Know Your Airliners 1950s

The Cl-44 was quite unreliable mostly due to the TYnes. Lack of spares and high cost because there was never a long run made things expensive

Frankenstein term was in no way saying it was bad..just that it was made up of re emgineer bits..I never said it was bad.

The CL-44 is one of my favourite props and I have enjoyed making models for Flight Simulation.

The C-4/North Star, CL-44 and Argus were all mde up from re engineered existing parts.

Little bit unkind Garry to call them Frankenstein, they just improved on already good designs. The CL44 was a great workhorse and a pleasure to fly in.[ATTACH=CONFIG]230600[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]230601[/ATTACH]

They continued with the C-44. Tyne engnes added to an Argus wing and using the Argus tail and tailplane mated to a re engineered fuse based on the unbuilt Britannia 400 with help from Bristol

The Argus had used a re engineered, Britannia wing, tail and tailplane with a Britannia type re fuse and a new short nose section with a Convairliner cockpit canopy. All pulled along with piston engines.

They made Frankenstein aeroplanes.

please post photos of progress with the North Star.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/rcaf-north-star-slowly-starts-to-twinkle-again

Hi Argonaut

The above in yesterday’s Ottawa Citizen. Thought you would be interested
Regards
Bill

Thanks for update on North Star, good to see it looking so good now. Keep us updated if you can.

Regards

Bill

Some were…the C-54GM/DC 4M-1 (RCAF) was and some surpluss DC 4 componants were used.. The Canadair C-4/DC 4M-2 (TCA,CPA,BOAC) was a pressurised version using a shortened re engineered DC 6 fuselage to which the DC 4 empenange and nose were added.. Very much a hybrid. The whole aircraft was re engineered rather than just a Merlin powered DC 4 built in Canada.

Seems like a complicated way of going about things, I get the impression they may have learned from the British.

And last two –

[ATTACH=CONFIG]228701[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]228702[/ATTACH]

Super Constellation and Mk1 Heron? The latter I’m sure of, the former I know is one of the constellation family but I’m not sure which.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]228535[/ATTACH] A pity that Fokker no longer make aircraft like this, they were so successful.

Good looking aircraft too. The rot started after they introduce the F28.

I like that last one. Made my firs flight in one of those! Same colours as well (G-AKIF).

I flew in G-AKIF on June 15.

I don’t know if you know, Mr Tenthije, but it is now operated out of Duxford by Classic Wings. I take my class of 11-year-old boys on it every year and they love it.

please post photos of progress with the North Star.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/rcaf-north-star-slowly-starts-to-twinkle-again

Hi Argonaut

The above in yesterday’s Ottawa Citizen. Thought you would be interested
Regards
Bill

That is good news Roborough, the last photos that I saw of the North Star it looked a bit sad. It is a pity that the last Canadair 4/ North Star/ Argonaut in the UK was chopped up after use by BOAC as a training aircraft for apprentices and later by LHR fire service. Photo attached of G-ALHJ in the maintenance area at LHR,
please post photos of progress with the North Star.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]228954[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]228955[/ATTACH]

Regards

Bill

Yes, it is great shame the is airframe was broken up. It served with East African Airways thoughout most of 1958.

Would have been great to see it preserved in its EAAC livery (VP-KOT)………

Planemike

There’s some lovely artwork there.

Roy Cross certainly portrayed the aircraft well, in their various locations, this book certainly inspired me about aviation. It brought great pleasure to a school boy and I still enjoy these images.

Roy Cross I believe…who is perhaps most famous for the 1960’s Airfix boxart paintings.

It’s not just about drawing an image…Roy has that magical ability to install feeling and memories into his work…it lives

Whoever did all those drawings is a maestro!

The last North Star to cross the Atlantic was CF-SVP-X (ex RCAF 17514) which was modified for research, photographed in Shannon in 1967.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]228965[/ATTACH]

I think the fuse was still short but it used similar engines to the Six and adopted the fin rudder profile of that type, Not sure about the tailplanes though, if they were 4 like or 6 like.

An interesting and unique aircraft was the Canadair C5 10000 which was basically a DC-6, it served as a VIP transport with the RCAF for many years, then sold as N17599 and was broken up at Long Beach, California. It had Pratt & Whitney engines, would have been interesting if they had put RR Griffons on it !

[ATTACH=CONFIG]228960[/ATTACH]

Correct, the Argonaut was a Canadair built DC-4 with Merlin engines.

Some were…the C-54GM/DC 4M-1 (RCAF) was and some surpluss DC 4 componants were used.. The Canadair C-4/DC 4M-2 (TCA,CPA,BOAC) was a pressurised version using a shortened re engineered DC 6 fuselage to which the DC 4 empenange and nose were added.. Very much a hybrid. The whole aircraft was re engineered rather than just a Merlin powered DC 4 built in Canada.

That is good news Roborough, the last photos that I saw of the North Star it looked a bit sad. It is a pity that the last Canadair 4/ North Star/ Argonaut in the UK was chopped up after use by BOAC as a training aircraft for apprentices and later by LHR fire service. Photo attached of G-ALHJ in the maintenance area at LHR,
please post photos of progress with the North Star.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]228954[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]228955[/ATTACH]

Regards

Bill

Thanks Argonaut, I have greatly enjoyed your postings over the past few weeks. Brought back happy memories of my first visit to Heathrow in 1958 when I saw many of the airliners featured in your post for the first time.
You will no doubt be happy to learn that our North Star (alas, not an Argonaut) is returning to good health here in Canada thanks to Project North Star. The cockpit and most of the inside has been renovated, and 3 of the powerplant assemblies. The windows are to be refurbished this summer.
Best Regards
Bill