Percival Prince

Last updated

Prince
Percival Sea Prince T.1 WF118 727 Sqn FAA 09.56.jpg
Royal Navy Sea Prince T.1 of 727 Squadron FAA from RNAS Brawdy operational with radar nose in September 1956
General information
TypeTransport aircraft
Manufacturer Percival Aircraft Limited
Number built75 of all variants [1]
History
First flight13 May 1948
Developed from Percival Merganser
Developed into Percival Pembroke

The Percival Prince is a British light transport of the early postwar period. It was a twin-engine, high-wing, cantilever monoplane of all-metal stressed-skin construction; the undercarriage was of retractable, tricycle type.

Contents

Development

The design of the Prince continued from the solitary Merganser. Further development of the type led to the Survey Prince survey aircraft and the Sea Prince. An improved version of the Prince 3 with an increased wingspan and engine and undercarriage modifications was developed for the Royal Air Force as the Percival Pembroke.

Operational history

Percival Prince 3E executive aircraft of Standard Motor Co. at Croydon Airport in April 1954 Percival Prince 3E Standard Croydon 04.54.jpg
Percival Prince 3E executive aircraft of Standard Motor Co. at Croydon Airport in April 1954

The Prince was produced in six versions for the civil market. Several examples were operated as executive aircraft including Standard Motors and Shell Oil. Three aircraft were used by the UK Ministry of Civil Aviation as airport facilities checking aircraft.

The Sea Prince operated in two roles: in T.Mk.1 form it served as a navigation and anti-submarine trainer; the C.Mks. 1 and 2 were flown in the transport role. However, these were land planes and not COD (carrier on board delivery) aircraft. Sea Princes operated in both roles from 1954 to 1972 and as a navigation trainer until 1978, when it was replaced by the Handley Page Jetstream

Variants

[1]

Sea Prince T.1 preserved at the Gatwick Aviation Museum in 2008 Percival Sea Prince WP308.jpg
Sea Prince T.1 preserved at the Gatwick Aviation Museum in 2008

Operators

Civil operators

Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of Brunei.svg  Brunei
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
Flag of France.svg  France
Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland
Flag of Tanganyika (1923-1961).svg  Tanganyika
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela

Military operators

Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom

Surviving aircraft

Thailand
United Kingdom
United States of America

Specifications (Sea Prince T.1)

Percival Sea Prince T.1 Percival Sea Prince T1 3-view silhouette.jpg
Percival Sea Prince T.1

Data from British Naval Aircraft since 1912 [13]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "PER50 PRINCE PEMBROKE". Archived from the original on 14 March 2007.
  2. Silvester 1987, pp. 112 & 119
  3. "Airframe Dossier - Percival Prince 3A, s/n T1-1/98 RTAF, c/n P41". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  4. "Airframe Dossier - Percival Prince 6E, c/n P50-46, c/r G-AMLZ". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  5. "Percival Sea Prince T1 (WP313)". Fleet Air Arm Museum. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  6. "OUR AIRCRAFT". Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  7. "Aircraft". Solway Aviation Museum. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  8. "Percival Sea Prince T.1". Gatwick Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 11 March 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  9. "Percival P.57 Sea Prince T.1". Ulster Aviation Society. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  10. "Airframe Dossier - Percival Sea Prince T.1, s/n WF122 RN, c/n P57/0018". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  11. "Airframe Dossier - Percival Sea Prince T.1, s/n WP321 RN, c/n PAC/57/71, c/r G-BRFC". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  12. |url= https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=54966
  13. Thetford 1978, p.251.

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westland Whirlwind (helicopter)</span> 1953 helicopter series by Westland

The Westland Whirlwind helicopter was a British licence-built version of the U.S. Sikorsky S-55/H-19 Chickasaw. It primarily served with the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm in anti-submarine and search and rescue roles. It was also exported to other countries, and the Whirlwind was succeeded by the turbine powered Westland Wessex which was developed from the H-19/Whirlwind. The helicopter was made in many variants using a variety of radial (piston) and turbine engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westland Wessex</span> 1958 military helicopter family by Westland

The Westland Wessex is a British-built turbine-powered development of the Sikorsky H-34. It was developed and produced under licence by Westland Aircraft. One of the main changes from Sikorsky's H-34 was the replacement of the piston-engine powerplant with a turboshaft engine. Early models were powered by a single Napier Gazelle engine, while later builds used a pair of de Havilland Gnome engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairey Firefly</span> Carrier-based fighter and anti-submarine aircraft

The Fairey Firefly is a Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft that was principally operated by the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). It was developed and built by the British aircraft manufacturer Fairey Aviation Company.

