The Percival Pembroke is a British high-wing twin-engined light transport aircraft built by the Percival Aircraft Company, later Hunting Percival.

P.66 Pembroke
Privately owned Hunting Percival P.66 Pembroke C.1 takes off in 2008
General information
TypeLight transport
ManufacturerPercival Aircraft Company
Primary userRoyal Air Force
Number built128
History
Manufactured1953–1958
Introduction date1953
First flight21 November 1952
Retired1988
Developed fromPercival Prince

Development

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The Pembroke was a development of the Percival Prince civil transport. It had a longer wing to permit a higher fully laden weight. The prototype flew on 21 November 1952. Production was complete in early 1958.

Operational history

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Percival Pembroke C.1 of Bomber Command Communications Squadron at Blackbushe Airport Hampshire in September 1956.

It entered service with the Royal Air Force as the Percival Pembroke C.1 in 1953 to replace the Avro Anson for light transport duties. As with other RAF transports, the passenger seats are rearward-facing for improved safety.

Six were produced as the Pembroke C(PR).1 photographic reconnaissance aircraft. These saw use by No. 81 Squadron RAF during the Malayan Emergency. The RAF's Pembrokes were modified to extend their lifespan in 1970. The last unit to use them was No. 60 Squadron RAF based at RAF Wildenrath in Germany, these were withdrawn from use in 1988 and were replaced by the Hawker Siddeley Andover.

The Finnish Air Force operated two aircraft for aerial photography between 1956 and 1968, on behalf of the National Land Survey of Finland. One of the aircraft was destroyed when it hit a snow wall during landing in 1965. The other aircraft is currently stored at the Aviation Museum of Central Finland.[1]

Variants

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P.66 Pembroke C.1
Communications and transport variant for the RAF, 44 built.
P.66 Pembroke C(PR).1
Photographic reconnaissance variant for the RAF, six built and two conversions from C.1.
P.66 Pembroke C.51
Export variant for Belgium.
P.66 Pembroke C.52
Export variant for Sweden. Swedish military designation Tp 83.
P.66 Pembroke C.53
Export variant for Finland.
P.66 Pembroke C.54
Export variant for West Germany.
P.66 Pembroke C.55
Export variant for Sudan.
P.66 President
Civil transport version, five built.

Operators

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Luftwaffe Pembroke C.54 preserved at the Junior Museum, Hermeskeil, Germany, in June 2007
  Belgium
  Denmark
  Finland
  Germany
  Malawi
  Rhodesia
  Sweden
  Sudan
  United Kingdom
  Zambia

Surviving aircraft

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Preserved Pembroke C.1 WV740 giving a flying display
Belgium
Germany
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States
 
Pembroke on display in Neelyville, Missouri, US

RM-2/OT-ZAB (BAF82), N51948 (Air America), N66PK, Puyallup/Thun Field, (WA USA), preserved near Taylor's Stateside Liquor Store, Neelyville, Missouri (MO, USA) Unmarked on display at Stateline Liquor Store in Neelyville, Missouri. It displays nose art of a Tequila bottle and the name "Tequila Sunrise".[citation needed]

Specifications (Pembroke C.1)

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Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1956–57[14]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Capacity: 6–10 passengers
  • Length: 46 ft 0 in (14.02 m)
  • Wingspan: 64 ft 6 in (19.66 m)
  • Height: 16 ft 1 in (4.90 m)
  • Wing area: 400 sq ft (37 m2)
  • Aspect ratio: 10.4:1
  • Airfoil: NACA 23017
  • Empty weight: 8,969 lb (4,068 kg)
  • Gross weight: 13,000 lb (5,897 kg)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Alvis Leonides 127 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engines, 540 hp (400 kW) each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 220 mph (350 km/h, 190 kn) at 2,000 ft (610 m)
  • Cruise speed: 185 mph (298 km/h, 161 kn) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m) (weak mixture)
  • Range: 1,030 mi (1,660 km, 900 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 22,000 ft (6,700 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,500 ft/min (7.6 m/s)

See also

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Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Keskinen et al.: Suomen museolentokoneet p. 48, (1981), Forssa, Tietoteos, ISBN 951-9035-60-5
  2. ^ "Welkom bij Dakota". VZW DAKOTA, Documentatiecentrum van de 15 WING (in Dutch). Dakota VZW. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Hunting Percival P.66 Pembroke C.Mk. 54 (Flugzeugkennungen der Bundeswehr: AS-558, zuletzt 54+07)". Museum-Digital. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Flugzeuge". Flugausstellung (in German). Archived from the original on 6 January 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  5. ^ "Aviation Museum". Svedinos Bil & Flygmuseum. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Tp 83 1955–1977". Pennan & Svärdet. Pennan & Svärdet. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Percival P.66 Pembroke". Västerås Flygmuseum. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  8. ^ "GINFO Search Results [G-BNPH]". Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Hunting Percival Pembroke C1". Royal Air Force Museum. Trustees of the Royal Air Force Museum. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  10. ^ Simpson, Andrew (2013). "INDIVIDUAL HISTORY [WV746]" (PDF). Royal Air Force Museum. Royal Air Force Museum. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  11. ^ "GINFO Search Results [G-BXES]". Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  12. ^ "FAA REGISTRY [N2692U]". Federal Aviation Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  13. ^ "FAA REGISTRY [N51973]". Federal Aviation Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  14. ^ Bridgman 1956, pp. 84–85.

Bibliography

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  • Bridgman, Leonard. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1956–57. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1956.
  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985) London: Orbis Publishing, 1985.
  • Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 (Volume 3). London: Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-10014-X.
  • Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • Silvester, John. "Call to Arms: The Percival Sea Prince and Pembroke". Air Enthusiast, No. 55, Autumn 1994, pp. 56–61. ISSN 0143-5450
  • Sturtivant, Ray, ISO and John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.
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