Superfreighter MK.32

[Garry Russell]

Thanks John

That'll be a useful contact

Garry

[pedro]

Hi again Garry,
I have been in contact with Keith- I will give you his telephone number if you need it- as far as he's aware the Solent Collection for Silver City is still there! However if you need any pictures he has over a Thousand in his possession. On your specifics -Cockpit glazing the single side windows applied to all Mk32s and even the Mk31 MF we had, the only ones that were different were the Mk21s, The pax door was a standard one of about 8ft wide on all ex Silver City models, however I have an old Mk32 CAB metal model and it shows the standard 8ft door plus a narrow door attached to the rear of that door, whether or not Aviation Traders blanked off the forward part I don't recall , that was G-ANVR, whatever, in the years that I served the rear Pax section remained standard ,very much reminiscent of a railway carriage with seats facing each other!
Also of possible interest All aircaft in the combined fleet of BUA days had been modified to have hydraulic disc brakes as opposed to the dreadfull Pneumatic type. Hope some this is a help If you want me to sample the flying characteristics please send me a Beta version.
John

[Garry Russell]

Hi John

I have emailed Keith.thanks for the intro

The 32 did have the rear window blanked one side only after a while but not the CAB ones. The Silver City that went to CAT had the blank one side only as well. Originally they were all blanked both sides but the SCA were done by the end of the fifties

All the later pics of these show the blank on the starboard and open to port

I've never seen a 32 open both sides

The small door was a mod and the old door area was all plated up.

The four aircraft modified were G-ANVR, G-AOUU, G-APAU & G-APAV.

Interesting about the hydraulics.didn't know about that

Thanks for your help

Garry

[Trev Clark]

Hi John, it now seems we have found a perfect test pilot for the 'Frightener' , welcome on board!

[pedro]

Hi Garry,
Just goes to show how memory let's one down! I could have sworn that all the 32s were the same! We all had to fly the French Aircraft as well. I could not recall any differences. All Aircraft had the Decca Navigator fitted and I believe they all had Drift Sights? We only flew with about half a tank of De-icing fluid on the car ferry (TKS system -porous strips) but on other charters, especially the horse flights ( mainly Cambridge -Dublin -Le-Bourget ) LEP Air Transport, which were via Airways we had full tank.We then Found out if the strips had been clogged by any paint respraying ! It did not handle ice accretion vey well -it was mainly the increase in weight that was the problem( the unprotected areas ie nose, rear fuselage etc,)The only solution was usually descent out of the area! provided ATC approved!Thinking about the stbd gazing, I seem to recall that the R/O's station had all the electrical gismos arranged on the stbd wall, thus obscuring any glazing?
To my knowledge only two MK31s were converted to MK32s - G-AMLP and G-A****.
John

[Garry Russell]

Hi John

Re my PM the other day......it's being sorted

Interesting little snippets there. Shame I can't include everything I want......there is so much more that could be added. :-(

In reality I have been battling poly counts for a long time now

As to the Mk.31 Air Charter had three aircraft. After they had received six Mk.32 they wanted another pair but the type was out of production.

So two of them G-AMLP and G-AMSA were converted to Superfreighters. The remaining aircraft G-ANMF remained in service until August 1968.

The only other conversion was G-AMLK which was converted on the line before completion into the prototype Superfreighter G-AMWA flying initially without the extra windows in the rear cabin.

Incidentally the unused registration (G-AMLK) was later issued to the second Instone/Atlantic Mk.31 from New Zealand and that aircraft is in a museum and still airworthy....ish
It was the last 170 in service with Hawkair of Britsh Colombia.


Garry

[kikko]

garry, no hopes to see the beast with vc, too, when ready ? In my opinion it would be grat, in this world, perhaps:)

[Garry Russell]

Hi Kiko

Sorry, no VC I'm afraid

I don't like them, I don't use them and I don't have anywhere near enough info to make one.

Garry

[simondix]

Garry,

I am glad you loathe them. I cannot stand them. However perhaps we should run another topic on VC's or even a poll.

[Garry Russell]

Hi Simon

A poll would serve no purpose

If it were 100 percent for VC's this still would not have one.

Maybe in the future but two other factors here

It would hold it up by at least a year and if it did have one I doubt many people could run it as the frame hit would be severe. :o

Garry