Bristol Superfreighter

Bristol Type 170 Series 32 Superfreighter
Role	Cargo aircraft Passenger aircraft
Manufacturer	Bristol Aeroplane Company
First flight	16 January 1953
Introduction	1953
Status	Retired
Primary user	Silver City Airways British United Air Ferries British United Airways
Variants	Bristol Freighter

The Bristol Superfreighter was a larger, stretched version of the Bristol Freighter.

Production and operation

The first Superfreighters were delivered to Silver City Airways in spring 1953 and were used on cross-channel services to Europe. One example was converted to a 60-seat all passenger "Super Wayfarer".^[1]

The type 32 could carry 20 passengers instead of the 12 of the smaller Freighter, and three cars instead of two in its air ferry role.^[2]

The Superfreighter was distinguishable from the earlier Freighter by having a longer nose, in which the extra car was carried, and a fin fillet as well as rounded wingtips.

Operators

• Air Charter
• Air Ferry
• British Air Ferries (BAF)
• British United Air Ferries (BUAF)
• Channel Air Bridge
• Compagnie Air Transport
• Lambair
• Midland Air Cargo
• SABENA
• Silver City Airways

Specifications (Freighter Mk 32)

A British United Air Ferries Superfreighter in 1966

Data from Macdonald Aircraft Handbook.^[3]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 73 ft 4 in (22.4 m)
• Wingspan: 108 ft 0 in (32.92 m)
• Height: 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m)
• Wing area: 1487 ft² (138.13 m²)
• Empty weight: 29,950 lb (13,404 kg)
• Gross weight: 44,000 lb (19,958 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Bristol Hercules 734 14-cylinder sleeve-valve radial piston engine, 1,980 hp (1,476 kW) each each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 225 mph (362 km/h)
• Range: 820 miles (1,320 km)
• Service ceiling: 24,500 ft (7,470 m)

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Jackson, A.J.. British Civil Aircraft since 1919. Putnam & Company Ltd. 1973. ISBN 0-370-10006-9.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bristol Superfreighter.

• A picture of a BUAF Superfreighter at Lydd Ferryfield.