Percival Pembroke Explained

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

Development

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

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 The last unit to use them was No. 60 Squadron RAF based at RAF Wildenrath in Germany, these were withdrawn from use in 1988 and were replaced by the Hawker Siddeley Andover.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

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

• Belgian Air Force operated 12 C.51s from 1954 to 1976.

• Royal Danish Air Force

• Finnish Air Force

• Luftwaffe
• German Army
• German Navy

Malawi

• Military of Malawi

• South Rhodesian Air Force operated two C.1 aircraft diverted from Royal Air Force contract.

• Swedish Air Force

• Sudanese Air Force

• Royal Air Force operated 56 aircraft delivered from 1953.
  • No. 21 Squadron RAF
  • No. 32 Squadron RAF
  • No. 60 Squadron RAF
  • No. 70 Squadron RAF
  • No. 78 Squadron RAF
  • No. 81 Squadron RAF
  • No. 84 Squadron RAF
  • No. 152 Squadron RAF
  • No. 207 Squadron RAF
  • No. 209 Squadron RAF
  • No. 267 Squadron RAF
• Empire Test Pilots' School

• Zambian Air Force

Surviving aircraft

Belgium

• RM-4 – On static display at the Brussels Aviation Museum in Brussels.^[2]
• RM-7 – On static display with the Dakota Documentation Centre at Melsbroek Air Base in Steenokkerzeel, Flemish Brabant.^{[3] [4]}

Germany

• 54+02 – C.54 on static display at the Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum in Sinsheim, Baden-Württemberg. It is painted as D-CAKE.^[5]
• 54+07 – C.54 on static display at the Militärhistorisches Museum Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow in Gatow, Berlin.^[6]
• 54+08 – C.54 on static display at the Aeronauticum in Nordholz, Lower Saxony.^[7]
• 54+21 – C.54 on static display at the Flugausstellung Hermeskeil in Hermeskeil, Rhineland-Palatinate.^[8]
• 54+24 – C.54 on static display at the Flugausstellung Hermeskeil in Hermeskeil, Rhineland-Palatinate.

Sweden

• 83007 – Tp 83 on static display at the Svedino Automobile and Aviation Museum in Ugglarp, Halland.^{[9] [10]}
• 83008 – Tp 83 airworthy at the Västerås Flygmuseum in Västerås, Västmanland. It is registered as SE-BKH and previously served with the Royal Air Force as XK884.^[11]

United Kingdom

• WV740 – C.1 Not airworthy with Mark Anthony Stott in Exeter, Devon. It is registered as G-BNPH.^[12]
• WV746 – C.1 on static display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford in Cosford, Shropshire. It was formerly the personal aircraft of the Commander in Chief of the Air Support Command in the 1970s and was modified around that time to carry a wheelchair ramp. It later served with 60 Squadron in Germany in the 1980s.^{[13] [14]}
• XL954 – C.1 airworthy with Air Atlantique in Coventry, West Midlands. It is registered as G-BXES.^[15] It was previously owned by the Classic Air Force.

United States

• XF796 – C(PR).1 airworthy with Dakota Warwick in Carrollton, Georgia.^{[16] [17]}
• RM-1 – Currently on Static display in Oshkosh Wisconsin. It previously served with the Belgian Air Force.^{[18] [19]}
• RM-9-C.51 stored outside at Anoka-Blaine airport Slated to be dismantled and moved to Nashville Michigan / Round Engine Aero.
• C/N P66/0017

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".

References

Bibliography

• 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. .
• 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. .
• Silvester, John. "Call to Arms: The Percival Sea Prince and Pembroke". Air Enthusiast, No. 55, Autumn 1994, pp. 56–61.
• Sturtivant, Ray, ISO and John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. .

External links

• RAF museum
• Contemporary advert for Pembroke
• "Flight" 1954 cutaway drawing military mission roles

Notes and References

1. Keskinen et al.: Suomen museolentokoneet p. 48, (1981), Forssa, Tietoteos,
2. Web site: Airframe Dossier – Percival P-66 Pembroke, s/n RM-4 FABe, c/n P.66/21, c/r OT-ZAD. Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. 5 June 2017.
3. Web site: Welkom bij Dakota. VZW DAKOTA, Documentatiecentrum van de 15 WING. Dakota VZW. 5 June 2017. nl.
4. Web site: Airframe Dossier – Percival P-66 Pembroke/President, s/n RM-7, c/n P66-0027. Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. 5 June 2017.
5. Web site: Airframe Dossier – Percival P-66 Pembroke/President, s/n 54+02 Luftwaffe, c/n P66/0092, c/r D-CAKE. Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. 5 June 2017.
6. Web site: Hunting Percival P.66 Pembroke C.Mk. 54 (Flugzeugkennungen der Bundeswehr: AS-558, zuletzt 54+07). Museum-Digital. 5 June 2017. 29 April 2017.
7. Web site: Airframe Dossier – Percival P-66 Pembroke/President, s/n 54+08 Marineflieger, c/n PAC/66/105. Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. 5 June 2017.
8. Web site: Flugzeuge. Flugausstellung. 5 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170106033641/http://www.flugausstellung.de/flugzeuge.html. 6 January 2017. de.
9. Web site: Aviation Museum. Svedinos Bil & Flygmuseum. 5 June 2017.
10. Web site: Tp 83 1955–1977. Pennan & Svärdet. Pennan & Svärdet. 5 June 2017.
11. Web site: Percival P.66 Pembroke. Västerås Flygmuseum. 5 June 2017.
12. Web site: GINFO Search Results [G-BNPH]]. Civil Aviation Authority. 5 December 2023.
13. Web site: Hunting Percival Pembroke C1. Royal Air Force Museum. Trustees of the Royal Air Force Museum. 5 June 2017.
14. Web site: Simpson. Andrew. INDIVIDUAL HISTORY [WV746]]. Royal Air Force Museum. Royal Air Force Museum. 5 June 2017. 2013.
15. Web site: GINFO Search Results [G-BXES]]. Civil Aviation Authority. 5 June 2017.
16. Web site: Airframe Dossier – Percival Pembroke C.1, s/n XF796 RAF, c/n PAC/66/76, c/r N2692U. Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. 5 June 2017.
17. Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N2692U]]. Federal Aviation Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. 5 June 2017.
18. Web site: Airframe Dossier – Percival Pembroke 51, s/n RM-1 FABe, c/r N51973. Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. 5 June 2017.
19. Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N51973]]. Federal Aviation Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. 5 June 2017.

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