de Havilland Sea Venom Carrier-based fighter aircraft family

The de Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom is a British postwar carrier-capable jet aircraft developed from the de Havilland Venom. It served with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and with the Royal Australian Navy. The French Navy operated the Aquilon, developed from the Sea Venom FAW.20, built under licence by SNCASE (Sud-Est).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer</span>

The Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer was a British STOL transport aircraft built by Scottish Aviation Limited at Prestwick Airport, Scotland, during the 1950s. It was designed for both civil and military operators. It was conceived as a twin-engined version of the Pioneer light transport. Both aircraft required "an area only 30m (99ft) by 275m (902ft) in which to operate."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing</span> American single engine cabin biplane

The Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing is an American biplane with an atypical negative wing stagger. It first flew in 1932.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikorsky H-34</span> American helicopter

The Sikorsky H-34 is an American piston-engined military utility helicopter originally designed by Sikorsky as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft for the United States Navy. A development of the smaller Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw (S-55), the H-34 was originally powered by a radial engine, but was later adapted to turbine power by the British licensee as the Westland Wessex and by Sikorsky as the S-58T. The H-34 was also produced under license in France by Sud Aviation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikorsky HH-52 Seaguard</span> 1958 transport helicopter family by Sikorsky

The Sikorsky HH-52 Seaguard is an early amphibious helicopter designed and produced by American helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft. It was the first of the company's amphibious rotorcraft to fly and the United States Coast Guard's first turbine-powered helicopter and first amphibious helicopter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Percival Gull</span>

The Percival Gull was a British single-engined monoplane, first flown in 1932. It was successful as a fast company transport, racing aircraft and long-range record breaker. It was developed into the Vega Gull and the Proctor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman J2F Duck</span> American single-engine amphibious biplane

The Grumman J2F Duck is an American single-engine amphibious biplane. It was used by each major branch of the U.S. armed forces from the mid-1930s until just after World War II, primarily for utility and air-sea rescue duties. It was also used by the Argentine Navy, who took delivery of their first example in 1937. After the war, J2F Ducks saw service with independent civilian operators, as well as the armed forces of Colombia and Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing P-12</span> US military fighter aircraft in service 1930-1941

The Boeing P-12 or Boeing F4B is an American pursuit aircraft that was operated by the United States Army Air Corps, United States Marine Corps, and United States Navy. It was the chief fighter aircraft in American service during the early 1930s but also used internationally. By the late 1930s it was replaced in front-line duty by newer designs, but it was still used for training into the early 1940s. Many variants of the aircraft were developed. In the 21st century a handful of surviving air frames are on display in museums.

de Havilland Dove British short-haul airliner produced 1946–1967

The de Havilland DH.104 Dove is a British short-haul airliner developed and manufactured by de Havilland. The design, which was a monoplane successor to the pre-war Dragon Rapide biplane, came about from the Brabazon Committee report which, amongst other aircraft types, called for a British-designed short-haul feeder for airlines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westland WS-51 Dragonfly</span> Helicopter built by Westland Aircraft

The Westland WS-51 Dragonfly helicopter was built by Westland Aircraft and was an Anglicised licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-51.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Percival Pembroke</span>

The Percival Pembroke is a British high-wing twin-engined light transport aircraft built by the Percival Aircraft Company, later Hunting Percival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Percival Prentice</span> British military trainer aircraft

The Percival Prentice was a basic trainer of the Royal Air Force in the early postwar period. It was a low-wing monoplane with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage. Front seating was in a side-by-side configuration with a rear seat provided.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Percival Provost</span> 1950 trainer aircraft by Percival

The Percival P.56 Provost is a basic trainer aircraft that was designed and manufactured by British aviation company Percival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvis Leonides</span> 1930s British piston aircraft engine

The Alvis Leonides is a British air-cooled nine-cylinder radial aero engine first developed by Alvis Car and Engineering Company in 1936.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Aviation Pioneer</span> Utility aircraft family

The Scottish Aviation Pioneer was an STOL aircraft manufactured by Scottish Aviation in Scotland. It was used for casualty evacuation and communications and could accommodate a pilot and up to four passengers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Percival Proctor</span> British WWII training and communications aircraft

The Percival Proctor is a British radio trainer and communications aircraft of the Second World War. The Proctor is a single-engined, low-wing monoplane with seating for three or four, depending on the model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Percival Merganser</span>

The Percival Merganser was a light, civil transport of the late 1940s. It was a twin-engine, high-wing monoplane of all-metal, stressed skin construction with retractable tricycle undercarriage.