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Percival Prince
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Top speed
359 km/h
Length
14 m
Manufacturer
Hunting Aircraft
Wingspan
17 m
First flight
May 13, 1948
The Percival Prince was a British light transport of the early postwar period. It was a twin-engine, high-wing, cantilever monoplane of all-metal stressed-skin construction; the undercarriage was of retractable, tricycle type.
The design of the Prince continued from the solitary Merganser. Further development of the type led to the Survey Prince survey aircraft and the Sea Prince. An improved version of the Prince 3 with an increased wingspan and engine and undercarriage modifications was developed for the Royal Air Force as the Percival Pembroke.
Operational history
The Prince was produced in six versions for the civil market. Several examples were operated as executive aircraft including by Standard Motors and Shell Oil. Three aircraft were used by the UK Ministry of Civil Aviation as airport facilities checking aircraft.
The Sea Prince operated in two roles: in T.Mk.1 form it served as a navigation and anti-submarine trainer; the C.Mks. 1 and 2 were flown in the transport role. However, these were landplanes and not COD (carrier on-board delivery) aircraft. Sea Princes operated in both roles from 1954 to 1972 and as a navigation trainer until 1978, when it was replaced by the Handley Page Jetstream
P.50 Prince 1 - prototype based on Merganser with modified fin and undercarriage and two 520 hp Alvis Leonides 501/4 engine, one built.
P.50 Prince 2 - As Prince 1 with sloping windscreen, stronger main spar, five built.
P.50 Prince 3 - As Prince 2 with Alvis Leonides 502/4 engine and lengthened nose on some aircraft, 12 built.
P.50 Prince 4 - Conversions to Alvis Leonides 503 engines, ten converted.
P.50 Prince 5 - original designation of the Percival President.
P.50 Prince 6 - Conversions to Alvis Leonides 504 engines.
P.54 Survey Prince - Prince 2 with lengthened transparent nose and camera hatches, six built.
P.57 Sea Prince C1 - Prince 2 for Royal Navy use, three built.
P.57 Sea Prince T1 - Prince 3 with long nose housing radar, twin wheeled main undercarriage and lengthened engine nacelles for navigation and anti-submarine training, 41 built.
P.57 Sea Prince C2 - Transport version of Sea Prince T1, four built.
Royal Australian Air Force - Three Princes were in service with the RAAF from 1952 to 1957. The aircraft were used for communications and support duties at the Weapons Research Establishment, Woomera, South Australia.
On display, Prince 3E, G-AMLZ (cn P50/46), at Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group, Merseyside, England
On display, Sea Prince T.1 WF128 at the Flixton Aviation Museum, Suffolk, England
On display, Sea Prince T.1 WP309 at the Solway Aviation Museum, Carlisle Airport, England.
On display, Sea Prince T.1 WF118 (569) G-DACA at the Gatwick Aviation Museum, Surrey, England
On display, Sea Prince T.1 WF122 (575)CU (c/n PAC/57/18), Now under restoration At Aeroventure,Doncaster,Sth Yorks. Formally of 750 Sqdrn Fleet Air Arm.
Specifications (Sea Prince T.1)
Data from British Naval Aircraft since 1912
General characteristics
Crew: two
Capacity: three students
Length: 46 ft 4 in (14.13 m)
Wingspan: 56 ft 0 in (17.07 m)
Height: 16 ft 1 in (4.90 m)
Wing area: 365 ft² (33.9 m²)
Empty weight: 8,850 lb (4,023 kg)
Loaded weight: 11,850 lb (5,386 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Alvis Leonides 125 radial, 550 hp (411 kW) each
