Bristol 170 Superfreighter

[Nigel H-J]

Absolutely wonderful Garry, for your first venture into modelling this certainly deserves a standing ovation!!

Really looking forward to this being released.

Just out of curiosity, did the undercarriage have bungees like that of the Lancaster?

Regards
Nigel.

[Garry Russell]

Hi Nigel

Thanks.......it's comming on ...slowly

I have mainly been working on the PK and getting basic liveries sorted.

So WIP shots of some of them

Bear in mind the use layers and alpha's have not been made yet



Probably the least known Superfreighter was Air Charter/Channel Air Bridge machine G-AMSA. Seen here in the second variation of Channel Air Bridge lievry, it spent the first five years of it's life as a MK.31E before being converted in 1958 to a Mk.32. It was withdrawn in 1965 and scrapped in 1967



G-AMLP was the other Mk.31E converted in 1958 and became the last of it's type flying when it crashed at the end of May 1974 in service with Lambair in Canada. It is seen here in the full British Air Ferries livery



A few of the surviving British United aircraft served BAF still in BUA livery. G-ANWK was withdrawn in 1968



F-BLHH was one of four machines transferred by Silver City and these retained the Silver City livery with French tiles and registrations. This is a later adaption after an anit dazzle was added, something Silver City never had.



F-BPIN was one of two transferred by BAF in 1968 to replace time expired machines. The BUA stripe was overpainted in the Silver City blue and it would appear to have been painted in England as I doubt if the French would get the flag back to front as shown here.



This was the other one of two trnsferred to CAT in 1968 and unlike the one above re entered BAF service for about nine months. A Carvair was also flown by BAF in this livery with a French regitration.



The end of the line for UK Superfreighters. MAC was the last operator of the Superfreighter in the UK. Four machines were bought. G-AMLP was sold in Canada after about a year, G-ANVR was bought for spares leaving G-APAU and G-APAV when MAC folded. When G-APAU was scrapped at Lasham in October 1975 the marque became extinct. All three wore this livery but it looks like this one was the only one with fuse titles.

Garry

[FlyTexas]

Thanks very much Garry for the screenies and the Superfreighter history lesson.

Brian

[Nigel H-J]

Many thanks for showing further shots of this splendid a/c, the attention to detail is extremely high.

it would not surprise me that when this is released it will become one of the most downloaded freeware a/c.

Just hope that John purchases as many as he can for the VA and that some are based at EGCC. If not, then I'm moving to where they are based.

Regards
Nigel.

[Garry Russell]

Hi Nigel

Thanks for you encouraging words

I'm sure John will have some for your amusment

Some of the liveries are variations of basic themes but there are as it stands, thirty for 22 airframes although at the moment I have two aircraft with no livery.

I know of at least two more Silver City but can't tie up the airframes :-(

There are a few models as well to cover the different variations and I forgot to mention the pics above are not the definitive models for those liveries

Garry

[Garry Russell]

A few more of the WIP



G-ANVS is seen here in the standard Air Charter livery. The first aircraft G-ANVR had a natural metal fin. When new these aircraft were very highly polished



Jan 1st 1963 saw Channel Air Bridge and Silver City brought together as British United Air Ferries. I know of only three aircraft to wear this livery. The Carvairs and the single Freighter 31 continued in this style with single band and large script tail moniker but the Superfreighters were soon changed to the more familiat double band 'Superbristol' version. This aircraft (G-ANWK) was soon repainted as was one of the ex CAB aircraft painted thus but G-AMWA was destined to keep it as it was written off on take off in September 1963.

If anyone knows the identity of the CAB or any others painted like this I'd like to know HELP .



Manston based Air Ferry was from about 1964 in common ownership with BUA but remained seperate. In 1968 the group was re organised and Air Ferry closed. Towards the end this Superfreighter and a couple of Carvairs were leased in the BUA livery with new titles.



An occasional site for me in the sixties was BUA aircraft in the springtime flying arround on one engine. This was training for the coming season (I hope) . G-APAU models the memory with British Air Ferries titles on the older BUA livery. At least one Carvair also found itself with the then new BAF without having adopted the last BUA scheme.



City of Worcester in the last Silver City livery. G-ANWL never made it to BUA, it was written off in 1961 in what was the only fatal crash of a Silver City operated flight......the passengers survived but not the two crew.

Garry

[Ian Warren]

Hi Garry , not a Super , but still a Bristol
http://nzff.org/forum/index.php?showtop ... try8217842
:flying:

[Garry Russell]

HI Ian

Ah yes.Steelsporran did a post on that earlier but more pics here.

I'd been watching out for this over the last few days.....nice to see her running again....good old British engineering well looked after down in NZ.......something that really lasts.

Garry

[DispatchDragon]

Garry

Did you see the cockpit shot ? the AP actutator lever is there - but no AP - just "something" covered with what looks like gaffers tape

Leif

You need to see if someone could be on hand for startup next time - with a tape recorder


Leif

[tonymadge]

Great pictures Garry I think we all will have different favourites looking at the great choice of liveries two tone blue BAF gets my vote at the moment
To think this is your first venture into modeling in FS.... seems hard to believe looking at these pictures..you put us idle s0ds to shame