British European Airways Ambassador

I flew in a Dan-Air Ambassador in 1968 (ish) London Gatwick to Ostend, return. it was the first time I can remember flying, although I went to Jersey on a BMA Herald the year before. I cannot remember the interior colour, but i do remember clouds of smoke on starting, and a guage on the nacelle side, which my dad told my (I think jokingly) was the fuel guage!

The return flight was delayed by engine trouble at Ostend (6 hours I think) but the Ambassador has always been a favourite ever since. Happy days of seeing Autair ones flying at Luton too 🙂

Great Elizabethan flight and interior footage in the film ” Innocents in Paris “…
sadly all in black and white…..

Used to see Autair ones at Blackpool when I was very young. Still remember the clouds of smoke when they started up.

I’ve also got a copy of the flight manual… rather more manuals have survived than aircraft, it seems.

Last time I saw a picture of the Duxford Ambassador it had been partially repainted into Dan-Air colours. Is this still the plan, or are you going for BEA now? Is there an ETA for the finished resto?

All built at Christchurch – brief production details on my website at this page..
http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/ah1900/dhprod.html

As a small child I watched them taking off and landing over our house – about 200 yards from the western end of the Christchurch runway.
Bearing in mind they were a comparatively large aircraft compared with Christchurch’s usual traffic then(1948- mid 50s)…they seemed quite specatcular.

An early sale from BEA was to Butler Air Transport (Australia)…Shell Aviation had a couple…Globe Air Switzerland had some

There seem to be plenty of manuals around.

I too have a very good copy – I think we have two sets at the museum as well!

Bruce

Decca Navigator operated one (G-ALZP). I remember seeing that regularly at Gatwick in the 1960s. Autair also operated a number of them.

With only 23 aircraft built I wonder how many copies of the Aircraft Manual were printed? And would this account for my copy of the Vol 1 being mint with no amendments or copy issue number (ie never issued)?

In short,
23 built all for BEA Elizabethan Class use to a Brabazon Commitee spec (which I can’t remember).
All were built by Airspeed at Christchurch
BKS and Shell Aviation were other post BEA UK operators, ISTR a handful were used by small European operators and Jordanian A/F.
There were proposals for production turbo-prop models, including Bristol Proteous and Theseus powered types. A couple of Ambassadors were converted as turbo-prop test-beds, G-AKRD for the Bristol Proteus, and RR Tyne & Dart, and G-ALFR with Napiers for the Eland

Lovely aircraft and hope to see some pics of the resto here

Edit Brab spec was IIA, AM spec C.25/43

Ambassador/Elizabethan

I was pondering the other day about the Ambassador which was referred to as the Elizabethan by BEA.

How many Ambassadors were built? Were they all built by Airspeed at Christchurch

Was BEA the only operator of this aircraft before selling them on to Dan-Air. Who else operated them?

Were there any proposals to convert these aircraft into a turboprop version as was done to th HP Herald

It was looking very nice when I last had a look round last month. Will it be “open” to the public when it is finished? I fondly recall flights to Newcastle in the mid-60s…..lovely aircraft.:)

Christopher……….

Firstly welcome to the Forum. Secondly congratulations on being involved with the restoration of the Ambassador, a truly beautiful iconic British aircraft. Looking forward to seeing the result of yours (and other peoples) efforts next time I visit Duxford.

Now I have a couple of suggestions:-
British Airways Museum at Heathrow, full of helpful people. http://www.britishairways.com/travel/museum-collection/public/en_gb
Second idea is this company: http://www.contour.aero/aboutus/index.php?contentID=20 It is possible Rumbold may have been involved with furnishing the original aircraft. Rumbold is a constituent part of Contour: perhaps they have a company archive?

Good luck with the work. Please let us know what success you have.

Planemike