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Airspeed AS-57 Ambassador

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Aircaft in Detail

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Development

Entwicklung

 

The Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador is a twin piston-engined airliner that was designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Airspeed Ltd. It was one of the first postwar airliners to be produced.

The Ambassador was developed in response to a requirement identified by the Brabazon Committee for a twin-engined short-to-medium-haul airliner as a replacement for the Douglas DC-3. Airspeed assembled a design team in 1943, which initially worked on a smaller proposal powered by Bristol Hercules radial engines; this was quickly superseded by a larger capacity design aimed at better fulfilling the expansion in postwar civil air travel.

On 10 July 1947, the first prototype Ambassador conducted its maiden flight; a total of three prototypes would be built. Early on, British European Airways (BEA) emerged as an key customer for the type, having placed a £3 million order for 20 aircraft in September 1948. The type was quickly outperformed by the turboprop-powered Vickers Viscount, with BEA opting to withdraw its Ambassadors in 1958.

 

Die Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador ist ein Flugzeug mit Doppelkolbenmotor, das vom britischen Flugzeughersteller Airspeed Ltd. entwickelt und hergestellt wurde. Es war eines der ersten Flugzeuge der Nachkriegszeit, die hergestellt wurden.
die Ambassador wurde als Reaktion auf eine vom Brabazon-Komitee festgelegte Anforderung an ein zweimotoriges Kurz- bis Mittelstreckenflugzeug als Ersatz für das Douglas DC-3 entwickelt. Airspeed stellte 1943 ein Designteam zusammen, das zunächst an einem kleineren Vorschlag arbeitete, der von Bristol Hercules-Sternmotoren angetrieben wurde. Dies wurde schnell durch ein größeres Design
abgelöst, das darauf abzielte, die Ausweitung des zivilen Flugverkehrs der Nachkriegszeit besser zu erfüllen.
Am 10. Juli 1947 führte der erste Prototyp der Ambassador seinen Jungfernflug durch. Insgesamt wurden drei Prototypen gebaut. Schon früh war British European Airways (BEA) ein wichtiger Kunde für die
sen Typ, nachdem im September 1948 20 Flugzeuge im Wert von 3 Mio. GBP bestellt worden waren. Der Typ wurde vom Vickers Viscount mit Turboprop-Antrieb schnell übertroffen, und BEA entschied sich 1958 für die ausser Dienststellung der Ambassador.

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Variants

Versionen

 

AS.57
Ambassador 1

Prototype aircraft with Bristol Centaurus 130 engines, two built.

AS.57
Ambassador 1

Prototyp eines Flugzeugs mit Bristol Centaurus 130-Triebwerken, zwei gebaut.

 

AS.57 Ambassador 2

Production version with Bristol Centaurus 661 engines, 21 built including the production prototype.

 

AS.57 Ambassador 2

Serienversion mit Bristol Centaurus 661 Motoren, 21 davon inklusive Serienprototyp.

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Airlines

 
 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

   

 

   

 

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Specifications AS.57 Ambassador 2

Wingspan

Spannweite

35,05 m

Length

Länge

25,05 m

Height

Höhe

5,60 m

Wing area Flügelfläche

110.00 m2

Engine

Motor

2 × Bristol Centaurus 661 18-cylinder air-cooled piston engines, 2,625 hp each

Maximum speed

Höchstgeschwindigkeit

502 km/h

Empty weight

Leergewicht

16,277 kg

Loaded weight

Startgewicht

23,587 kg

Climb Rate

Steigrate

7.7 m/s

Service ceiling

Gipfelhöhe

7.600 m

Range

Reichweite

1,160 km

Capacity

Zuladung

Crew 3, 60 passengers

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Operator

Betreiber

Autair International Airways   3 Aircraft -  
BKS Air Transport   3 Aircraft -  
British European Airways 20 Aircraft -  
AUS Butler Air Transport   3 Aircraft -  
Dan-Air   7 Aircraft -  
Decca Navigator Company   1 Aircraft -  
Globe Air   3 Aircraft -  
Shell Aviation Limited   2 Aircraft -  
NZ South Seas Airways*   0 Aircraft -  
  Moroccan Royal Flight   1 Aircraft 1989 - 1994  
  Royal Jordanian Air Force   3 Aircraft 1959 -  
  * bought one aircraft but failed to gain an operators licence; the aircraft was not delivered to New Zealand.  
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Producionlist

Produktionsliste

                 

Mishaps

Zwischenfälle

8. April 1955
British European Airway
s G-AMAB (Sir Francis Bacon) No.1 engine went into reverse whilst in the climb. The pilots turned back to the airport in an attempt to land, however they were forced to go around due to weather, during which the aircraft stalled and crashed into a field. All 47 passengers and 6 crew survived.

6. February 1958
British European Airwa
ys G-ALZU (Lord Burghley) crashed on takeoff after a refuelling stop at Munich while operating a charter flight from Belgrade, Yugoslavia, to Manchester, England. Of the 44 people on the plane, 21 died in the crash and 2 died later, including eight Manchester United players.

14. April 1966
Dan-Air G-ALZX was damaged beyond repair when its undercarriage collapsed on landing at Beauvais, France.

14. September 1967
Autair G-ALZS  was damaged beyond repair on landing at Luton Airport, UK. The aircraft overran the runway and ended up in soft clay.

3. July 1968
BKS Air Transport G-AMAD crashed at London Heathrow Airport. All but two of its crew as well as several horses which were being transported and their grooms, were killed. A parked Trident airliner was damaged beyond repair (G-ARPT) and another Trident had its tail torn off before the airliner hit terminal buildings and came to rest. The accident was caused by a failed flap actuating rod in the left wing.

30. September 1968
Dan-Air G-AMAG was damaged beyond repair in a wheels-up landing at Manston, UK

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Text:

Michael E. Fader

Drawings:

Michael E. Fader


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last update 10. May 2023

written 20. January 2021

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