de Havilland Flamingo
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| DH.95 Flamingo | |
|---|---|
 de Havilland Flamingo c. 1943 |
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| Type | Airliner Troop-carrier Communications aircraft |
| Manufacturer | de Havilland |
| Maiden flight | 22 December 1938 |
| Introduced | 15 July 1939 |
| Retired | 1950 |
| Primary users | Royal Air Force BOAC |
| Number built | 14 |
The British de Havilland DH.95 Flamingo was a high-wing, twin-engined monoplane passenger airliner of the Second World War period, also used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a troop-carrier and for general communications duties.
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[edit] Design and development
The metal framework was mostly metal-covered with control surface fabric covered. Two pilots were seated side-by-side with a radio operator behind them in the cockpit. It featured a retractable undercarriage, slotted flaps and variable pitch propellers, and was considered a highly promising sales prospect for the de Havilland company capable of competing with the American Douglas DC-3 and Lockheed L-10 Electra.
Initial models were fitted with 890 hp (660 kW) Bristol Perseus engines and, even with these, performance was excellent with a takeoff at maximum weight in 750 ft (230 m) and the ability to maintain height or climb at 120 mph (190 km/h) on a single engine.
[edit] Operational service
The prototype was delivered to Jersey Airways in 1939 for evaluation and became the first revenue-earning Flamingo. It was later transferred to RAF duties. A further order from Jersey was frustrated by the outbreak of war, but with BOAC denied the credit needed to buy the Douglas DC-5 it ordered eight Flamingos instead. The BOAC Flamingos were based in Middle East throughout the war. A further five aircraft were delivered to the RAF and one to the RNAS. Flamingos were mostly withdrawn from service by 1950, the last was scrapped in 1954.
A single military transport variant was built to specification 19/39 as the DH.95 Hertfordshire. It had oval cabin windows instead of rectangular ones, and seating for 22 paratroopers. A proposed order for 40 was cancelled to leave de Havillands free to produce Tiger Moth trainers. The sole Hertfordshire crashed with the loss of 11 lives at Mill Hill, Hertfordshire on 23 October 1940, apparently due to jamming of the elevator.
[edit] Production
- Flamingo to Specification 21/39 for use by the King's Flight (VIP transport) - two
- Flamingo to Specification 20/39 for use by No. 24 Squadron RAF as communications aircraft - one
- Flamingo civilian specification - 11, three for No. 24 Sqdn and FAA, remainder to BOAC
[edit] Operators
[edit] Military operators
[edit] Civilian operators
- BOAC
- Jersey Airways
[edit] Specifications (de Havilland Flamingo)
General characteristics
- Crew: 3
- Capacity: 17 passengers
- Length: 50 ft 7 in (15.4 m)
- Wingspan: 70 ft (21.4 m)
- Height: 15 ft 3 in (4.7 m)
- Wing area: 651 ft² (60.5 m²)
- Empty weight: 12,020 lb (5,450 kg)
- Loaded weight: 17,600 lb (7,980 kg)
- Powerplant: 2× Bristol Perseus XVI piston, 930 hp (690 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 239 mph at 6,500 ft (385 km/h at 1,980 m)
- Range: 1,345 miles (2,160 km)
- Service ceiling 20,900 ft (6,370 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,470 ft/min (450 m/min)
Armament
- none
Avionics
- Sperry Automatic Pilot
[edit] See also
Related lists
[edit] References
- Bain, Gordon. De Havilland: A Pictorial Tribute. London: AirLife, 1992. ISBN 1-85648-243-X.
[edit] External links
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