Experimental DC3

Here are the rest of the phots.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]239916[/ATTACH]

That is definitely Bitteswell. You can clearly see the wood fuel for the boilers. Hangar 5 (old site) to the background.

What’s the duct exiting below the engine? I thought that the tires were going to get hot if that was the exhaust, but then I see from the top view the exhaust is out the top like the Andover.

They are factory photos from Armstrong Sidderley, I don’t know if they have been published anywhere else, but they have the factory stamp on the back.

Nice pix of it.

Chris

Here are the rest of the phots.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]239915[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]239916[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]239917[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]239918[/ATTACH]

I’ve not had time to scan the other pictures yet, late home from work all this week.

Definitely the Mamba Dakota, the serial number KJ839 is clearly readable.

Correction

I have been corrected on my statement in the previous post regarding the origins of the TAC Mamba. It did, in fact, originate from the AS Apollo aircraft.

However, it’s the same engine and the same propeller. 25 intervening years have dimmed the memory somewhat!

Anon.

Look like Mamba’s to me. There’s no intake for the oil cooler at the top of the inlet, which is a characteristic of the Dart engine.

The Aeroplane Collection (TAC) were donated one of these engines, which had, subsequent to its use in the DC-3, been in use in a test cell at Cranfield College but had suffered a turbine shaft rear bearing failure. I went along with Graham Sparkes and had a great day out recovering the engine and propeller to take back to our (then) base at Warmingham, Cheshire.

We built a stand for it and carried out some cleaning and restoration before the group moved, the engine going on long loan to the Midland Aircraft Museum at Coventry, where it still resides.

Anon.

Nice article all about it on FlightGlobal.

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1949/1949%20-%201606.html

well spotted

Take a look at the wheel chocks – they are marked “A S Mamba”. This would make it KJ839, which made its first flight with Mambas at Bitteswell on 27th August 1949.

could well be Mambas , they don’t look at all like the Dart installations I remember

Possibly Bagington or Bitteswell.?

John

Thanks my mate was given correct info.

I have 4 more of these when I get around to scanning them.

My mate who passed these to me was told they were engine experiments at Hucknal.

Chris

The experiments at Hucknall were with a DC3 fitted with RR Darts.

Any idea where the photos where taken?

Eventually put back to pistons and sold. Was still active as N479H in 1995.
FAA registration expired in 202 and last seen as a sign at Weeks’ Fantasy of Flight in nose down pose.
Anyone know if it’s still there?

Three other lend lease C-47s were fitted with Darts, KB829, G-ALXN and G-AMDB.

I’ll scan the rest when I get time.

Armstrong-Siddeley’s Mamba test bed. A-S later did the Twin Mamba, which went on to greater things in the Gannet.

Great shots – thanks for posting!

Edit: just realised if it’s Hucknall then those are Darts, not Mambas (which I’d guess would have been tested mainly at Baginton?).