Bristol Type 170 Freighter VH-ADL
Click on image for larger version The Bristol Freighter was the first purpose-built civilian heavy freight aircraft designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company at the end of WW2. It was a twin piston engined high wing monoplane with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage, and featured a rectangular shaped fuselage with an obstruction free interior with parallel sides and upper and lower decks, with clam shell doors at the forward end to facilitate ease of loading large items of cargo.
The prototype first flew on December 2 1945 and 214 units had been built when production ceased in 1958.
Bristol Freighters saw military service with the RAF, RNZAF, and Pakistan Air Force. Civilian Freighters served with BEA and with many smaller airlines in the UK, Canada and New Zealand. In Australia the RAAF received four Freighters in 1949 with serials A81-1 thru - 4 and operated them in support of the Long Range Weapons Establishment in Woomera, South Australia.
The first civilian Freighter in Australia was a Mark 1A "Demonstrator", demonstrated to QANTAS in New Guinea in 1947 and written off when the aircraft rolled backward down the 10% sloping Wau strip. A second aircraft, a Mark 21 "Demonstrator" was leased to and later purchased by Australian National Airways (ANA) in 1948, registered VH-INV and in 1949 became the first aircraft to land suffering mechanical problems, at the still under construction Moorabbin airport. This aircraft plus two others operated domestic services mainly between Melbourne and the Tasmanian Islands, and were also involved in the development of the Air Beef Scheme in the Kimberly district of Western Australia.
Bristol Freighters played a major role in the development of air freight in Australia generally, and in addition to ANA were operated by Trans Australia Airlines (TAA), International Parcel Express Company (IPEC) and Air Express.
The Museum's aircraft was built as a Mark 31M and served the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) with serial S4438 before later being retired with other PAF Freighters and bought by Pacific Aviation and registered AP-ADM for the delivery flight to Australia arriving in 1961. Re-registered VH-ADL in February 1962 it was operated by Air Pacific on itinerant freight operations, with changes of ownership until March 1966 when purchased by Air Express. Under a twelve month charter contract to IPEC commencing in June 1966 VH-ADL operated south bound flights with goods for Melbourne. This was an attempt to force the issue of the Governments Two Airline Policy that failed.
From March 1967, VH-ADL went on to operate charter contracts for freight forwarders in Queensland, some itinerate operations between Brisbane and New Guinea carrying motor vehicles, Queensland flood relief as and when required, and general charter freight operations until May 1975, when the company moved its operations to Melbourne. Services to the Tasmanian Islands were commenced, and continued until VH-ADL conducted the last Bristol Freighter flight in Australia from King Island to Essendon on August 17 1979. After many changes of ownership and activities it finished up at Air World, Wangaratta Victoria, from where it was acquired by our Museum in 2004, and is on display.
TECHNICAL DATA
Crew : 1 pilot and radio operator/second pilot.
Power plant : 2 x 1,980hp Bristol Hercules 734, 14 cylinder sleeve valve engines.
Length : 68'04'' (20.83m) - Wingspan : 108'00'' (32.92m) - Height : 21'08'' (8.60m)
Weights : empty - 26,919lbs (12,206kg) - maximum - 44,000lbs (19,958kg)
Payload : 16,184lbs (7,342kg) minus trip fuel.
Speeds : maximum - 196kt (225mph) (362km/hr) - cruise - 143kt (164mph) (264km/hr)
Range : 820 miles (1,320km)
The prototype first flew on December 2 1945 and 214 units had been built when production ceased in 1958.
Bristol Freighters saw military service with the RAF, RNZAF, and Pakistan Air Force. Civilian Freighters served with BEA and with many smaller airlines in the UK, Canada and New Zealand. In Australia the RAAF received four Freighters in 1949 with serials A81-1 thru - 4 and operated them in support of the Long Range Weapons Establishment in Woomera, South Australia.
The first civilian Freighter in Australia was a Mark 1A "Demonstrator", demonstrated to QANTAS in New Guinea in 1947 and written off when the aircraft rolled backward down the 10% sloping Wau strip. A second aircraft, a Mark 21 "Demonstrator" was leased to and later purchased by Australian National Airways (ANA) in 1948, registered VH-INV and in 1949 became the first aircraft to land suffering mechanical problems, at the still under construction Moorabbin airport. This aircraft plus two others operated domestic services mainly between Melbourne and the Tasmanian Islands, and were also involved in the development of the Air Beef Scheme in the Kimberly district of Western Australia.
Bristol Freighters played a major role in the development of air freight in Australia generally, and in addition to ANA were operated by Trans Australia Airlines (TAA), International Parcel Express Company (IPEC) and Air Express.
The Museum's aircraft was built as a Mark 31M and served the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) with serial S4438 before later being retired with other PAF Freighters and bought by Pacific Aviation and registered AP-ADM for the delivery flight to Australia arriving in 1961. Re-registered VH-ADL in February 1962 it was operated by Air Pacific on itinerant freight operations, with changes of ownership until March 1966 when purchased by Air Express. Under a twelve month charter contract to IPEC commencing in June 1966 VH-ADL operated south bound flights with goods for Melbourne. This was an attempt to force the issue of the Governments Two Airline Policy that failed.
From March 1967, VH-ADL went on to operate charter contracts for freight forwarders in Queensland, some itinerate operations between Brisbane and New Guinea carrying motor vehicles, Queensland flood relief as and when required, and general charter freight operations until May 1975, when the company moved its operations to Melbourne. Services to the Tasmanian Islands were commenced, and continued until VH-ADL conducted the last Bristol Freighter flight in Australia from King Island to Essendon on August 17 1979. After many changes of ownership and activities it finished up at Air World, Wangaratta Victoria, from where it was acquired by our Museum in 2004, and is on display.
TECHNICAL DATA
Crew : 1 pilot and radio operator/second pilot.
Power plant : 2 x 1,980hp Bristol Hercules 734, 14 cylinder sleeve valve engines.
Length : 68'04'' (20.83m) - Wingspan : 108'00'' (32.92m) - Height : 21'08'' (8.60m)
Weights : empty - 26,919lbs (12,206kg) - maximum - 44,000lbs (19,958kg)
Payload : 16,184lbs (7,342kg) minus trip fuel.
Speeds : maximum - 196kt (225mph) (362km/hr) - cruise - 143kt (164mph) (264km/hr)
Range : 820 miles (1,320km)