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Post by dutchman2 on Mar 8, 2012 15:26:51 GMT -5
With all the talk of the Bassler DC-3, I seem to remember that Mr. (Guppy) Conroy took two RR Darts off a Viscount and hung them on a DC-3. It didnt take off so to speak but it was an early relation to the Bassler.
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Post by Tom/CalClassic on Mar 8, 2012 15:35:39 GMT -5
BEA also had Dart powered DC-3's, as I remember.
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Post by okami on Mar 8, 2012 15:48:51 GMT -5
Actually, I don't know if Mr. Conroy did it or not, but if he did, he wasn't the first one.
Rolls Royce actually had a great part in making the Bassler Dakota's predecessor, even if it wasn't actually their intention to do so - they just needed a testbank for their Dart engine. After having tested the first ever Turboprop engine on a Gloster Meteor (the Rolls Royce Trent - basically a Derwent with a prop on the front), they began their design work on the RB.53.
Initially, things weren't well: the first prototypes were underpowered (600 shp while the target was 1000shp, with the engine weight 30% over the target at 1100 lbs), but eventually, after some redesigns, a 'flyable' Dart prototype could be built.
The first tests saw the Dart mounted on a Lancaster bomber in 1947 - the test engine in the nose, with the four 'regular' Merlins retained. The first aircraft fully powered by the Dart was a Wellington Bomber in 1948; later that year the Viscount prototype first flew with four Dart engines. Further trials followed in 1949 with an Airspeed Ambassador and an Avro Athena.
And then came the first Turboprop Dakota - and in fact, there were three of them. Two were BEA Dakota's, while the third was an RAF one; all three had their R-1830s removed, and replaced by Darts driving a four-bladed Rotol prop. The BEA Dakota's entered regular service as freighter aircraft in 1951 - in the course, becoming the first revenue earning turboprop aircraft - and for two years, they were used to gather data on the use and maintenance of turboprop engines in regular airline service. Together, they logged 3870 hours, during which the Dart proved its reliability - not a single premature engine removal was required during that time.
The Dart-equiped Dakota's became legendary - in some cases their performance was even exaggerated. One of the tall tales is that they could cruise in formation with jet fighters at 50000 ft - while that wasn't true, they frequently did operate at altitudes of up to 25000 ft, much to the bemusement of air traffic control and other airline pilots which happened to encounter the aircraft. A story which probably is true, is that of a DC-6 crew enroute, finding themselves being overtaken by one of the Dart Dakota's flying several thousand of feet overhead of them...
After the trials were concluded, the BEA Dart Dakota's were re-converted to their R-1830s, but by that time BEA had earned some valuable experience, which they used to their advantage when the first Viscount services were inaugurated in April of 1953...
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Post by sak1134 on Mar 9, 2012 11:12:14 GMT -5
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Post by garryrussell on Mar 9, 2012 11:28:09 GMT -5
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Post by Juan Martinez on Mar 9, 2012 12:55:27 GMT -5
this is interesting... I knew about the Basler TurboProp DC-3 but never about the conversion with the Dart Engines......there's always something new to learn about! air-and-space.com/conroy.htmAnother detail....take a look at the tail...seems to have the same shape as the HS-748 ....is that an adaption from a HS748 tail?...or maybe a custom made one?  |
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Post by sunny9850 on Mar 9, 2012 13:02:56 GMT -5
No the fully enclosed wheel wells and the tail are straight from the Super DC3 as far as I can see.
As well as the little strake between the main cockpit windows.
Cheers
Stefan
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Post by Juan Martinez on Mar 9, 2012 13:08:43 GMT -5
haha...sorry! never payed attention to that detail!  Thanks for ther clarification Stefan. |
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Post by Maarten on Mar 9, 2012 14:25:57 GMT -5
No the fully enclosed wheel wells and the tail are straight from the Super DC3 as far as I can see. As well as the little strake between the main cockpit windows. Cheers Stefan In fact this is a Dart-converted DC-3S.  For more about Conroy's DC-3 conversions see air-and-space.com/conroy.htmCheers, Maarten |
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Post by capflyer on Mar 10, 2012 23:55:55 GMT -5
...Another use of ex Viscount Darts was in the Mustang Cavalier only converted one Cavalier Mustang II (which was a P-51D with beefed up wings that had hardpoints for CAS/COIN work in South America and the Pacific) using a Dart 510. This aircraft was then sold to Piper Aircraft and the DART was replaced with a lighter and more powerful Lycoming T-55 and became the Piper PA-48 Enforcer. Unfortunately, the aircraft failed to get a government contract or any buyers. The 2 remaining aircraft, N481PE and N482PE were the 3rd and 4th prototype aircraft. N481PE is at the USAF Museum in Dayton, N482PE is at Edwards AFB. N201PE (the Cavalier "Turbo Mustang III") was scrapped and the other of the original pair (N202PE) crashed. Also, the story goes that David Lindsay, the owner of Cavalier, originally wanted the T-55 engine installed, but was unable to obtain one from the US Government (not being available in a civilian version) so substituted the DART only as a last-ditch effort to prove the design, not because there was any real desire to use it on the final product. |
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Post by pappiontx on Nov 19, 2013 0:53:06 GMT -5
156WC was a Super DC-3 (Navy version) purchased by The Western Co of North America in 67 or 68. They had Conroy modify the plane and installed a corporate interior. It was sold shortly after completion. My dad Jud Fowler was Chief Pilot at Western during this time.
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