of some 2,750 h.p. each, drive four-blade Aeroproducts airscrews and are each fed from a large intake above the cowling. The Turbo-Liner is similar in general dimensions and weights to model 240. Typical performance: cruising speed, 310 m.p.h. at 25,000ft; initial rate of climb, 1,940ft per min. There is nothing else quite like the Auster AmbulancefFreighter. Bristol 171 Mk.3 (above) and Bristol 173 (prototype, below). Rewarding numbers of Martin 4-0-4s (above) have been built. The Lodestar (below, in the livery of E.A.A.C.) is invaluable to many operators, but will soon have to give way to more modern aircraft. Jl^k. ' ^i 1 !•*_•"' * Tm#***t^^^ • •F Convair Canso. Examples of this familiar amphibian are still to be found on both freight and passenger work, particularly in Canada, South America, and the Far East. Seating can be provided for up to 22 passengers. Similarly powered to the DC-3 with two Twin Wasps, the Canso does not present speed as a characteristic; range, duration, seaworthiness and the ability to handle heavy and bulky loads more than make up for the deficiency. Span, 104ft; length (usually), 68ft 7in; wing area, 1,400 sq ft; weight empty, about 19,000 lb; gross weight, 30,5001b; typical performance: range of 3,000 miles at 125 m.p.h. at 10,000ft with payload of 4,400 lb. Convair Catalina. The foregoing applies equally to the "Cat," from which the Canso was developed. Not being fitted with landing gear, the Catalina can carry rather heavier loads than can the amphibian; general performance is, however, much the same. The type is found based as far apart as Iceland and Thailand and will doubtless continue to be seen for at least five more years. Curtiss Commando. This bulky aircraft is associated with the American "non-sked" operators, for whom it is a standard work-horse. Numerous scheduled services are also flown by Commandos, in many parts of the world; two large users of the type are Slick Airways, of San Antonio, Texas, and the Flying Tiger Line, of Los Angeles. Unfortunate accidents have resulted in protracted litigation in the U.S.A. concerning the whole future of "non-sked" operations; a by-product of this has been a reduc tion in the certified gross weight for the Commando (from 45,000 lb) to a figure (quoted below) which has been pronounced as uneconomic by several operators affected. Clearly, however, there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the aircraft and some hundreds are daily in use with high utilization figures. Power is provided by two Cyclone 14s giving up to 3,400 h.p. between them; passenger seating is normally restricted to 40, but some Commandos have certainly carried as many as 55 on occasions. Span, 108ft lin; length, 76ft 4in; wing area, 1,360 sq ft; weights (typical), empty, 29,500 lb; loaded, 40,000 lb (U.S.A.) or 45,000 or 50,000 lb. Typical performance: range of 1,600 miles at 220 m.p.h. at 10,000ft with 12,000 lb payload. Douglas DC-3 and derivatives. A book could be (and, we hope, will be) written about this most ubiquitous of all transports. Some are in daily use with upwards of 40,000 hr in their log books, and total production of the type (excluding those built in the U.S.S.R. and Japan) exceeded 10,000—several thousand of which are still in use, mainly on scheduled airline services. Engineering features hardly need be described, but there exist several modified versions which are worthy of mention. British European Airways will shortly have converted their entire passenger DC-3 fleet to Pionair standard; this involves a rebuilding of the cockpit for two-man crew operation, with British equipment used throughout. Further changes in the Pionair include the use of a very light, comfortable double seat, bringing the accommodation up to 32 passengers, and the installa tion of a built-in stairway on the downward-folding cabin door. Other DC-3 "mods" include the B.E.A. installation of Dart 504 turboprops on two freighters to gain operating experience with
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