Bristol Superfreighter

The Bristol Type 170 Superfreighter Mk 32 was a stretched development of the Bristol Freighter, built for Silver City Airways to run short air ferry routes carrying cars and passengers across the English Channel to France. Its hold was longer than that of the earlier Mark 31, at 42 ft 3 in, so it could carry three cars instead of two, or 20 passengers instead of 12. It is recognisable from the Freighter by a longer nose, in which the extra car was carried, a fin fillet and rounded wingtips. Power came from two Bristol Hercules 734 radial piston engines of 2,000 hp each, driving four-bladed propellers, and Jane figures give it a maximum speed of 225 mph and a cruise of 164 mph. The first aircraft were delivered to Silver City Airways in spring 1953, and one was converted to a 60-seat all-passenger Super Wayfarer. Other operators included British United Air Ferries, SABENA, Channel Air Bridge, Lambair and Midland Air Cargo. The type appeared in films such as That Riviera Touch in 1966.