Conroy Skymonster
Encyclopedia
The Conroy Skymonster (CL-44-0) is a 1960s United States
specialized cargo aircraft with an outsize fuselage
.
as a transport aircraft that could be used to ferry three Rolls-Royce
RB.211
jet engines from Belfast
, Northern Ireland
, to Palmdale, California, United States
. The engines were to be installed on the Lockheed
L-1011 Tristar
Airliner.
The Skymonster is based on the Canadair CL-44
freighter (itself a derivative of the Bristol
Britannia
). It features an enlarged fuselage, like the Mini Guppy which was produced by Jack Conroy's previous company, Aero Spacelines
.
The conversion was performed outdoors, under covered scaffolding, at the Santa Barbara California airport. The nose section was built using foam covered with fiberglass, while the larger fuselage was constructed using conventional aluminum structure.
.
Only one prototype
was built. Another one was ordered, but the CL-44 on which it was to be based crashed before delivery.
In 1970, the prototype was leased by Transmeridian Air Cargo
, who gave it the name "Skymonster". Despite its being renamed "Bahamas Trader" later on, the name Skymonster stuck, and it is now commonly known as this.
In 1978, it was bought by British Cargo Airlines.
In 1982, it went to Heavylift Cargo Airlines
, who re-registered it with the Irish
registration EI-BND.
The aircraft went into storage in 1993, but only 2 months later, it was bought by a leasing company, and was leased to Buffalo Airways
.
Its next lease was to Azerbaijan Airlines
in 1997, under the registration 4K-GUP.
In March 1998, it was leased to Baku Express.
In August 1998 it went to First International Airlines and was registered 9G-LCA.
In 1999, it was placed into storage, initially in the USA, but then it was flown to Bournemouth Airport
, UK, where it was scheduled to be scrapped.
A museum
in Germany then expressed an interest in taking on the aircraft.
In December 2006 the aircraft was registered in the Philippines (RP-C8023) and was being prepared for service in Australia. In March 2008, it was reported that the British Civil Aviation Authority
had refused to lift an order grounding the aircraft which was made in 2006, due to concerns over the aircraft's maintenance. As of March 2008, the Skymonster was still at Hurn. In August 2008, it was reported that the aircraft was in the process of being scrapped, however as of September this was on hold amid further rumours about donation to a museum in Germany.
On 14th January 2010, Bournemouth International Airport Limited offered the aircraft for sale in the London Gazette
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
specialized cargo aircraft with an outsize fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
.
Design and development
The aircraft was designed by John M. ConroyJohn M. Conroy
John "Jack" Michael Conroy developed the Pregnant Guppy cargo plane for Aero Spacelines and later founded Conroy Aircraft to build the Conroy Skymonster...
as a transport aircraft that could be used to ferry three Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
RB.211
Rolls-Royce RB211
The Rolls-Royce RB211 is a family of high-bypass turbofan engines made by Rolls-Royce plc and capable of generating 37,400 to 60,600 pounds-force thrust. Originally developed for the Lockheed L-1011 , it entered service in 1972 and was the only engine to power this aircraft type...
jet engines from Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, to Palmdale, California, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The engines were to be installed on the Lockheed
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
L-1011 Tristar
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
Airliner.
The Skymonster is based on the Canadair CL-44
Canadair CL-44
The Canadair CL-44 was a Canadian turboprop airliner and cargo aircraft based on the Bristol Britannia that was developed and produced by Canadair in the late 1950s and early 1960s...
freighter (itself a derivative of the Bristol
Bristol Aeroplane Company
The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aero engines...
Britannia
Bristol Britannia
The Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire...
). It features an enlarged fuselage, like the Mini Guppy which was produced by Jack Conroy's previous company, Aero Spacelines
Aero Spacelines
Aero Spacelines, Inc. was a United States aircraft manufacturer which made a name for itself by converting Boeing 377 Stratocruisers into the famous Guppy line of airplanes re-engineered solely for transporting over-sized cargo.- History :...
.
The conversion was performed outdoors, under covered scaffolding, at the Santa Barbara California airport. The nose section was built using foam covered with fiberglass, while the larger fuselage was constructed using conventional aluminum structure.
