Was a pre-war, larger DH Albatross ever considered? (1 Viewer)

[Admiral Beez]

And I think we are forgetting that the DH Albatross was originally designed to be a trans Atlantic Mail carrier,

Trans Atlantic? Wikipedia gives the Albatross a range of 1,070 miles. It's 2,345 miles from Great West Aerodrome (LHR) to the closest North American airport of Gander, NL (opened in 1938), and at the Albatross's normal cruising altitude of 10,000–15,000 feet, on the way out we'd be flying against the prevailing North Atlantic westerlies. If we remove the passengers and fittings, can we reduce the weight and get in enough fuel to increase endurance by 120%?

 

[cammerjeff]

Trans Atlantic? Wikipedia gives the Albatross a range of 1,070 miles. It's 2,345 miles from Great West Aerodrome (LHR) to the closest North American airport of Gander, NL (opened in 1938), and at the Albatross's normal cruising altitude of 10,000–15,000 feet, on the way out we'd be flying against the prevailing North Atlantic westerlies. If we remove the passengers and fittings, can we reduce the weight and get in enough fuel to increase endurance by 120%?

I didn't say it met the original specification, just that what what it was designed for, the specification as far as I can tell was 36/35 for a transatlantic Mail Plane, I can't seem to find out much more about it.

And I agree that it probably won't extent the range by that amout.

 

[Shortround6]

Trans Atlantic? Wikipedia gives the Albatross a range of 1,070 miles. It's 2,345 miles from Great West Aerodrome (LHR) to the closest North American airport of Gander, NL (opened in 1938), and at the Albatross's normal cruising altitude of 10,000–15,000 feet, on the way out we'd be flying against the prevailing North Atlantic westerlies. If we remove the passengers and fittings, can we reduce the weight and get in enough fuel to increase endurance by 120%?

1938 "Janes" describes fuel capacity for the trans-Atlantic mail role as four 330 imp gal tanks (1500l) in the fuselage, two on each side of the central gangway. As passenger carriers
they were given two tanks in the bottom of the fuselage. A 270imp gal tank (1277l) forward of the wing and 170gal (773l) tank aft of the wing.
Mail plane may have operated overloaded. In the weight breakdown they are claiming 3040lbs for 408 imp gal (know it doesn't agree) in passenger versions and 4186lbs for passengers, luggage, mail and freight. Crew was four men but that included a steward.
0nly two were completed as mail-planes and rest as passenger aircraft. Mail carriers had fewer windows and I have no Idea of what else may have been take out (seats, bulkheads, insulation, galley accessories
I have no idea of the gross weight of the mail-carriers but they were planning to increase the fuel capacity by 200%.
Edit] Mail carrier planes might not have had to meet the same standards as passenger aircraft? As in take-off distances and ceiling and engine out situations?

 

[MikeMeech]

Trans Atlantic? Wikipedia gives the Albatross a range of 1,070 miles. It's 2,345 miles from Great West Aerodrome (LHR) to the closest North American airport of Gander, NL (opened in 1938), and at the Albatross's normal cruising altitude of 10,000–15,000 feet, on the way out we'd be flying against the prevailing North Atlantic westerlies. If we remove the passengers and fittings, can we reduce the weight and get in enough fuel to increase endurance by 120%?

Hi
Wikipedia has its limitations, the 1938 edition of 'Aircraft of the British Empire' by Leonard Bridgman has 3,300 miles for the mail plane:

The 1987 Edition of 'De Havilland Aircraft since 1909' by A J Jackson has 3,230 miles for the mail plane:

However, the same author in his 1988, reprinted with corrections, edition of 'British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume Two' has 3.300 miles:

Arthur W J G Ord-Hume in his 2003 book 'British Commercial Aircraft' also has 3.300 miles:

I would suggest that 3,300 mile range for the mail plane is probably the most correct.

Mike