FS2004 Tupolev Tu-114

CCCP 76490 'Havana'

in 60s joint Aeroflot~TradeWind Caribbean Airways scheme

During the late 1960s '490 flew with TradeWind Caribbean Airways, after a short period with JAL. The Aeroflot-TCA model has a 105-seats cabin - the front cabin is configured for first-class and 6-abreast seats are replaced by 4-abreast larger seats. She was operated by mixed crews mainly on transatlantic services from Cuba. This aircraft is now part of the TradeWind Historic Flight Group fleet.

FS2002 BAe-HS.748 2B PJ-ADB 'Cayo Coco'

in 90s TradeWind Domestic Mailservice livery

The maiden flight of the Avro 748, G-APZV took place on 24th June 1960 from Woodford Airfield and was piloted by Jimmy Harrison, the Avro Chief Test Pilot.

The flight lasted 2 hours 41 minutes, which was a record duration for the first flight of a civil airliner at that time.

The Indian Government showed an interest in the aircraft and even before the first test flight had taken place a manufacturing agreement had been signed for the aircraft to be built by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. in Kanpur ,India.

The original 748 - the Series 1- was powered by Rolls Royce Dart 514 engines rated at 1600 shp.

The second prototype G-ARAY first flew on 10th April 1961. The next version was, not surprisingly, the Series 2. This was powered by more powerful Dart engines the Dart 531 rated at 1910 shp giving the Series 2 the capability of carrying a greater load over a longer range.

In 1963 the Hawker Siddeley Group decided to combine the names of the companies within the group into one and well known names like Gloster and A V Roe became known as Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd. The Avro 748 became the Hawker Siddeley 748 (HS748) overnight.

By 1967 the Series 2A was introduced. This had more powerful engines fitted - the Rolls Royce Dart 532 which again improved the performance of the aircraft. Many operators subsequently upgraded their Series 2 aircraft to 2A standard by fitting replacement engines.

In 1977 Hawker Siddeley and the British Aircraft Corporation merged into British Aerospace. The designation of the aircraft now became the British Aerospace 748 (BAe748).

The final version of the 748 to be built was the Series 2B with even more powerful engines, the Dart 536-2.

TradeWind Domestic Mailservice operated the type for many years before retiring them in the early 90s.

FS2002 NAMC YS-11 v2.0 PJ-YKE' in 1980s scheme

The only Japanese airliner to enter production since WW2, the YS11 achieved a degree of success in its domestic market and in North America.

The YS11 was a product of the Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Company (or NAMC), a consortium of Fuji, Kawasaki, Mitsubishi, Nippi, Shin Meiwa (now Shin Maywa) and Showa. NAMC formed on June 1 1959 to design and develop a short to medium range airliner, with particular attention being paid to meeting the specific operating requirements of the Japanese domestic airlines.

NAMC selected the RollsRoyce Dart over the Allison 501 to power the new airliner. Fuji was given responsibility for the tail unit, Kawasaki the wings and engine nacelles, Mitsubishi the forward fuselage and final assembly, Nippi the ailerons and flaps, Shin Meiwa the rear fuselage and Showa the light alloy honeycomb structural components.

The YS11 first flew on August 30 1962 (a second prototype flew that December), and was awarded Japanese certification in August 1964. By that time the first production aircraft were under construction, and the type entered service with Toa Airways (now JAS) in April 1965. Initial production was of the YS11100, the follow up YS11A200 (first flight November 1967) was designed for export markets and featured an increased max takeoff weight. The YS11A300 was a combi passenger/freight model, while the YS11A400 was a pure freighter with a forward freight door.

The YS11A500, 600 and 700 were equivalent to the 200, 300 and 400, but with a 500kg (1100lb) greater max takeoff weight. Production ceased in February 1974.

By late 1998 66 YS11s remained in commercial service. The largest operators were All Nippon (6) and Japan Air Commuter (12).

TDM used the type in the early 80s in this combi version. Operating mostly passenger services by day and cargo by night.

