Historic aircraft returns home to Prestwick for Ayr 800
Murdoch
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The Twin Pioneer- 50 years on and still flying
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THE NEXT event in Ayr 800 - the year-long calendar of activities to
mark the 800th anniversary this year of Ayr being granted Royal Burgh
status - will be a celebration of an important date in Ayrshire's
history that takes place on Saturday 25 June to mark the golden jubilee
of the first flight of the Twin Pioneer airliner in 1955.
The 16-passenger Twin Pioneer was designed and built at the Scottish
Aviation factory at Prestwick Airport with a requirement to have short
take-off and landing characteristics, so that it could be used in
remote parts of the world with small and very basic airfield
facilities.
Some of the stories covering the design and operation of Twin Pioneers
in civil and RAF service will be recounted at a conference on the
aircraft to be held at the Marine Hotel in Troon on 25 June, the 50th
anniversary date.
The anniversary weekend will also be marked by the return of a Twin
Pioneer to Prestwick Airport.
It is scheduled to touch down at Prestwick Airport at 1600 hours on
Friday 24 June 2005.
Owned by Air Atlantique of Coventry and the sole operational example in
the world, Twin Pioneer G-APRS will offer historic pleasure flights on
Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 June, from Orangefield, off Monkton Road,
Prestwick.
The Twin Pioneer had its origin in the smaller Prestwick Pioneer
designed to an Air Ministry requirement for a single-engine
communications aircraft able to operate from confined landing strips.
First flown in 1947, and in its developed Mark 2 form in 1950, the
Prestwick Pioneer became famous for its ability to fly at very low
speed and for demonstrations of its very short take-off and landing
runs. This performance was due in large measure to the high lift
devices, the flaps and slats, with which its wings were fitted.
It was in Malaya that the unique characteristics of the Pioneer were
first put to great use by our armed services in the campaign against
communist guerrillas, acting in a supply role to jungle forts with only
tiny airstrips in the middle of dense jungle.
So effective was the four-passenger Prestwick Pioneer that a need for a
larger aircraft with similar performance became apparent, and design
work was put in hand by Scottish Aviation on the twin-engine aircraft
that became the 16-passenger Twin Pioneer, later nicknamed the "Twin
Pin".
To give the necessary short take-off and landing characteristics the
wings of the Twin Pioneer were fitted with the same flap and slat high
lift devices as the Prestwick Pioneer.
The prototype of the new aircraft made its first flight from Prestwick
Airport on 25 June 1955. By the time production ceased in 1962, 87 Twin
Pioneers had been built, finding their way into civilian and military
service and operating in most continents of the world.
Like their smaller sisters the Prestwick Pioneers, Twin Pioneers were
put to work in Malaya by the RAF and also the Royal Malaysian Air
Force. Other tours of military duty for the Twin Pins were in the
baking hot desert area round Aden and in various parts of Africa,
equipped to carry out many different roles though acting mainly as a
light transport.
Civilian aircraft operated in many countries - including Australia,
Kuwait, Indonesia, Borneo, Iran, Iraq, Canada, Nepal, Morocco and
Sierra Leone, and some Twins even ended up in Vietnam and Cambodia.
One of the most interesting aircraft was G-AOER fitted with large
wing-tip magnetometers and a large camera hatch for the Rio Tinto
geophysical survey. The last major operator of the Twin Pioneer, Flight
One, used them in the surveying role until 1991.
More than nine Twin Pioneers still exist, probably the most important
being G-APRS still earning its keep with Air Atlantique as the only
flying example in the world.
Permanently in Scotland, the former Flight One Twin Pioneer G-BBVF is
displayed at the Museum of Flight at East Fortune Airfield east of
Edinburgh.
At the RAF Museum at Cosford west of Birmingham one of the ex-78
Squadron machines is currently in storage, pending construction of a
new display building.
Of the other remaining Twin Pins, two are in museums in Malaysia, two
are in more or less airworthy condition in Australia, with a third
under restoration for the Australian Aviation Museum, and one is in
Switzerland.
And one even turned up in Baghdad at the end of the recent Iraq war!
In its 70-year history, the aircraft factory at Prestwick Airport has
sent over one thousand new aircraft of five different types into the
skies - the Prestwick Pioneers, Twin Pioneers, Bulldogs, and most
recently the Jetstreams.
It is a remarkable aviation heritage to which the Twin Pioneer made a
significant contribution. The weekend of 25 June will be a unique
occasion to hear about the Twin Pioneer, to see it in the skies, and
even to fly in it.
