Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Commercial airliner

Power Plant:

Two 1,865 kw (2,500 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CB17 eighteen-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial engines

Specifications:

History:

Following the success of the earlier CV-240 and CV-340 models, Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corp (Convair) chose to continue to refine the series, despite the inroads then being made into the airline market by the Rolls Royce Dart powered Vickers Viscount. Thus the Model 440, or Metropolitan, arrived. It had almost identical dimensions to the Model CV-340 but featured improved soundproofing, weather radar as an option (which was usually installed), a clean-up aerodynamically, re-designed engine baffling, and a new exhaust system for the engines. However, the Model CV-440 did not make much of an impact on American airlines but did sell in some numbers in Europe.

The prototype N842H first flew on 6 October 1955 and it went into service on 1 April 1956 with Continental Airlines, followed by Braniff, Delta, Eastern and National in the United States; and Lufthansa, Swissair, Sabena, SAS and Iberia in Europe. A total of 180 Model CV-440s was completed.

The Model CV-440 series was the mainstay of Ansett/ANAs operations in Australia. At about the time that Ansett was in the middle of acquiring Australian National Airways in 1957, and acquiring a fleet consisting of Douglas DC-6s and DC-6Bs, it acquired the Convair CV-440.

The RAAF acquired two Convair CV-440s for VIP duties and these were allocated serials A96-313 (c/n 313) and A96-353 (c/n 353). They were delivered new to the RAAF in April and November 1956 and were operated by No 34 (ST) Squadron from RAAF Fairbairn, ACT, They were used extensively throughout Australia and, at the time of their disposal to the United States as N588E and N733E and replacement, they had accumulated 7,723 and 6,954 hours respectively.

In 1989 a Tasmanian Company, Gold Crown Aviation Services, announced it intended to import three Convairs for freight operations between Melbourne, VIC and Tasmania but the aircraft were not imported.

In 1998 the Albion Park, NSW based Historic Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) announced it was to obtain an ex-USAF C-131F (c/n 308 – ex BuAer 1410125) and work would commence on its restoration for delivery to Australia, the registration VH-EAQ being allotted to the aircraft. Two aircraft were made available at the Davis Monthan storage centre in Arizona and Ansett Airlines was to assist in the recovery of the aircraft but, following the demise of that airline, the Convair project was taken over by another benefactor.

Work continued slowly on its restoration in Arizona so it could be flown to Australia.  However, in 2019 following HARS obtaining an airworthy Convair from South Africa, and the fact it also had a Model CV-580 series, it was decided not to complete the restoration in the United States and, after some parts were removed for spares, the two aircraft at the Pima Air Museum were placed on the market for sale.

Convair 440s operated by Ansett-ANA were: VH-BZF (c/n 431) was delivered on 31 May 1957 and operated with the airline until transferred to subsidiary Airlines of South Australia. It was exported to Khmer Akas Airlines in Cambodia in May 1973 as N102KA.

VH-BZN (c/n 449 – ex N8445H) was delivered on 19 November 1957 and operated with the airline until also transferred to Airlines of South Australia as ‘City of Adelaide’. It was exported as N103KA to Khmer Akas Airlines in Cambodia in May 1973.

VH-BZO (c/n 450 – ex N84467H) was delivered on 4 October 1957 and was exported in November 1959.

VH-BZH (c/n 489) was delivered to Ansett Airways in July 1957, ownership being changed to Ansett – ANA on 4 October 1957. It was exported as N8421H in May 1962.

VH-BZI (c/n 459) was delivered to Ansett Airways in May 1957 and was transferred to Ansett – ANA on 4 October 1957. It was exported as N8420H in May 1962.

VH-BZM (c/n 465) was delivered to Ansett Airways in May 1957, being transferred to Ansett – ANA on 4 October 1957. It was exported as N8422H in June 1962.

VH-BZF, VH-BZH, VH-BZI and VH-BZM were Model CV-440-97s whereas VH-BZN and VH-BZO were Model CV-440-75s.

VH-BZM, after service with Allegheny Airlines as N8422H, had its engines replaced by Allison 501-D13 turboprops, becoming a Model CV-580, at this time its registration becoming N5835. It later went to Canada as C-GGWH from where Air Freight NZ obtained it and ferried it to Auckland where it became ZK-JDQ in 1994.

In 2015 the Historic Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) based at Albion Park, NSW contacted the owner of a Convair CV-440 at Pretoria’s Wonderboom airport where a Convair and another example had been operated by Rovos Air and were for sale.  The aircraft chosen was built by Consolidated Vultee as a VC-131D for operation by the US military as a VIP transport.  This aircraft was painted in the markings of Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) before its ferry flight. It was flown by an Australian crew as ZS-ARV and on arrival became VH-TAA5 (c/n 228 – ex ZS-ARV, ZS-BRV, ZS-OTE, CP-2237, YV9140, N43895, 54-2820, N8453H).  In early 2017 it was to be displayed at the Australian International Air Show at Avalon but suffered an engine problem which led to the replacement of an engine.

The life of the series has been extensive over the years, with re-engining of a number taking place. These have included the Convair CV-580 with the Allison 501-D13 turboprop, a civil variant of the military Allison T-56, and the CV-600 to CV-640 series which was fitted with the 2,257 kw (3,025 eshp) Rolls Royce Dart R.Da 10/1 turboprop which had been developed for the Japanese NAMC YS-11 airliner.

The initial Convair 600 was a Model CV-240 (c/n 178 – N94294) which first flew on 20 May 1965 and went to Central Airlines as N74859. Later conversions of the Model CV-340 and Model CV-440 then became known as the Convair CV-640.

Some 38 Model CV-240s and 27 CV-440s are known to have been converted.

Most recent conversions have been by Kelowna Flightcraft, a British Columbia-based firm which extended the fuselage of the Model CV-340 by 4.25 m (13 ft 9 in) to produce the Convair 5800.

Some 1,086 examples of the CV series was built.