FS2002 Vickers Viscount 800 PJ-VVB 'Providenciales' in 1950s scheme

The Vickers Viscount was the first turboprop airliner to enter service anywhere in the world, the prototype flying on July 16, 1948. Certification was achieved on April 17, 1953, and it entered service with BEA the next day. Whilst Australian National Airlines intended to stick with piston engined aircraft such as the DC-6, TAA (Trans-Australia Airlines) ordered six Viscounts, the first arriving in October 1954 - registered as VH-TAA and named John Batman. Planned commencement of service on December 1 was deferred when the aircraft crashed on a training flight, killing three of the five people on board, on 30th October 1954.

TAA's next Viscount, VH-TVB Gregory Blaxland made a 3-hour demonstration flight between Melbourne, Vic. and Brisbane, Qld. on December 13th, and regular services began five days later. TAA also fitted a Viscount with slipper fuel tanks to equip it for the long flight Melbourne-Adelaide-Perth. Following this competitive move, TAA ordered more Viscounts, and ANA tentatively ordered more DC-6Bs. Ansett applied to purchase a further Convair 340.
By 1957, TAA's Viscount fleet numbered twelve, including three with the additional fuel tanks and two with the Mk. 506 Dart engines which added 30 kts. (56 km./hr.) to their speed.

Butler Air Transport also ordered Viscounts, and found the runways which had served their DC-3 fleet were too short for the new aircraft. They broke into the Melbourne-Sydney route with Viscount VH-BAT Warral on 12 December, 1955. The Department of Civil Aviation, meanwhile, declared several provincial airports unsuitable for Viscount operations. Butler acquired three Airspeed Ambassadors in 1957 to keep up services to these airports which their DC-3s could no longer handle.
As TAA Continued to expand its fleet during 1957-58, Ansett gained control of both ANA and Butler. As competition progressed, Ansett-ANA purchased L.188 Electras, Friendships and Viscounts. With the advent of the Boeing 727 and DC-9 jet airliners, the Viscount era ended, the remaining Viscounts being withdrawn from service during 1969-71. The V.810 series aircraft were generally sold overseas, except for a sole example, VH-TVR, at Moorabbin Air Museum. The surviving V.700 Viscounts were scrapped, except for one sold to an African buyer. By 1998, only about ten Viscounts were still flying, all in Africa.
The RAAF operated two Viscounts (A6-435 and A6-436) from late 1964 until March 1969. They served as VIP transports with 34 Sqn., alongside Convair 440s and Dakotas, and ended their service with less than 5000 hours on their airframes (including pre-RAAF time) when they were replaced by the BAC One Eleven.

Vickers Viscount 800

In 1952 Vickers proposed an enlarged version of the Viscount, designed around the up-rated 1,690-ehp. Dart R.Da.5. The “stretch” in this version was primarily in payload. By lengthening the fuselage by 13 ft. 3 in. It was possible to provide for as many as eighty six passengers. At a gross weight of 65,000 lb. this version –called the V800 Series-had a cruising speed a little below 300 mph. , whereas the V700D Series cruised at 326 mph and the original V700 figure was 300 mph.

On February 11 1953, BEA placed an order for twelve o the enlarged Viscounts, which took the customer designation V801. Further consideration of the project, however, by both Vickers and BEA, led to the conclusion that the “stretch” was too great.

In the course of the next year, the V800 Series was redesigned, therefore, around the still more powerful 1,740-ehp Dart R.Da.6, which was already being used in the V700D. The fuselage length was reconsidered and a figure of 3 ft. 10 in. was eventually accepted, although the effective cabin length was increased by 9 ft. 3 in. by relocating the rear pressure bulkhead further aft.

Thus redesigned, the new Viscount seated sixty five passengers and with a gross weight of 63,000 lb. it cruised at 320 mph. BEA changed its order to the new variant on April 14th 1954, taking up an option on ten more a year later. The designation for BEA changed to V802 and apart from the longer fuselage, a distinguishing feature was the use of rectangular rather than elliptical main cabin doors.

