Conroy Turbo-Three

Last updated
Turbo-Three
Conroy Super Turbo Three.jpg
Super Turbo-Three
General information
Type Airliner
Manufacturer Conroy Aircraft
Number built2
History
First flightMay 13, 1969
RetiredFebruary 24, 1984
Developed from Douglas DC-3
Developed into Conroy Tri-Turbo-Three
The first Turbo Three fitted with two Rolls-Royce Dart turboprops, displayed at the 1969 Paris Air Show Douglas DC-3 TP N4700C Conroy LBG 07.06.69 edited-3.jpg
The first Turbo Three fitted with two Rolls-Royce Dart turboprops, displayed at the 1969 Paris Air Show

The Conroy Turbo-Three was a series of two Douglas DC-3s modified with turboprop engines by Conroy Aircraft. The first conversion first flew on May 13, 1969. Two Rolls-Royce Dart Mk. 510 engines from a crashed Vickers Viscount previously operated by United Airlines were used to replace the original Pratt & Whitney radial engines. Because the new turboprops were much lighter than the radial engines, they had to be mounted further forward to maintain the aircraft's center of gravity. [1] The replacement engines increased the aircraft's cruising speed from 170 mph to 215 mph. The prototype was later converted into the Conroy Tri-Turbo-Three.

The second conversion was called the Super Turbo-Three because it was converted from a surplus Super DC-3. Unlike the first conversion, the Dart engines were mounted in the rear part of the engine nacelle. Due to the small diameter of the Viscount propellers, airflow was restricted by the bulky nacelles and landing gear fairings. This caused the takeoff distance to be 6000 feet, making it unappealing as a commuter aircraft. The aircraft ended up parked at Groton-New London Airport in Groton, Connecticut where on February 19, 1984 its cockpit was hit by a wing from a Trans American Lockheed L-100 Hercules.[ citation needed ]

A similar conversion had been performed for British European Airways (BEA) in the 1940s when a Dakota was converted to Dart power in order to obtain turboprop experience prior to the introduction of the Viscount.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas DC-3</span> Airliner and military transport aircraft family

The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper version of the Douglas DC-2. It is a low-wing metal monoplane with conventional landing gear, powered by two radial piston engines of 1,000–1,200 hp (750–890 kW). Although the DC-3s originally built for civil service had the Wright R-1820 Cyclone, later civilian DC-3s used the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engine. The DC-3 has a cruising speed of 207 mph (333 km/h), a capacity of 21 to 32 passengers or 6,000 lbs (2,700 kg) of cargo, and a range of 1,500 mi (2,400 km), and can operate from short runways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman S-2 Tracker</span> Family of carrier-borne anti-submarine and maritime patrol aircraft

The Grumman S-2 Tracker was the first purpose-built, single airframe anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft to enter service with the United States Navy. Designed and initially built by Grumman, the Tracker was of conventional design — propeller-driven with twin radial engines, a high wing that could be folded for storage on aircraft carriers, and tricycle undercarriage. The type was exported to a number of navies around the world. Introduced in 1952, the Tracker and its E-1 Tracer derivative saw service in the U.S. Navy until the mid-1970s, and its C-1 Trader derivative until the mid-1980s, with a few aircraft remaining in service with other air arms into the 21st century. Argentina is the last country to still operate the Tracker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vickers Viscount</span> British four-engined medium-range turboprop airliner, 1948

The Vickers Viscount is a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs. A design requirement from the Brabazon Committee, it entered service in 1953 and was the first turboprop-powered airliner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas C-47 Skytrain</span> Military transport aircraft derived from DC-3

The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for troop transport, cargo, paratrooper, for towing gliders and military cargo parachute drops. The C-47 remained in front-line service with various military operators for many years. It was produced in approximately triple the numbers as the larger, much heavier payload Curtiss C-46 Commando, which filled a similar role for the U.S. military.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6</span> Turboprop aircraft engine family by Pratt & Whitney Canada

The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is a turboprop aircraft engine produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. Its design was started in 1958, it first ran in February 1960, first flew on 30 May 1961, entered service in 1964, and has been continuously updated since. The PT6 consists of two basic sections: a gas generator with accessory gearbox, and a free-power turbine with reduction gearbox. In aircraft, the engine is often mounted "backwards," with the intake at the rear and the exhaust at the front, so that the turbine is directly connected to the propeller. Many variants of the PT6 have been produced, not only as turboprops but also as turboshaft engines for helicopters, land vehicles, hovercraft, and boats; as auxiliary power units; and for industrial uses. By November 2015, 51,000 had been produced, which had logged 400 million flight hours from 1963 to 2016. It is known for its reliability, with an in-flight shutdown rate of 1 per 651,126 hours in 2016. The PT6A turboprop engine covers the power range between 580 and 1,940 shp, while the PT6B/C are turboshaft variants for helicopters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas DC-5</span> Twin-engine propeller aircraft intended for shorter routes