The Twin Pioneer conference and the visit by G-APRS to Prestwick have
been arranged by the Prestwick Branch of the Royal Aeronautical
Society. The Prestwick Branch of the Society is greatly indebted to
Glasgow Prestwick International Airport, Air BP and South Ayrshire
Council for their support towards bringing the Twin Pioneer back to
Prestwick for the anniversary weekend.
Pleasure flight departures will be from near McIntyre Avenue,
Orangefield, approached from Monkton Road, Prestwick. For advance
bookings for flights (price £50 per person) phone Air Atlantique on
08703 304747. For further local information on the Twin Pioneer
conference in Troon or on flights phone 01292 477796 or 01292 476032.
-ends-
Media enquiries: Quentin Wilson, Secretary of the Prestwick Branch of
the Royal Aeronautical Society. Telephone 01292 477796 or e-mail
quentin...@btopenworld.com
PHOTOGRAPHY AVAILABLE
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About Ayr 800
In 2005 the historic town of Ayr in Scotland marks the 800th
anniversary of King William the Lion of Scotland signing a Charter in
1205 proclaiming Ayr to be a Royal Burgh.
Ayr Guildry, an association of local business people which itself dates
back to 1325, is currently organising Ayr 800, a 12 month long calendar
of events to celebrate the anniversary throughout the year.
Brian Martin of Ayr Guildry said: "It seems fitting and appropriate
to celebrate 800 years of Ayr's history in as many different ways as
possible.
"Since the inception of this project, I have been amazed to discover
the number and diversity of clubs, associations and groups that
flourish in our town. Ayr 800 provides them all with a magnificent
opportunity to play a prominent part in our year of celebrations.
"For people and businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry,
Ayr 800 offers the chance to attract visitors who might otherwise not
have come to our town in 2005.
"And Ayr 800 provides an additional platform for local businesses to
promote their products, skills and services to the world."
Brian Martin concluded: "Regular updates to the calendar of events
will be posted on the Ayr 800 website at http://www.ayr800.co.uk
"All businesses, clubs, societies and individuals who would still
like to take part in this great celebration of our town's history
will be most welcome, and should get in touch with us as soon as
possible."
Enquiries:
Brian Martin, Ayr Guildry. Telephone: +44 (0)1292 442103.
John Hay, Clerk to Ayr Guildry. Telephone: +44 (0)1292 264091.
Website:
http://www.ayr800.co.uk
Issued on behalf of Ayr Guildry by Fame Publicity Services.
Media enquiries (including evenings and weekends):
Murdoch MacDonald
Fame Publicity Services
10 Miller Road
AYR, Ayrshire
Scotland KA7 2AY
Telephone: +44 (0)1292 281498
Mobile: 07833 667322.
E-mail: famepu...@aol.com
Website: http://www.famepublicity.co.uk
Madra Dubh
"T N Nurse" <tnnurse...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:tnnurseNOUCE99-F1F...@singer.cent.gla.ac.uk...
> In article <1119017788.3...@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>,
> "Murdoch" <alco...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>> Historic aircraft returns home to Prestwick for Ayr 800
>>
>> *
>> The Twin Pioneer- 50 years on and still flying
>>
>> *
>>
>> THE NEXT event in Ayr 800 - the year-long calendar of activities to
>> mark the 800th anniversary this year of Ayr being granted Royal Burgh
>> status - will be a celebration of an important date in Ayrshire's
>> history that takes place on Saturday 25 June to mark the golden jubilee
>> of the first flight of the Twin Pioneer airliner in 1955.
>
> Starfighters and the PBY Catalina that used to be based there at
> the USAF base.
But Nurse Cratchit, those were American planes.
Whatever are you thinking?
Custos Custodum
<tnnurse...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>In article <1119017788.3...@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>,
> "Murdoch" <alco...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>> Historic aircraft returns home to Prestwick for Ayr 800
>>
>> *
>> The Twin Pioneer- 50 years on and still flying
>>
>> *
>>
>> THE NEXT event in Ayr 800 - the year-long calendar of activities to
>> mark the 800th anniversary this year of Ayr being granted Royal Burgh
>> status - will be a celebration of an important date in Ayrshire's
>> history that takes place on Saturday 25 June to mark the golden jubilee
>> of the first flight of the Twin Pioneer airliner in 1955.
>
>Yeah yeah, but they are dull planes. Get back some of the F104
>Starfighters
Didn't they all crash in Germany?