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Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador

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For a description of the format and data included in Production Tables, see here.

Contents

Type Description
Projected Variants

Type Description

  • AS.57 Ambassador Srs.1
  • Short-to-medium-haul high wing passenger aircraft to Specification C.25/43, to meet Type 2 of the Brabazon Committees recommendations. Three crew and seating for 47 passengers. Of all metal structure, the high aspect ratio wings featured integral fuel tanks and was designed for laminar flow, while the pressurised fuselage cross section was basically of two intersecting part circles. The tailplane with triple fins and rudders was mounted on top of the aft fuselage. Retractable tricycle undercarriage, with the twin wheeled main legs retracting forward into the engine nacelles. First prototype fitted with two 2470 h.p. Bristol Centaurus 130 powerplants, the second with two 2450 h.p. Bristol Centaurus 630's.
  • AS.57 Ambassador Srs.2
  • Production version featuring two 2625 h.p. Bristol Centaurus 661 powerplants.

AS.57 Ambassador Srs.2 Specification
Span Length Height Wing Area Empty Wt Max AUW Cruise Speed Maximum Speed Range Service Ceiling
115 ft 81 ft 18 ft 4 in 1200 sq ft 35377 lb 52000 lb 288 mph/ 250 kn 312 mph/ 271 kn 550 mi 25000 ft
35.05 m 24.69 m 5.59 m 111.48 m2 16047 kg 23587 kg 463 km/h 502 km/h 885 km 7620 m

Projected Variants

  • AS.59 Ambassador Mk.II
  • Four Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop powerplants.

There were also more radical proposed Ambassador developments as listed on the main Airspeed Projects page.

Production Details

C/n Initial Registration Notes
 2 prototypes built by Airspeed Ltd., Christchurch, to Contract Acft/3588. First flew July 1948.
 61  G-AGUA  Allotted serial RT665 but not used
 62  G-AKRD  Allotted serial RT668 but not used. To Rolls Royce Ltd, May 1966.
 1 Series 2 aircraft built by Airspeed Ltd., Christchurch, to Contract 6/Acft/3006. Delivered Oct 1949.
 5210  G-ALFR  To D. Napier and Son Ltd., Oct 1959.
 20 Series 2 aircraft built by Airspeed Ltd., Christchurch, for BEA to Contract 6/Acft/1968. Built between 1951 and 1953.
 5211  G-AMAD  To BEA. Originally G-ALZN but ntu. To BKS July 1957. Freighter conv. by Aviation Traders (ATL) in Oct 1967 for BKS Cargo.
 5212  G-ALZN  To BEA. Originally G-ALZO but ntu.
 5213  G-ALZP  To BEA. To Royal Jordanian Air Force as 109 in Sept 1960. To CN-MAK May 1961. To G-ALZP, (ZK-DFC ntu).
 5214  G-ALZR  To BEA. Rebuilt between May 1963 and Nov 1964 by BKS as freighter.
 5215  G-ALZS  To BEA. To LN-BWE ntu. To Globe Air AG, Basle, Switzerland November 1960 as HB-IEK. To G-ALZS December 1963.
 5216  G-ALZT  To BEA. To BKS Jan 1959.
 5217  G-ALZU  To BEA.
 5218  G-ALZV  To BEA. To Globe Air AG, Basle, Switzerland Dec 1961 as HB-IEM. To G-ALZV December 1963.
 5219  G-ALZW  To BEA. To BKS Jan 1959.
 5220  G-ALZX  To BEA. To Butler Air Transport, Australia June 1957 as VH-BUI.
 5221  G-ALZY  To BEA. To Royal Jordanian Air Force as 107 in Dec 1959. To G-ALZY February 1963.
 5222  G-ALZZ  To BEA. To LN-BWF but ntu. To Globe Air AG, Basle, Switzerland Apr 1961 as HB-IEL. To G-ALZZ August 1963.
 5223  G-AMAA  To BEA. To Shell Aircraft Ltd. Jan 1960.
 5224  G-AMAB  To BEA.
 5225  G-AMAC  To BEA. To BKS June 1960.
 5226  G-ALZO  To BEA. Freighter conversion by Marshalls Cambridge March 1959; to Jordan Air Force as 108 in May 1960. To G-ALZO February 1963.
 5227  G-AMAE  To BEA. To Butler Air Transport, Australia June 1957 as VH-BUK. To G-AMAE November 1959.
 5228  G-AMAF  To BEA. To Globe Air AG, Basle, Switzerland Feb 1962 as HB-IEI.
 5229  G-AMAG  To BEA. To Shell Aircraft Ltd. Jan 1960.
 5230  G-AMAH  To BEA. To Butler Air Transport, Australia Aug 1957 as VH-BUJ. To G-AMAH November 1959.
Total Production 23

Production Summary

All Aircraft By Type
Type Built New Conv Canc'd Total
 Ambassador Srs.1 3 3
 Ambassador Srs.2 20 20
23 (0) 0

Production References

  1. Airspeed Aircraft Since 1931, H.A. Taylor (Putnam, 1970)
  2. Air Britain Archive, 2002/4 to 2003/3 (Air-Britain Publications)
  3. Ministry of Aircraft Production Aeroplane Price Books (Dept of Archive and Aviation Records, RAF Museum, Hendon, Records X005-2126)

Page Revision History

Revised at Version 2.1.0
  • Added Contract No. for production aircraft.
Revised at Version 2.0.0
  • Improved Type Desecription details and added Specification details.
Revised at Version 1.4.0
  • Added user details.
Revised at Version 1.3.0
  • Revised Produced Variant list and corrected production details.