Canadair CL-44
The Canadair CL -44 was a traffic and transport aircraft from the Canadian manufacturer Canadair. The derived from the Bristol Britannia model was produced in small numbers in the late 1950s and early 1960s for the Royal Canadian Air Force ( RCAF ) as CC -106 Yukon, as well as for civilian airlines.
Design and development
In the 1950s, Canadair acquired the license for the construction of the Bristol Britannia airliner. Following this example, the company developed next to the Maritime Patrol CL -28 Argus CL -44, with the RCAF wanted to replace their C- 54GM North Star. What was needed was a long-haul aircraft, could be transported to the troops and supplies to Europe. In January 1957 Canadair received an order for eight aircraft, which was later increased to twelve.
The RCAF had originally demanded the Bristol Orion drive. After the British Ministry of Supply had canceled the Orion program, it was decided for the turboprop engines Rolls- Royce Tyne 11 The body of the CL -44 was extended by almost four meters, which corresponded to approximately the Britannia 300 She received two lateral cargo doors and a pressurized cabin. The wings and tailplane should be adopted in slightly modified form of the CL 28th The Yukon could take up next to a nine-member crew 134 passengers. For use as a hospital plane eleven crew members and up to eighty patients were provided.
Use
The first flight took place on 15 November 1959. Due to engine problems, there was a delay in delivery. The original version of CL 44-6 went as CC -106 Yukon at the Canadian Air Force, a flight from Tokyo to Trenton, Ontario about 10,860 km succeeded in well 17 hours in December 1961. Another Yukon later was able to keep almost 24 hours in the air, so that another record was set. In addition to eleven transport versions, the RCAF received two machines in VIP version. The plane crashed in the U.S. interest, the U.S. Air Force but decided for political reasons for the Boeing C- 135th
With the CL- 44D4 a civilian cargo plane originated. To be able to transport large goods and to speed up the load, the rear part of the hull could be hydraulically folded within 90 seconds. Despite this unusual design, the aircraft was pressure-resistant. Buyers were the airlines Seaboard World Airlines, Flying Tiger Line, Slick Airways and Icelandic Airlines Loftleiðir who used one of these aircraft as a passenger aircraft.
With the third version Canadair CL- 44J developed at the request of Loftleiðir a stretched variant, which could accommodate up to 189 passengers. This increase in capacity had to be paid for with a reduced range, however. Four CL- 44D4 been converted into this form. The Icelandic airline operating the machine under the name Rolls Royce 400 propjet. hence the misnomer Canadair 400 revealed. In the late 1960s, these were the largest passenger aircraft in the transatlantic trade.
The CC -106 Yukon were asked in March 1971 out of service and sold to South America and Africa. Out of the 39 built CL -44 exist only very few, yet is still not an airplane to find in the museum.
Conroy Skymonster
A CL- 44D4 was later used by Conroy Aircraft provided with an enlarged fuselage and was given the new designation CL -44 -O. The aircraft, which was to transport the Rolls- Royce engines for the Lockheed L -1011 TriStar in the United States, under the names Conroy Skymonster or CL -44 Guppy has become known. Since 2002 is the Skymonster in Bournemouth ( EGHH ), sometimes with, sometimes without engines. The end of 2006, she received the Philippine authorization RP -C -8023, which was evidence that the CL -44 -O should go to the Australian Heavy Lift Cargo. In summer 2008, the aircraft was finally prepared for its scrapping.
Military user
- Canada 1921 Canada