| The Airspeed Ambassador was originally designed
to meet one of the many specifications outlined by the
Brabazon committee in 1943. The committee's
requirement was for a twin-engined, short to medium-haul,
unpressurized aircraft to replace the Douglas DC-3.
de Havilland bought the Airspeed company in 1940, but
they continued to produce under the original name and
so it was with the Ambassador.
The first unpressurized design used two Bristol Hercules
radial engines, but by the time the prototype was entering
construction, the design had developed into a pressurized
aircraft with more powerful Bristol Centaurus 631 radial
engines (2,600 hp) that was now capable of carrying
far higher weights with seating for 47 passengers.
The prototype G-AGUA flew for the first time on 10th
July 1947, with a second prototype G-AKRD flying just
over a year later on 26th August 1948. The first production
model G-ALFR had upgraded Centaurus 661 engines and
this flew in May 1950 going on to perform the route
proving duties for BEA.
After a successful testing and route proving phase BEA
placed an order for 20 Ambassadors with the first going
into fare paying service on 13th March 1952.
BEA decided to rename them 'Elizabethans' due to the
recent coronation of the new Queen.
 The
appearance of the Ambassador owed a lot to the Lockheed
Constellation, with its tricycle undercarriage, triple
tail and flowing fuselage lines. The high wing placement
being the major visual difference, making it look less
elegant but making it a far more practical design. This
styling gave it a modern appeal when compared to the
other tail-draggers that were usually found on the shorter
routes. However, that was not a great selling point
with the airlines and with the arrival of faster turboprops
the aircraft was soon left behind. After the BEA order
was fulfilled, no further Ambassadors were made.
Many Ambassadors flew with other airlines after serving
with BEA, most notably Dan-Air who used the old aircraft
to establish themselves in the newly developing package
holiday sector.
Only one Ambassador remains and is undergoing restoration
for static display in Dan-Air livery at Duxford
in Cambridgeshire.
(Article by David Maltby)
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