History
The Skymonster first flew on 26 November 1969, under the US registration "N447T". The CL-44 from which it had been converted also bore this same registration, and was previously operated by the Flying Tiger LineFlying Tiger Line
Flying Tiger Line, also known as Flying Tigers, was the first scheduled cargo airline in the United States and a major military charter operator during the Cold War era for both cargo and personnel .- History :...
.
Only one prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
was built. Another one was ordered, but the CL-44 on which it was to be based crashed before delivery.
In 1970, the prototype was leased by Transmeridian Air Cargo
Transmeridian Air Cargo
Transmeridian Air Cargo was a British cargo airline that operated from 1962 until 1979 when it merged with IAS Cargo Airlines to form Heavylift Cargo Airlines.-Company history:...
, who gave it the name "Skymonster". Despite its being renamed "Bahamas Trader" later on, the name Skymonster stuck, and it is now commonly known as this.
In 1978, it was bought by British Cargo Airlines.
In 1982, it went to Heavylift Cargo Airlines
Heavylift Cargo Airlines
For the former UK Cargo Airline see: Air Foyle HeavyLiftHeavylift Cargo Airlines Pty Ltd is a cargo airline headquartered in Sydney, Australia. It started operations in 2004 and operates scheduled and charter cargo services. Its main base is Brisbane Airport...
, who re-registered it with the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
registration EI-BND.
The aircraft went into storage in 1993, but only 2 months later, it was bought by a leasing company, and was leased to Buffalo Airways
Buffalo Airways
Buffalo Airways is a family-run airline based in Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada established in 1970 by Joe McBryan, also known as "Buffalo Joe". It operates scheduled passenger, scheduled cargo, charter passenger, charter cargo, firefighting and fuel services...
.
Its next lease was to Azerbaijan Airlines
Azerbaijan Airlines
Azerbaijan Airlines is the national flag carrier of Azerbaijan with a main base in the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, Baku, operating a network of scheduled passenger and cargo services. Member of IATA....
in 1997, under the registration 4K-GUP.
In March 1998, it was leased to Baku Express.
In August 1998 it went to First International Airlines and was registered 9G-LCA.
In 1999, it was placed into storage, initially in the USA, but then it was flown to Bournemouth Airport
Bournemouth Airport
Bournemouth Airport is an airport located north-northeast of Bournemouth, in southern England...
, UK, where it was scheduled to be scrapped.
A museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in Germany then expressed an interest in taking on the aircraft.
In December 2006 the aircraft was registered in the Philippines (RP-C8023) and was being prepared for service in Australia. In March 2008, it was reported that the British Civil Aviation Authority
Civil Aviation Authority
This is a list of national and supra-national civil aviation authorities.-See also:* Air route authority between the United States and the People's Republic of China* National Transportation Safety Board -External links:****...
had refused to lift an order grounding the aircraft which was made in 2006, due to concerns over the aircraft's maintenance. As of March 2008, the Skymonster was still at Hurn. In August 2008, it was reported that the aircraft was in the process of being scrapped, however as of September this was on hold amid further rumours about donation to a museum in Germany.
On 14th January 2010, Bournemouth International Airport Limited offered the aircraft for sale in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
.
See also
- Conroy AircraftConroy AircraftConroy Aircraft was a US aircraft manufacturer founded by John M. Conroy in Goleta, California in 1965 on the sale of Aero Spacelines. The company imitated Aero Spacelines' success with its Guppy aircraft by converting a Canadair CL-44 to carry oversized cargo as the Conroy Skymonster...
- Super Guppy
- Mini Guppy
- Pregnant Guppy
- Bristol BritanniaBristol BritanniaThe Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire...
- Aero SpacelinesAero SpacelinesAero Spacelines, Inc. was a United States aircraft manufacturer which made a name for itself by converting Boeing 377 Stratocruisers into the famous Guppy line of airplanes re-engineered solely for transporting over-sized cargo.- History :...
- Airbus BelugaAirbus Beluga-External links:*...
- Aviation Traders ATL-98 Carvair
- Canadair CL-44Canadair CL-44The Canadair CL-44 was a Canadian turboprop airliner and cargo aircraft based on the Bristol Britannia that was developed and produced by Canadair in the late 1950s and early 1960s...