Dakota
C-47 ... This C-47 at Northolt Airport is one of twenty-one that
newly-formed BEA received from the 110 Wing of the RAF Transport Command in
1946. This was the BEA "Keyline" era and the 28-passenger aircraft flew with
a Flying-Key logo on the fin. The Flying Key was BEA's key to Europe. With
two 1200 HP engines and a 25,200 lb MGW, these "Pionairs" cruised at 143
Kts. Note the close proximity of the cafe tables to the parked aircraft.
Vickers
Viking 1 ... was BEA's first British airliner purchase. BEA staff
nicknamed the Viking the 'Pregnant Dakota' and it was painted with the
Flying Key on the fin. The 36-passenger Viking had retractable gear but the
aircraft suffered icing problems, not a good characteristic of a European
airliner. With 1690 HP engines and a 34,000 lb MGW, the Viking 1 cruised at
168 Kts.
De
Havilland DH-89 'Dominie' ... This UK built, eight-passenger light
transport was patterned after the military DH-89, known as the "Dragon
Rapide." BEA renamed this biplane the "Dominie" and it exclusively flew
domestic routes. With 200 HP engines and a 5260 lb MGW, the Dominie cruised
at 115 Kts.
Avro
19 ... Despite its apparent size in this 1947 photo, the
twin-engine Avro 19 carried only four people including the pilot! It boasted
dark blue curtains in the passenger section, and even a rather primitive
chemical toilet in the tailplane. Instead of the scramble through the side
hatch, entry was up a short flight of folding steps, and one aircraft even
had small tables and reading lights for its VIP passengers. With 355 HP
engines and a 8500 lb MGW, the Avro 19 cruised at 120 Kts.
Junkers
Ju-52/3M 'Jupiter' ... Talk about optimism, the 17-passenger Ju-52
originally had only a single engine! Junkers added an engine to each wing
because of its "weak" performance, and it became the Ju-52/3M. Luxuries
included typewriters and oxygen masks. BEA flew this aircraft on the
Scottish Islands route but it was so unpopular that a Dakota replaced it
after 12 months. With its 830 HP engines and a 23,150 lb MGW, the Ju-52/3M
cruised at only 117 Kts.
Douglas
DC-3 Pionair ... A new livery for the 1950s brightened up the BEA
fleet which sported a British flag on the fin and white top fusalages. See
the main BEA page for info on FS2002 and FS2004 versions of this aircraft.