In the summer of 1942 as World War II was raging, Winston Churchill flew onboard a bomber from the United Kingdom to the Second Moscow Conference held from August 12th – 17th. His uncomfortable journey onboard the freezing and vibrating airplane made him realize the need for a modern airliner that would make the British an aviation industry leader after the War was over and commercial air travel resumed.
Unlike American airplane manufacturers who had a wide range of military transport aircraft that could easily be converted into airliners, the British aviation industry had focused mostly on warbirds and bombers that couldn’t be retrofitted to transport passengers. It was clear that if the British wanted to be at the forefront of the aviation market, they would have to act quickly. But that also meant starting from a blank sheet. Acknowledging the UK’s lack of experience in the design, manufacture and final assembly of transport airplanes, Churchill set up a committee that would create a plan forward and make recommendations. The former Minister of Aircraft Production, Lord Brabazon, chaired this committee. Together, the committee developed 5 incredibly ambitious and cutting-edge designs, including the world’s first jet powered airliner, which later became the De Havilland Comet.
However, the first design to be developed was named Brabazon-1. It would be the largest airplane ever built in Britain and able to fly non-stop from London to New York against prevailing eastern winds. A feat never before attempted. Previously, aircraft flying from London to New York had to make two fuel stops along the way. Usually, they would fly from London to Lisbon, then from Lisbon to the Azores, and from there to New York. A total journey time of more than 24 hours. Being able to connect New York directly with London on a giant airplane was a groundbreaking idea, and the Brabazon was set to push the limits of an airliner’s size and range.
As most people who crossed the Atlantic in the 1940s did so by boat, the Barbizon was designed to compete with luxurious cruise ships rather than with other aircraft. This flying colossus needed to redefine luxury in air travel and as a result, become a “Cunard” of the air. Each of its lucky passengers would enjoy his or her own bunk, private cabin and powder room. In addition to offering a pressurized and humidified cabin, there was a cocktail bar on board and even a cinema room at the back with a seating capacity of 25 passengers at a time!
Aviation manufacturer Bristol built the Brabazon. With such an ambitious project came tremendous building and design challenges. The engine arrangement that was chosen to propel the huge plane had four 18-cylinders piston engines on each wing (!), arranged by pair. In the 1940s, propeller turbine engines were still in their early development and burned far too much fuel, rendering a direct crossing from London to New York impossible. Piston engines were chosen instead but were limited in terms of the power output they could give. Engineers calculated that the Brabazon would need at least 20.000 Horsepower, so eight 2.500 Horsepower engines were mounted on the wings.
The size and weight of the aircraft caused many difficulties, including having a hangar large enough for it. The Brabazon wingspan was even wider than that of a Boeing 747, which, in the 1940s, was massive. The aircraft would also require much stronger and longer runways. In fact, an entire village located near the Bristol factory had to be demolished to extend the runway for the Brabazon. After six long years of research, development and engineering, the Brabazon took-off for the first time on Sunday, September 4, 1949 in front of an awestruck crowd. The first flight went relatively well, apart from the fact that once airborne, the Brabazon wouldn’t descend, despite the pilots applying full elevator down deflection on the control column. Instead, the pilots had to be inventive and play with the engine power setting to achieve any descent and be able to land back at Bristol Filton Airport.
Jet Engine Aircraft Take Over the Skies
Amazingly, at around the same time, an equally ambitious project was being secretly developed in the De Havilland engineering center in Hatfield. During wartime, any project involving possible groundbreaking new technology, such as jet engine airplanes, was kept under wraps. The Brabazon team, who was still working hard on developing their piston engine giant, was unaware that jet engines were just around the corner. The De Havilland project name was “Comet-1” and although it was launched much later than the Brabazon project, it was carried through quicker and the Comet-1 first flew in July 1949, becoming the World’s first jet-engine airplane. Unlike the Brabazon, the Comet directly gained tremendous interest from airlines and made the huge 8-piston engines colossus look ancient even before its first commercial flight. With just only two jet engines, the Comet was able to fly more than twice as fast as the Brabazon, which struggled to reach just 250 knots.
Issues in the Brabazon development further delayed its airworthiness and a decision was made to produce a second Brabazon with turbine propellers to give it more power and speed. By the mid-1950s the piston engine version of the Brabazon gained airworthiness, but by that time it was already obsolete. In the mid-1950s, the Comet had already been in service for a couple of years and Boeing unveiled the prototype of a bigger jet-engine airplane, which would later become the 707.
BOAC had worked closely with Bristol to develop the Brabazon. But ultimately, did not place a single order. In the years that followed, the Brabazon lumbered around Europe, visiting airshows and making several high-profile appearances. It always gained praise from the public due to its size, but sadly never gained a single order from an airline. The truth was, that it had been made obsolete by competing and disruptive technologies advancing quicker than its own development. The program was eventually canceled and the second version of the Brabazon with turbine engines was never finished. Just a few years after its maiden flight, the Brabazon was sold for its weight in scrap, chopped up and gone within days.
welcome aboard the new airside
We took our community to the next level with an elevated look, innovative features, and new tools.
