Britannia XM497 “Schedar” of RAF Transport Command, photographed at Embakasi (Nairobi) during the Zambia Oil Lift in 1965.

Canadair produced a piston engined maritime recce aircraft based on the Brit, it was the CL-28 Argus. 33 were built for the RCAF. They also built the CL-44 which would have had Orion engines, but as development was cancelled they were Proteus powered. 12 were built to equip 437 Sqn RCAF and named Yukon. They were followed by 28 CL-44D with a swing tail They were initially operated by Seaboard World, Flying Tiger and Slick Airways. There were 2 unbuilt Bristol projects, the Type 189, a maritime recce aircraft for RAF Coastal Command to replace the Shackleton, dropped in favour of the Nimrod and a cargo aircraft, the type 195, which would have been called “Britannic” which eventually ended up as the Belfast.

The Brit was a really nice aeroplane. I flew from Lyneham to Singapore in RAF Brits a number of times, they were quiet, comfortable aircraft and had very good reliability once the engine icing problems were overcome. RAF Brits had the seats facing backwards, which was standard RAF procedure in those days. I also flew Nairobi – Gatwick – Nairobi over Christmas 1965 in a Transglobe Brit, also a very good trip.

I’m working on cleaning up some Britannia Pics at the moment, when I’ve got them done I’ll post them on this thread.

The Orion was a straight through flow engine with a free power turbine,(that is the Turbine which drives the prop is not mechanically connected to the gas generating part of the engine). It was being developed because the Proteus engines in the Britannia were insufficiently powerful to get the best from the aircraft, not to mention the fact that they had an icing problem caused by the reverse flow layout. Both the RAF and BOAC were operating the Brit with the Proteus. The Ministry of Supply decided to order the RAF second batch of Britannia’s with the Proteus, and BOAC decided that they did not want to continue alone and requested to be removed from their obligations to support development funding. So basically with all funding removed from the project in 1958, it was cancelled. The Tyne which was also being developed (and funded by the MoS) at the same time benefitted from the decision and development work continued on it with successful results.

There was originally funding for 6 prototypes for bench and flight testing, the first bench run was on 10 Dec 1955, and the first flight test was on 31 August 1956 in the port outer position on G-ALBO.

I last saw the Orion in that location in G-ALBO at St Athan in December 1963. G-ALBO was broken up at St Athan sometime later, what happened to the engine I don’t know.

I got the sad news from Ali’s wife a couple of days ago and am very sad. I knew Ali very well. We met on this forum, and we met up on a number of occasions, I stayed overnight with the family before the East Fortune meet up. We spent most of the evening exploring the watering holes of his home town. I am going to miss him greatly, he had the ability to listen to this old mans “war stories” without yawning.

KeithMac

Back in the old days when there were lots of RAF stations and lots of airmen, an LAC was posted to a quiet little station somewhere in England. On arrival he was told that he would become the SWO’s runner. (The Station Warrant Officers messenger). The SWO’s brief was simple. 07:30 arrive at SHQ. 07:31 fill kettle and put on to boil. 07:32 fill watering can and water the garden outside the HQ. 07:50 brew tea. 07:55 pour SWO’s tea, milk, one sugar. 07:56 place tea on SWO’s desk for his arrival at 08:00. The LAC follows this routine for a week, and is doing well until friday morning when the heavens open and the rain pours down. Good he thinks, just the tea to make. The SWO arrives at 08;00 as usual. “Made the tea laddie?” “Yes Sir!”, “Watered the garden?” “No Sir!”, “Why bloody not?” “It’s thowing it down outside Sir” “You’ve got a bloody raincoat hav’nt you”.

G-AHLL certainly did’nt survive, it was broken up for spares in February 1960. G-AJXB went to Sweden in August 1956 and became SE-BCU, after that who knows?

KeithMac

There are a few to choose from. ND784 had an Armstrong Siddeley Mamba mounted in the nose in 1947. NG465 had a RR Dart in the nose from 1947 through to 1954. SW342 also had a Mamba in the nose in 1952.

KeithMac