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Aviation History
1958
1958-1- - 0304.PDF
308 MIX Bristol Britannia 314. Bristol Aircraft, Ltd. Filton House, Filton, Bristol. Telephone: Filton 3831 British Aircraft 1958 Bristol Britannia 320 (drawing below) Powerplonc Four Bristol Proteus 765 Span 142ft 3iin Length 124ft 3in Grow weight 180,0001b Cruising speed 357 m.p.h. c Britannia 32O Series This newly an-nounced development of the standard production Britannia incorporates a number of improvementson the 310 series, in particular with regard to its powerplant. The version of the Bristol Proteuswhich is fitted to the 320 is the 765, developing 4,445 eii.p. compared with the 4,120 e.pJi. of the755. All differences between the 320 and the 310 are mostly of a kind that can be progressivelyincorporated on the 310 production line; and it is likely that later 310 deliveries will be at theweight, tankage and modification standard of the 320 specification, which includes all alterationsnecessary for compliance with American air- worthiness requirements. The 320 is in fact a refinement of the 310,incorporating the experience of more than 70,000 hours of Britannia airline operations. To dateBritannias have been in service with B.O.A.C. (15 Britannia 102s, introduced on February 1,1957, and 18 Britannia 312s, all but two of the latter having been delivered); El Al, threeBritannia 313s and one 300-series on lease from Bristol until delivery of a fourth 313; CanadianPacific Airlines, six Britannia 314s; Aeronaves de Mexico, 2 Britannia 300-series; Air Charter ofLondon, 1 Britannia 300-series. Other commer- cial operators still awaiting delivery are Hunting-Clan, two 317s; Cubana, four 318s; a British independent under trooping contract to theMinistry of Supply, three. Total number of Britannias of all types now delivered or on orderamounts to 76. Main production at present is for Royal AirForce Transport Command, for whom 20 series- 250 aircraft are in production. These are mili-tary versions of the commercial airliner, differing notably in the provision of a strong floor forfreight and heavy equipment, and an enlarged forward freight-loading door. The manufacture ofthese aircraft is the responsibility of the second- source Britannia production line of ShortBrothers and Harland, Ltd., at Belfast. Deliv- eries to the Britannia squadron of Royal Air Force Bristol Britannia 253 model. Transport Command will permit operations tobegin in April next year; the contract for all 20 aircraft should be completed by about October,1960, i.e. at a rate of about one aircraft per month. Further development of the Britannia dependsupon the potential of the Proteus turboprop, and also to a considerable degree upon the airlineindustry's recognition of a need for two basic price levels in air transport, not so much to reflectdifferences in the operating cost of turbojets and turboprops, but more to reflect the difference inthe quality of service which each offers. So far as the Proteus is concerned, Bristol Aero-Enginescan foreseee as a commercially feasible prospect take-off powers of 5,000 h.p. The record of thisengine in airline service ever since the early icing difficulties were mastered has been remarkable:within 18 months of its entry into scheduled air- line service in February, 1957, the Proteus 705engine of the Britannia 102 attained a life- between-overhauls of 1,600 hr, with trials cur-rently proceeding towards an early extension to 1,900 hr. This record has not been achieved byany other engine in airline service, and is par- ticularly noteworthy in view of the fact that theProteus is the most powerful engine in airline service in the Western world. Total fuel capacity of the Britannia 320 is8,580 Imp. gal, distributed as follows: centre tank, 1,230 gal; inboard tanks, 1,670 gal; outboardtanks, 1,545 gal. The maximum-payload stage length of the 320, with fuel reserves, is more than4,500 st. miles. Maximum payload capacity, as in the 310, is 28,000 lb; and standard seating accom-modation is for 110 passengers six abreast. Maxi- mum economy class seating layout provides for133 passengers. The total capacity of the two main underflow freight holds amounts to 829 cuft (386 cu ft forward hold, 443 cu ft rear hold). The cabin and the freight holds are pressuredtc a maximum differential pressure of 8.3 lb/sq in, permitting a cabin altitude of 6,000ft to bemaintained at a cruising height of 35,OOOft. Compressed air for pressurization and air con-
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