{"id":70,"date":"2018-02-06T14:20:03","date_gmt":"2018-02-06T14:20:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/aviationancestry.co.uk\/blog\/?p=70"},"modified":"2018-11-13T11:30:16","modified_gmt":"2018-11-13T11:30:16","slug":"spotlight-on-1950-part-1-the-aircraft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aviationancestry.co.uk\/blog\/?p=70","title":{"rendered":"Spotlight On 1950 – The Aircraft"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve just completed the updates for the Year 1950 and unless anything else surfaces that’s it – I have no more material to add, so it seems a good time to review some highlights of the that year.<\/p>\n

For every completed aircraft there are often hundreds of other companies supplying components and materials – sometimes known as the ‘supply chain.)<\/p>\n

In part 1 I’ll be displaying the Aircraft Ads from 1950\u00a0– In Part 2 I’ll be looking at\u00a0some of the many innovations from the ‘supply chain’ in those times of fast moving technology.<\/p>\n

1950 is quite an interesting year as most of the Brabazon designs have made their first flights and some are even entering service, others were struggling with development problems and lack of commercial interest.\u00a0But it’s as well to remember that Britain was broke after the Second World War, dollars were\u00a0scarce,\u00a0rationing was still in place, the government was promoting centralisation of industry and the economy. Furthermore the British Empire was shrinking and there was a new world order with Communism a danger to many strategically important countries and regions.<\/p>\n

Setting The Scene<\/strong>
\nAs early as 1942 the Prime Minister Winston Churchill was concerned that Britain’s aircraft industry was so heavily engaged in non-transport military aircraft production types that the country would lose out in the post-war civil aviation market if\u00a0designs for suitable new and advanced airliners weren’t in place by the end of hostilities. To this end he set up a committee to look into the problem and make recommendations.<\/p>\n

The Committee met\u00a0a number of\u00a0times, and with different members (including Lord Beaverbrook as the new\u00a0Chairman)\u00a0between 1942 and 1946 when their recommendations and designs to proceed were finalised. Essentially there were two main recommendations comprising the civilianisation of existing war types and new advanced custom designs to meet the needs of the post war civil air transport industry.<\/p>\n

As well as conversions of existing\u00a0types such as the Avro Lancastrian, Handley Page Halifax (Halton)\u00a0& Vickers Warwick\/Viking there were\u00a0a number of ‘low risk’ Interim Types specified to fill the gaps until the more advanced designs were ready.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Avro York<\/li>\n
  2. Avro Tudor<\/li>\n
  3. Handley Page Hermes<\/li>\n
  4. Short Sandringham<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    Handley Page Hermes 1950<\/p>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    Short Sandringham<\/p>\n

    … and finally the more advanced designs.<\/p>\n

    The Aircraft<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Class\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Company\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Type\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ministry Specification<\/strong><\/p>\n

    I)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Transatlantic non-stop\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Bristol \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brabazon\u00a0\u00a01\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2\/44
    \nIA)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Transatlantic non-stop\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Bristol \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brabazon\u00a02\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2\/46
    \nIIA)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 European transport\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Airspeed\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ambassador\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 25\/43
    \nIIB(i))\u00a0 European transport\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Vickers\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Viceroy (Viscount)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 8\/46
    \nIIB(ii)) European transport\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Armstrong Whitworth\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Apollo\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 16\/46
    \nIII)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Long Range Empire\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Avro\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 693 XXI\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 6\/45
    \nIV)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 High Speed Transport\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0de Havilland\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Comet\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 22\/46
    \nVA)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Feeder line transport\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Miles\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Marathon\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a018\/44
    \nVB)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Light transport\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 de Havilland\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dove\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 26\/43<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Bristol Brabazon<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Airspeed Ambassador<\/p>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    Vickers Viscount<\/p>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    Armstrong Whitworth Apollo<\/p>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    De Havilland Comet<\/p>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    Miles (Handley Page) Marathon<\/p>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    De Havilland Dove<\/p>\n

    It’s worth pointing out that what the Committee (Ministry of Supply) wanted wasn`t necessarily what the airlines wanted.<\/p>\n

    To make matters worse the USA had already demonstrated their capability and\u00a0intent with such commercially attractive aircraft as the Lockheed Constellation and The Douglas DC3\u00a0\/ DC4\u00a0not to mention the big Boeings.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Lockheed Constellation<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Douglas Commercials DC4 & DC6<\/p>\n

    The above is just a brief summary of the reports and their recommendations. Not mentioned are other types developed independently to match the committee specifications, notably the flying boats including the Saunders Roe Princess and Short Solent.<\/p>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    Saunders-Roe SARO Princess<\/p>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    Proposed Saunders-Roe SARO Duchess<\/p>\n

    These ads are from 1950, but for the bigger picture try searches for these and the other types from say 1945 – 1952.<\/p>\n

    For the full Brabazon story I recommend finding a copy of Mike Phipp’s Brabazon Committee & British Airliners 1945-1960 (ISBN 978-0752443744)\u00a0and Flight Path by Sir Peter Masefield (ISBN 978-1840372830)\u00a0 – Also strongly recommended for its\u00a0record of the Aero Engine industry at the time\u00a0is the autobiography of Sir Stanley Hooker; Not Much Of An Engineer (ISBN 978-1853102851)<\/em><\/p>\n

    There’s a story or even a book behind\u00a0each of the types mentioned but this blog is about the adverts so that’s it for now.<\/p>\n

    In part\u00a02 I’ll look at some of the technical achievements of the ‘supply chain’ including engines, avionics and materials.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    I’ve just completed the updates for the Year 1950 and unless anything else surfaces that’s it – I have no more material to add, so it seems a good time to review some highlights of the that year. For every … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aviationancestry.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aviationancestry.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aviationancestry.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aviationancestry.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aviationancestry.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=70"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.aviationancestry.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":112,"href":"https:\/\/www.aviationancestry.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70\/revisions\/112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aviationancestry.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=70"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aviationancestry.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=70"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aviationancestry.co.uk\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=70"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}