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~~The 1960s was in hindsight the make or break point for UK civil aircraft manufacturing as a major player. We all know how it went and certainly BOAC and BEA are partly responsible for forcing manufacturers to produce aircraft that suited their purposes and nobody else's. Even BOAC and BEA's requirements tended to change before service entry leading to their own unhappiness with the VC-10 and Trident.
Anyway both the VC-10 and Trident were fine aircraft in their own rights just not suitable to compete against US types and / or gain entry to the fiercely protectionist US market place.
The Trident was too small (by BEA's 'request') and HS spent its development increasing its size. It was however a technologically impressive machine especially in the avionics department, though take-off performance was awful. Lookswise the cockpit windows and odd offset nose gear always made it look rather old fashioned compared to the 727 but it has a certain charm about it nonetheless.
Gemini have done a very nice Trident 1 mould and produced a good range of liveries for it especially as only 39 were built! BEA took all 25 Trident 1Cs whilst the remaining 14 1Es were split between Kuwait Airways, Iraqi Airways, PIA, Air Ceylon, Northeast and Channel Airways.
The Trident 2E was a re-engined variant with better range due to increased fuel capacity. 50 were sold though 33 of these were to CAAC which has the whiff of a political buy. All the rest went to BEA except 2 for Cyprus Airways.
Gemini has made 7 Trident 1s and 6 Trident 2s. I own 5 Trident 1s and 2 Trident 2s. Here is my Trident fleet minus the BEA Trident 2:
Gemini Hawker Siddeley Tridents by rstretton, on Flickr
Gemini Hawker Siddeley Tridents by rstretton, on Flickr
Gemini Hawker Siddeley Tridents by rstretton, on Flickr
Gemini Hawker Siddeley Tridents by rstretton, on Flickr
Tomorrow if I have time we'll compare the Aeroclassics and Gemini moulds and take a look at the Trident 3.
Anyway both the VC-10 and Trident were fine aircraft in their own rights just not suitable to compete against US types and / or gain entry to the fiercely protectionist US market place.
The Trident was too small (by BEA's 'request') and HS spent its development increasing its size. It was however a technologically impressive machine especially in the avionics department, though take-off performance was awful. Lookswise the cockpit windows and odd offset nose gear always made it look rather old fashioned compared to the 727 but it has a certain charm about it nonetheless.
Gemini have done a very nice Trident 1 mould and produced a good range of liveries for it especially as only 39 were built! BEA took all 25 Trident 1Cs whilst the remaining 14 1Es were split between Kuwait Airways, Iraqi Airways, PIA, Air Ceylon, Northeast and Channel Airways.
The Trident 2E was a re-engined variant with better range due to increased fuel capacity. 50 were sold though 33 of these were to CAAC which has the whiff of a political buy. All the rest went to BEA except 2 for Cyprus Airways.
Gemini has made 7 Trident 1s and 6 Trident 2s. I own 5 Trident 1s and 2 Trident 2s. Here is my Trident fleet minus the BEA Trident 2:
Gemini Hawker Siddeley Tridents by rstretton, on Flickr
Gemini Hawker Siddeley Tridents by rstretton, on Flickr
Gemini Hawker Siddeley Tridents by rstretton, on Flickr
Gemini Hawker Siddeley Tridents by rstretton, on Flickr
Tomorrow if I have time we'll compare the Aeroclassics and Gemini moulds and take a look at the Trident 3.
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