Bristol Freighter

The Bristol Type 170 Freighter is a British twin-engine aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company as both a freighter and airliner. Its best known use was as an air ferry to carry cars and their passengers over relatively short distances. A passenger-only version was also produced, known as the Wayfarer. It was powered by twin 2000 hp 14-cylinder piston engines matched to 4-bladed propellers. It had wide opening clamshell doors on the nose, and with a high-set flight deck, this allowed full access to the cargo bay, including the ability to drive a vehicle directly in via a ramp.

The Freighter was developed during the Second World War, having attracted official attention from the British Air Ministry. They sought the development of a rugged aircraft capable of carrying various cargoes, including a 3-ton truck. Various changes to the design were made to accommodate their requirements, but it was completed too late to participate in the conflict; its first flight was in December 1945. The majority of sales of the Freighter were to commercial operators after the war, but it did have military service with several Air Forces.

In response to customer demand, an enlarged version to maximize vehicle-carrying capacity, known as the Bristol Superfreighter, was developed. By the end of production in 1958, 214 had been produced, and though all but retired in the 21st century it can be found preserved in aviation museums in the United Kingdom and internationally.