Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotti...n_Twin_Pioneer

The Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer was a British STOL transport aircraft built
by Scottish Aviation Limited at Prestwick Airport, Scotland, during the 1950s.
It was designed for both civil and military operators. It was conceived as a
twin-engined version of the Pioneer light transport. Both aircraft required "an
area only 30m (99ft) by 275m (902ft) in which to operate."

Powered by two Alvis Leonides 531 radial engines, the Twin Pioneer was a
high-wing cabin monoplane with a triple fin and rudder assembly and fixed
tailwheel undercarriage. The prototype Twin Pioneer, registered G-ANTP, first
flew at Prestwick Airport on 25 June 1955. Flight trials proved that the
aircraft had a very short landing run and the aircraft was displayed at the
September 1955 Society of British Aircraft Constructors Show at Farnborough.

Three pre-production aircraft were built for trials, and sales and
demonstrations.

In 1958, the 33rd aircraft was used as a prototype for the Series 2 with Pratt &
Whitney Wasp R-1340 radial engines which had been ordered by Philippine Air
Lines. A Series 3 aircraft was also developed to use the improved Alvis Leonides
531 radial engine.


Role
Transport

Manufacturer
Scottish Aviation

First flight
25 June 1955

Introduction
1956

Retired
1968

Primary users
Royal Air Force
Malaysia
Nepal

Number built
87

Developed from
Scottish Aviation Pioneer

The military version could carry external stores such as bombs under the stub
wings. One aircraft became the first aircraft for the newly formed Royal
Malaysian Air Force when it was delivered on 16 January 1962; the type served
with the air force for 12 years.

The Royal Air Force ordered 39 aircraft, which were built between 1958 and 1959,
deployed in Aden and the Far East. It was used extensively by British forces in
the Malayan Emergency and the later confrontation in Borneo. In August 1959, No.
78 Squadron RAF at Khormaksar received some Twin Pioneers to supplement its
single engine Pioneers. The Twin Pioneers were employed in moving troops and
supplies around the wilderness and on occasions lending support to the Sultan of
Oman. A series of double engine failures caused problems with the squadron
losing two aircraft on the same day. Unsuitable soft and hard landing strips
were also causes of failures during landings.

Other squadrons that operated the Twin Pioneers were No. 152 Squadron RAF based
at Muharraq in Bahrain: No. 21 Squadron RAF, which reformed with the type at
Benson in May 1959. The squadron then moved to Kenya and in June 1965 to Aden.
No. 152 operated around the Persian Gulf and in 1959, No. 209 Squadron RAF based
at Seletar began to receive Twin Pioneers. These operated in Borneo and Malaya.
The SRCU (Short Range Conversion Unit) at RAF Odiham also flew three Twin
Pioneers for aircrew training. RAF No. 230 Squadron in the UK was the last
military operator of the Twin Pioneer. The squadron operated the type in an
interesting sand-colour camouflage scheme.

Although mainly used in military operations, the Twin Pioneer was also
successful as a commercial transport for operation in areas without proper
airfields, where unprepared surfaces were often the norm. Twin Pioneers were
sold as survey aircraft to oil exploration companies with some of the first
sales to Rio Tinto Finance and Exploration Limited, and the Austrian and Swiss
government survey departments. Three were used by the 'Kroonduif' in Dutch New
Guinea.

One Twin Pioneer served as a STOL training aircraft with the Empire Test Pilot
School (ETPS) at RAE Farnborough for many years.

Specifications (Twin Pioneer CC.Mk 2)

General characteristics
Crew: Two (pilot and co-pilot)
Capacity: Up to 13 troops or 2,000 lb (907 kg) of cargo
Length: 45 ft 3 in (13.79 m)
Wingspan: 76 ft 6 in (23.32 m)
Height: 12 ft 3 in (3.73 m)
Wing area: 670 ft² (62 m²)
Empty weight: 10,062 lb (4,564 kg)
Loaded weight: 14,600 lb (6,622 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 14,600 lb (6,622 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Alvis Leonides 531 radial engine, 640 hp (564 kW) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 143 knots (165 mph, 266 km/h)
Range: 695 nm (791 mi, 1,287 km)
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,098 m)
Rate of climb: 1,250 ft/min (381 m/min)




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