Bristol Freighter

(RCAF Photo)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)
Bristol 170 Freighter Mk. 31C, RCAF (Serial No. 9697), coded KC.

The Bristol Type 170 Freighter was a British twin-engine aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company as both a freighter and an airliner. Its best known use was as an air ferry to carry cars and their passengers over relatively short distances. A passenger-only version was also produced, known as the Wayfarer. The Freighter was developed during the Second World War, having attracted official attention from the British Air Ministry, which sought the development of a rugged vehicle capable of carrying various cargoes, including a 3-ton truck. Various changes to the design were made to accommodate their requirements, but being completed too late to participate in the conflict, the majority of sales of the Freighter were to commercial operators.

The Royal Canadian Air Force used five Freighters to carry spares and supplies between the United Kingdom and their bases in France and West Germany. Harold Skaarup web page

Freighter

Wikipedia Freighter

Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Bristol Freighter - Kestrel Publications

Freighter (Bristol) Mk. 31C 9696

KCA

Registered as G-AINN for production test flights in UK. Delivered on 09 Nov 1951 to Canada for winterization trials. First assigned to 412 Sqn. Later assigned to No. 137 Transport Flight in Langar, UK in support of 1 Air Division in Europe. Coded “KC 696” in service with No. 137. Crashed en route from 2(F) Wing, Grostenquin while landing in heavy fog at 1 (F) Wing, Marville on 3 December 1955 with the loss of seven personnel along with four severely injured. All four crew survived but only three of ten passengers survived. The airframe was written-off after this Category “A” accident with 2,518 total airframe hours. source: Kestrel Publications

1952-04-25 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1955-12-14 Struck off Strength Category "A" writeoff 2023-05-02