List of aircraft of Imperial Airways

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List of aircraft of Imperial Airways
Handley Page H.P.42 Hanno.jpg
Handley Page HP.42 Hanno in 1931


It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Imperial Airways. (Discuss) Proposed since April 2010.

Imperial Airways was the British flag-carrier airline from 1924 to 1939 when it was amalgamated with other British air operators to form British Overseas Airways Corporation

Contents

[edit] Aircraft

Imperial Airways operated many types of aircraft

Three aircraft from 1926, City of Glasgow, City of Birmingham and City of Wellington (later named City of Arundel).[1] Birmingham crashed in 1931 and Arundel in 1934, Glasgow was retired in 1934.[1] In 1929 four Argosy Mk IIs were introduced City of Edinburgh, City of Liverpool, City of Manchester and City of Coventry.[1]
Eight aircraft from 1932.[1] The Atlanta were ordered for use on the Nairobi to Cape Town part of the trunk route to South Africa and the Karachi to Singapore section of the Australia route.[2] In particular the aircraft had to cope with the high-altitude airfields in Africa.[2] It was a four-engine high-wing monoplane and operated the tropical routes for eight years, the three survivors being impressed into service with the Indian Air Force in 1941.[2]
Twelve aircraft from 1938.[1] Following a decision by the British government in 1934 that first-class air mail to the Empire was to be carried by air, Imperial Airways ordered 12 Ensign aircraft from Armstrong Whitworth.[3] The Ensign was a large four-engined high-wing monoplane and had different seating configuration for different routes.[3] Those on the distant Empire routes had seating for 27 in three cabins and the four variants for European routes had seats for 40. [3] At the outbreak of the second world war some aircraft were used to carry supplies to the British forces in France.[3] All the aircraft were transferred to BOAC in April 1940.[3]
Two aircraft from 1930, Achilles and Apollo.[1] Achilles crashed in 1938.[1]
Two from 1936, passed to Air Service Training in 1938.[1]
Two from 1934, Bodiciea and Britomart, both destroyed in crashes (1935 and 1936).[1]
Seven aircraft operated from formation in 1924, four inherited from Instone Air Line and three from Daimler Airways.[1] Two destroyed in accidents and the others retired by 1926.[1]
Three aircraft from 1924, one was used for survey work and later fitted with twin floats until sold in Australia in 1929.[1]
One aircraft from 1930, crashed in Australia in 1930.[1]
de Havilland Hercules City of Cairo (crashed in 1931)
Nine aircraft introduced in 1926, City of Cairo, City of Delhi, City of Bagdhad, City of Jerusalem, City of Tehran, City of Basra, City of Karachi,City of Jodhpur and City of Cape Town.[1]
Twelve aircraft from 1934.[1]
Five passenger aircraft from 1938, operated as the Frobisher class[1] One as long range mail carrier.[4]
Four of each type from 1931, Hannibal, Horatius, Hanno, Hadrian, Heracles, Horatius, Hengist and Helena.[1]The H.P.42 also known as HP.42E (24 passengers) operated on the long distance routes and the H.P.45 also known as HP.42W (38 passengers) on the European routes
Three operated from formation in 1924 inherited from Handley Page Transport, named Princess Mary, Princess George and Princess Henry.[1] Princess Mary was destroyed in an accident.[1]
One aircraft City of Washington operated from 1924 until it crashed in 1930.[1]
One aircraft City of New York from 1926 until sold in 1929.[1]
Four aircraft from 1926 named City of Melbourne, City of Pretoria, City of London and City of Ottawa.[1] London crashed in 1926 and Ottawa in 1929, the other two were sold in 1933.[1]
Thirty-one aircraft from 1936.[1]
Three trans-Atlantic flying-boats as the "G-Class" from 1939. Built with a subsidisy for possible military use all were passed to the Royal Air Force in 1940.[1]
Nine aircraft from 1938.[1]
Five flying boats from 1928, City of Alexander, City of Athens (later City of Stonehaven), City of Rome, City of Khartoum and City of Salonica (later City of Swanage).[1]
Three flying boats from 1931, Scipio, Sylvanus and Satyrus.[1]
Two aircraft from 1934, both passed to the Royal Air Force in 1940.[1]
Long range flying boat combination. Both operated from 1938, Mercury the upper component was scrapped in 1941 and Maia the lower component was destroyed in a German bombing raid in 1942.[1]
Two aircraft inherited from British Marine Air Navigation in 1924.[1]
One flying boat loaned from the Air Ministry in 1929.[1]
Single flying boat built for possible RAF use, but not adopted and loaned for cross-Channel service.
One aircraft from 1936 used for cargo and experimental flights.[1]Crashed at Croydon airport in August that year killing pilots and two wireless operators.[5]
One aircraft from formation in 1924 inherited from Instone Air Line and named City of London .[1]
Two from 1924, although one was not used and the other destroyed in 1928. One additional aircraft loaned from the Air Ministry for the 1925 Empire Exhibition Display.[1]
Two aircraft from 1931.[1]

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj Bluffield 2009, pp. 211-213
  2. ^ a b c Jackson 1973, pp. 52-54
  3. ^ a b c d e Jackson 1973, pp. 55-57
  4. ^ Jackson, A. J. (1973). British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 2 (2nd edition ed.). Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10010-7. 
  5. ^ Flight 13 August 1936

[edit] Bibliography

  • Bluffield, Robert (2009). Imperial Airways - The Birth of the British Airline Industry 1914-1940. Hersham, Surrey, England: Ian Allen Publishing. ISBN 978 1 906537 07 4. 
  • Jackson, A.J. (1973). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN 0 370 10006 9. 
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