1950's/60's Archive Part 32:Airspeed Ambassador

Photographed from the eastern edge of the ground enclosure, Heathrow Central ca.1955-1957 from the white-tail Argonauts on the Northside?

Another Ambassador with G-ALZZ of BEA at what appears to be Heathrow in late 50s/early 60s.

Nice pictures – thankyou- brings back memories. I lived almost at the end of the runway at Christchurch where (and when )they were built.
and one here…
http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/airfields/xch.html

Brilliant pics. and resume of the Gliding facilities at Christchurch….
I was there in 1958 on a CCF school gliding week. Squ.Leader Hayter was OC. and ran a very tight and disciplined course. We used to be hawsered up to circa 1000ft and then, at the sink rate of a brick, in a T21, be taught to circuit and land land without breaking anything.
Great fun, especially the first solo, downwind over Muddeford creek and hearing S/Ldr Hayter shouting instrucions with his tin mega phone from the ground.
Passed out in 5 days and received the coveted license from Lord Brabazon of Tara. (not in person mind you)
Anyone else remember being on one of the gliding courses ?

True: we had discontinued Tweed, Clyde, downgraded/delayed effort on Napier and ASM schemes, all to concentrate resources on military turbojets. 4xMamba had been the original intention on AS.57 and I believe wing fixtures were designed in. Mamba effort was prioritised into BPA Balliol intended as standard trainer, and then into its gearbox/Double form for Gannet. Not only Airspeed, but AWA’s Apollo (Brabazon Type IIC) suffered.

Theseus would have been ideal in size and power for the Ambassador, the larger Proteus was available aswel.
I’m guessing a Mamba powered variant would have had to have been a four engined type (like the A.W.55 Apollo), even then I would think power was bit on the low side.
Obviously Ken knows alot more, but it seems that not enough urgency was given to turbo-prop developmemt in those crucial early years, it’s cited extra complexity and the comparitive ready availability of piston engines seems to have in the end been a negative route to have followed

But which turboprop of sufficient power would have been ready for a production Turbo-Ambassador, Ken?

Elegant, but Commercial Failure. Why?

If it looks right, it is right…unless A.E.Hagg (D.H.91 Albatross), G.H.Miles (Monitor), Geo.DH (Don), or Roy Fedden (early Centaurus) are involved. All were on AS.57.

Late-1942. UK forms an MAP Committee to recommend what to do with Aero in Peace. The only civil experience then available was on Rapide. Paddies pouring concrete over England: some – Bovingdon, Dunsfold, Hartfordbridge Flats, Shepherd’s Grove? – would replace Croydon’s grass bowl (odd, innit?, that we chose to pour expensive new concrete in W.Sussex instead). Something bigger, powerful, pressurised would link London and Paris post-War. Officials still trembled at the pain of 1937 attempts to produce Hyper engines (Deerhound? Vulture? Sabre?) and were distressed at R.1830, C-47 (and, blandly unaware: C-46). Nonetheless they defined a “Continental” (Brabazon Type II).

Bristol’s controlling family did not appoint their Designer to the Main Board, so he became Special Technical Advisor to the Minister, and pressed on Brabazon the prowess of his Centaurus as eminently matching Pratt. He caused it to be selected for Mark I Transatlantic T.167 Brabazon. Geo.DH was added to the Committee,2/6/43. In May,1940 he had taken control of little Fokker-licencee Airspeed, where Hagg, who had fallen out with him at DH Aircraft Co., became Chief Designer. In February,1944 Study funds were released to DH/Airspeed for (to be AS.57) Continental, 15/9/44 prototype funded as Type IIA, Centaurus in Mark I, ASM Mamba in Mark II. Mamba was also assigned to the Study order placed 19/4/45 with Weybridge for Type IIB, VC2, prototype funding 9/3/46, V.609 Viceroy.

After Miles folded G.H replaced Hagg as DH/Airspeed Chief Designer; new BEAC entrusted their future to him, ordering 20 AS.57 22/9/48. VC2 was rejected, as was Mamba AS.57 Mark II, because the unknown of turbines was not worth any potential gain. Between then and BEAC’s order 3/8/50 for 28 V.701 Viscount, turboprops prevailed over pistons. In that time DH became awash with work. Christchurch’s design and production resources were put into 2-seat/NF Vampires and Venoms. AS.57 simply slipped off the business radar. The obvious step of hanging turboprops was made only as Flying Test Beds. Massive missed opportunity, caused by military priority on Korean War work.

Fantastic shots of the most elegant British airliner, thanks again for posting. I’ve never seen a photo of a Royal Jordanian Ambassador befoe.

Such a beautiful, long-lost machine. Thanks again for another fine album!

As others have said, great shots! Would I be right in thinking the Jordanian and Decca airframes are one in the same?

Indeed they are but the question is did it go to Jordan? AJJ’s BCA indicates it did not go but did go to Morroco as CN-MAK.

Planemike

As everybody has said, it was a really elegant design and I hope I’m around long enough to see the Duxford example in the open air once again. By the way why were so many of the shots at Cambridge? I assume Marshalls must have taken on the work but did they also have the design authority?

Regarding their visits to Cambridge the BKS aircraft were regular visitors at Cambridge on horse charters in connection with racing at Newmarket as were the Dan Air aircraft on other charters. The BEA aircraft were stored at Cambridge when withdrawn by BEA. The Jordanian and Norronafly aircraft were worked on by Marshalls at Cambridge.

As others have said, great shots! Would I be right in thinking the Jordanian and Decca airframes are one in the same?

Great photos. One of my favorite propliners of the era.

Moze

As everybody has said, it was a really elegant design and I hope I’m around long enough to see the Duxford example in the open air once again. By the way why were so many of the shots at Cambridge? I assume Marshalls must have taken on the work but did they also have the design authority?

The landing photo looks very like the favourite spotting position alongside the then A30 just SW of Hatton Cross. The children and the bikes casually thrown down look very familiar!!

Indeed an elegant aeroplane, if ever I saw one, and look at all that S…..P…..A…….C…….E at Heathrow !!!!

Planemike

Thanks for these pics. The Ambassador was one of the most elegant aircraft ever.

Nice pictures – thankyou- brings back memories. I lived almost at the end of the runway at Christchurch where (and when )they were built.

A couple of pictures of the prototype on my website here….
http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/ah1900/dhprod.html

and one here…
http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/airfields/xch.html

Yes, a sad day. I am sure it was BKS with which I flew Ambassadors ( Elisabethans ) London to Woolsington in the mid-60s, just before it was withdrawn for psassengers and used only for horses.

Those takes you back! I can remember the Butler Air Services ones making a bit of a stir with the spotters at London Airport. As I recall, there were 3 of them there at one time.
The BKS one that crashed at Heathrow (London Airport!) I saw on it’s final approach, while at Kew Gardens. The accident was caused by the failure of a flap actuating rod, which caused it to roll uncontrollably just before touchdown. It then careered into the Central Area, hitting parked BEA Tridents. It’s cargo was race horses, which BKS often ferried around.