The Douglas DC-5 was a 16-to-22-seat, twin-engine propeller aircraft intended for shorter routes than the Douglas DC-3 or Douglas DC-4. By the time it entered commercial service in 1940, many airlines were canceling orders for aircraft. Consequently, only five civilian DC-5s were built. With the Douglas Aircraft Company already converting to World War II military production, the DC-5 was soon overtaken by world events, although a limited number of military variants were produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolls-Royce Dart</span> 1940s British turboprop aircraft engine

The Rolls-Royce RB.53 Dart is a turboprop engine designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce Limited. First run in 1946, it powered the Vickers Viscount on its maiden flight in 1948. A flight on July 29 of that year, which carried 14 paying passengers between Northolt and Paris–Le Bourget Airport in a Dart-powered Viscount, was the first regularly scheduled airline flight by a turbine-powered aircraft. The Viscount was the first turboprop-powered aircraft to enter airline service - British European Airways (BEA) in 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American XA2J Super Savage</span> Prototype carrier-based bomber aircraft

The North American Aviation XA2J "Super Savage" was a prototype carrier-based attack aircraft built in the early 1950s. It was developed by North American Aviation (NAA) from the smaller AJ Savage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman Ag Cat</span> Single-engine agricultural biplane

The Grumman G-164 Ag Cat is a single-engined biplane agricultural aircraft, developed by Grumman in the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Handley Page Dart Herald</span> 1950s British turboprop passenger aircraft

The Handley Page HPR.7 Dart Herald is a British turboprop passenger aircraft, designed in the 1950s as a DC-3 replacement, but only entering service in the 1960s by which time it faced stiff competition from Fokker and Avro. Sales were disappointing, contributing in part to the demise of Handley Page in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convair CV-240 family</span> Family of twin-engine piston powered airliners by Convair

The Convair CV-240 is an American airliner that Convair manufactured from 1947 to 1954, initially as a possible replacement for the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3. Featuring a more modern design with cabin pressurization, the 240 series made some inroads as a commercial airliner, and had a long development cycle that produced various civil and military variants. Though reduced in numbers by attrition, various forms of the "Convairliners" continue to fly in the 21st century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basler BT-67</span> Douglas DC-3 modified with turboprop engines

The Basler BT-67 is a utility aircraft produced by Basler Turbo Conversions of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It is a remanufactured and modified Douglas C-47 Skytrain / Douglas DC-3; the modifications are designed to significantly extend the DC-3's serviceable lifetime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conroy Aircraft</span> American aircraft manufacturer

Conroy Aircraft was an American aircraft manufacturer founded by John M. Conroy in Goleta, California, in 1968 after he resigned as president of Aero Spacelines. The company imitated Aero Spacelines' success with its Guppy aircraft by converting a Canadair CL-44 to carry oversized cargo as the Conroy Skymonster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conroy Tri-Turbo-Three</span> Aircraft

The Conroy Tri-Turbo-Three was a Douglas DC-3 fitted with three Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engines by Conroy Aircraft; the third engine was mounted on the nose of the aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lockheed C-121 Constellation</span> Military transport version of Constellation

The Lockheed C-121 Constellation is a military transport version of the Lockheed Constellation. A total of 332 aircraft were constructed for both the United States Air Force and United States Navy for various purposes. Numerous airborne early warning versions were also constructed. The C-121 later saw service with smaller civilian operators until 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation</span> US airliner with 4 piston engines, 1951

The Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation is an American aircraft, a member of the Lockheed Constellation aircraft line. The aircraft was colloquially referred to as the Super Connie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lockheed L-749 Constellation</span> First version of Constellation with the ability to cross the Atlantic non-stop

The Lockheed L-749 Constellation is the first Lockheed Constellation to regularly cross the Atlantic Ocean non-stop. Although similar in appearance to the L-649 before it, the L-749 had a larger fuel capacity, strengthened landing gear, and eventually weather radar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Power-egg</span>

A power-egg is a complete "unitized" modular engine installation, consisting of engine and all ancillary equipment, which can be swapped between suitably designed equipment, with standardised quick-changing attachment points and connectors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas R4D-8</span> Military transport aircraft

The Douglas R4D-8 is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3S airliner. It was used by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps during the Korean War and Vietnam War.

References

  1. Mertens, Randy (1982). Closet Cases (2nd ed.). Kansas City, MO: Pilot News Press. p. 5.