TYPE: Regional airliner
PERIOD BUILT: 1961-1988 (plus licence built examples by HAL, India, 1961-84)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United Kingdom
ENGINES: Two, of various marks of Rolls-Royce Dart turboprops; the 2,280 ehp / 1700 kW Mk. 514 (Srs.1 aircraft)
, 1,910 ehp / 1424 kW Mk. 531 or 2,230 ehp / 1663 kW Mk. 533 (Srs.2 aircraft), 2,230 ehp / 1663 kW Mk. 534
(Srs. 2A aircraft), or the 2,280 ehp / 1700 kW Mk. 536 or Mk. 552 (Srs.2B aircraft).
DIMENSIONS:
Wing span: 98 ft 6 in / 30.02 m.
(except for Sers. 2B/Super 748, span 102 ft 6 in / 31.23 m.)
Length: 67 ft 0 in / 20.42 m (Super 748 same)
Height: 24 ft 10 in / 7.57 m. (Super 758 same)
WEIGHTS - Srs. 2A (Super 748 in brackets):
Empty: 26,806 lb / 12,159 kg (14,720 lb / 6676 kg)
Max. takeoff: 46,500 lb / 21,092 kg (27,400 lb / 12,430 kg)
PERFORMANCE - Srs. 2A (Super 748 in brackets):
Cruising speed: 244 kts. / 452 kph (Super 748 - same)
Initial climb: Srs. 2A - unknown (Super 748; 1,420 ft/min)
Range with max. payload and reserves: 735 n.m. / 1360 km (926 n.m. / 1715 km)
Range with max. fuel and reserves: 1,690 n.m. / 3130 km (1,560 n.m. / 2892 km. with 7,800 lb / 3360 kg payload)
CAPACITY: Flight crew two. Typical seating 48-51 passengers, maximum 58.
AUSTRALIAN MILITARY SERVICE:
10 aircraft to RAAF, with 32 and 34 Sqn., 1967 -
2 aircraft to RAN, 851 Sqn., 1973-81 then 723 Sqn. from 1981.
The BAe 748 first appeared as a 1958 design, the Avro 748. It aspired to enter the market as a DC-3 replacement.
When several British aviation companies merged to form the Hawker Siddeley group in 1959,
it became the Hawker Siddeley 748. The prototype first flew, for 165 minutes, on 24 June 1960,
with the first production aircraft taking to the air at the end of August the following year.
The type entered civilian service in the U.K. with Skyways Ltd., and BKS Transport, with orders placed for a Mk.2 by BOAC associated companies.
The type progressed through a number of models with increased weights and performance, culminating in the Super 748 of 1984, with advanced flight deck,
hush-kitted engines and a modern wide-body interior. A Srs. 2C with a large freight door, introduced in late 1971, proved popular. In all, 381 of all models were
built,
plus a further 89 built under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. in India.
Among military derivations was the HS.780 Andover C.1, with rear clamshell doors and loading ramp, 'kneeling' undercarriage and more powerful engines.
Of the handful remaining in Australian civil use, Horizon Airlines has been the main operator, with seven of the type in mid-2001; the 2B variants VH-IMI, VH-IMJ
and VH-IMK,
and two freshly acquired from Madagascar Airlines in July 2001. VH-IMI and -IMK performed contract work for Ansett Australia Cargo.
VH-IMJ was delivered in mid-2001 and fitted in 44 seat passenger configuration for charter.
A fourth aircraft, a 748-2A purchased from the RAAF and registered VH-IMG, remains static as a source of spare parts. Horizon also purchased the fuselage of
ex-RAAF 748-2A,
serial A10-607. In July 2001 they purchased a former RAN aircraft which had been sold overseas.
The HS.748 was ordered by the Australian military forces in the mid-1960s. Ten served with the RAAF from 1967, and two with the RAN from 1973. RAAF
serials were A10-595 and 596, and A10-601 to 608. RAN serials were N10-709 and 710.
The RAAF aircraft derived from the Series 2. Serials A10-595 and 596 were VIP aircraft, designated Series 229, with 18 passenger interiors. The remainder
(A10-601 to 608) were Series 228 navigation trainers, with more powerful Dart 550-2 engines.
The Royal Australian Navy's two Series 268s also had the more powerful engines. They replaced the Dakotas of 851 Sqn., Nowra as navigational trainers.
They became electronic warfare trainers from 1981, and continued operating as the RAN's only fixed wing aircraft with 723 Sqn.
