Vickers 953C Merchantman

Vickers 953C Merchantman

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01/31/2008. This was one of twenty 951s ordered by British European Airways (BEA) in 1957. The 951 was an 126-seat airliner powered by four 4,500 hp Rolls-Royce Tyne Rty.1 Mk.506 turboprops with 1,265 lb (575 kg) residual exhaust thrust. Max take off weight weight was 135,000 lb (61,235 kg), and the first flew January 20, 1959. However, only six were completed as a 951, the remaining fourteen were built as the 953, an 139-seat airliner; while powered by the same engines, structural changes allowed an increase of the max take off weight weight to 141,000 lb (63,927 kg).

G-APEK was finished as a 953, and named Dreadnought, was first flown on August 30, 1961. It flew uneventful till it was withdrawn from use as a passenger airliner in October 1969. Subsequently it was converted to an all-freight 953C Merchantman, and re-entered service with BEA on February 17, 1970. On March 31, 1974, BEA and British Overseas Airways Corporation merged into British Airways, and the aircraft flew with the latter till it was sold to Air-Bridge Carriers on November 5, 1979.

It was finally withdrawn from use in 1990, while initially stored, it was broken up later; the registration was cancelled on November 6, 1996.


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01/31/2008. This was one of twenty 951s ordered by British European Airways (BEA) in 1957. The 951 was an 126-seat airliner powered by four 4,500 hp Rolls-Royce Tyne Rty.1 Mk.506 turboprops with 1,265 lb (575 kg) residual exhaust thrust. Max take off weight weight was 135,000 lb (61,235 kg), and the first flew January 20, 1959. However, only six were completed as a 951, the remaining fourteen were built as the 953, an 139-seat airliner; while powered by the same engines, structural changes allowed an increase of the max take off weight weight to 141,000 lb (63,927 kg). G-APEK was finished as a 953, and named Dreadnought, was first flown on August 30, 1961. It flew uneventful till it was withdrawn from use as a passenger airliner in October 1969. Subsequently it was converted to an all-freight 953C Merchantman, and re-entered service with BEA on February 17, 1970. On March 31, 1974, BEA and British Overseas Airways Corporation merged into British Airways, and the aircraft flew with the latter till it was sold to Air-Bridge Carriers on November 5, 1979. It was finally withdrawn from use in 1990, while initially stored, it was broken up later; the registration was cancelled on November 6, 1996.