Bristol Brabazon

History of Bristol Brabazon

The post-WWII Bristol "Brabarzon" was a product of the work of the 1943 Commission, and stemmed directly from the Bristol Aircraft Company's wartime bomber design. Led by statesman and British aviation pioneer Lord Brabazon (1st Baron Brabazon of Tara), the "Brabazon Committee" met to begin mapping the post-war civil aviation environment.

The British aviation industry all but ceased during the conflict to focus on fighters and bombers, which left the civilian transport industry in limbo for some time. The committee developed several major aircraft types, with Bristol offering the "Type 167", an improved version of its heavy bomber.

The company received funding for two airworthy prototypes under its proposal. The requirement calls for a transatlantic airliner to transport large numbers of passengers from UK airports to major cities on the US east coast.

Power came from eight Bristol Centaurus 18-cylinder radial engines, driving pairs of eight counter-rotating propeller units mounted on the wing leading edge nacelles. Inside, the hull can accommodate up to 100 full passengers - from large seating areas to cinemas, restaurants and full berths.

Special skin technology is used to control the weight of the aircraft, and motor-assisted control surfaces are standard the latter making the Brabazon the first aircraft ever to feature a fully motor-assisted control scheme. The original prototype was named the Mk I.

To complete the giant bird, a special hangar was built alongside the hull nearby. The test runway has been lengthened to provide the space needed for larger aircraft. The Mk I tested her engine in December 1948 and recorded her maiden flight on September 4, 1949. She was shown to the public at Farnborough in 1950 and performed a dramatic flyby during the performance.

His next notable stop was the 1951 Paris Air Show.

The design is completely 1950's, unfinished with the original silver metal case. The fuselage is tubular, with the flight deck just above the nose and a large vertical tail at the stern. The main-wing aircraft is located amidships, and the engine propeller shafts are located on the leading edge, just outboard on the sides of the fuselage. The exhaust ports are mounted in the trailing edge of the engine in front of the control surfaces. The horizontal stabilizer is installed in a low position, evident along the tail of the fuselage side.

The landing gear is a tricycle arrangement. Portholes dot the sides of the fuselage for passengers, and some windows are also located on top of the fuselage.

The second prototype was the Mk II, which appeared as early as 1946. Instead of the Centaur engine found in the Mk I, the MK II was powered by 8 x Bristol Proteus turboprops, arranged in a coupled arrangement.

Each engine mount drives a large diameter four-bladed propeller, with gears shared by each coupling unit. Not only does the clutch significantly improve performance, but it also makes the body lighter.

Despite the time and money invested in the project, airlines have shown little interest in what is now an expensive and still-in-development effort. Structural problems also emerged that threatened the future life of the aircraft.

On July 17, 1953, the project was cancelled by the British government after it could not find a buyer (even a military operator). Both prototypes were then scrapped.

When complete, Brabazon will have a crew of 6 and can carry 100 passengers. Dimensions include a length of 177 feet, a wingspan of 230 feet and a height of 50 feet - figures that make it one of the largest aircraft built during this period. Curb weight is 145,100 lbs and maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 290,000 lbs.

Each Centaur engine produces 2,650 horsepower. Performance includes a top speed of 300 mph, a cruise speed of 250 mph, a range of up to 5,500 miles, a service ceiling of 25,000 feet and a rate of climb of 750 feet per minute.

Specification

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