The V800 Series Viscount was further developed into the V810, which had a strengthened airframe for 2,100-ehp Dart R.Da.7. (mk 525) engines, gross weight increased to 69,000 lb and higher cruising speeds. After going into service, the V810 was cleared for operation at weights up to 72,000 lb., or more than double the weight of the of the original VC 2 project. FAA approval for operations in the USA was obtained on April 22nd 1958.

from Turbine Engined Airliners of the World by F.G.Swanborough.

FS2002 Ilyushin IL-18 CU-T-1802 'Havana'

in 70s TradeWind Caribbean Airlines livery

The Ilyushin Il-18 enjoyed one of the longest production runs of any turboprop airliner in the world and played a significant role in developing air services in Russia's remote regions in the 1960s and 1970s.

The Il-18 was developed in response to a mid 1950s Aeroflot requirement for an economical 75 to 100 seat medium range airliner. The prototype Il-18 (named Moskva) was powered by four 2985kW (4000shp) Kuznetsov SN4 turboprops and flew for the first time on July 4 1957. The first Il-18 entered Aeroflot service on April 20 1959.

Initial production Il-18s could seat 75 passengers and were powered by the Kuznetsov engines, but only the first 20 aircraft built were so powered before the 2985kW (4000shp) Ivchenko AI20 became the standard powerplant. From there on only minor changes characterised the Il-18's development life.

The first new production model was the Il-18B which had a reconfigured interior to seat 84 passengers. The Il-18V entered service in 1961. It became the standard Aeroflot version and could seat 90 to 100 passengers, depending on configuration. The Il-18I introduced more powerful 3170kW (4250ehp) AI20Ms, while seating could be increased to 122 in summer with the deletion of the rear coat closet (essential in Russian winters) and fitting extra seats. The Il-18D is similar to the I but has extra fuel capacity with an additional centre section tank. On the Il-18D and Il-18I the APU is in the belly of the fuselage, rather than in the tail.

The Il-18 has the NATO reporting name of `Coot'. Like the Lockheed Electra, the Il-18 also formed the basis of a maritime patrol and anti submarine warfare aircraft, the Il38 `May'.

Most Il-18s are now flown by secondary operators on regional routes and on charters as they have been replaced by more modern and efficient jet equipment on primary routes.

TradeWind operate a small number during the 1970s mostly from the Cuban hub.

FS2002 Vickers Vanguard (includes panel and sound)

PJ-VVY 'Hato' passenger version
PJ-VVZ 'Solar Merchantman' cargo version

in 70s TradeWind Caribbean Airlines livery and TradeWind Air Cargo

Vickers Vanguard

Successful operations with the Vickers Viscount encouraged BEA to look for a larger-capacity replacement in the 100-seat class. Vickers had been considering a further stretched of the Viscount, but the need to provide standard seating for 100 passengers could not meet in this way. So the evolution of a completely new aircraft was begun under the Vickers company designation type 870.

The design of an airframe of this Composite represented no serious problems, once that agreement was reached between the company and BEA regarding the full operational requirements, but matters had been complicated by the fact that Trans-Canada Air lines know Air Canada was also looking for a commercial transport in much the same category, but had different views on configuration. BEA was opting for a high-wing layout. one that was appealing to passengers but TCA demanded the far more practical low-wing configuration.

BEA was opting for a high-wing lay-out. Perhaps the Vanguard might have enjoyed a similar success to the Viscount, but the selected turbo power plant was to spell failure for what was, in other respects, a well designed aircraft. The installation of turbo jets.

missing panel bmp here

FS2002 Cessna C310-Q PJ-BJA
by Ray Lopez

in 70s TradeWind Domestic (non standard) livery

Although no longer in production, the Cessna C310, was and still is one of the most popular twin engine aircraft and the choice of many General Aviation enthusiasts. Used by TDM as a 'Crew Transfer Bus' and general run about.