Decaying Convairs
On my visits to airports I haven't seen many Convairliners in active service. Most of the aircraft I saw in my life were abandoned by their users and in a derelict condition waiting for being scrapped. The picture above is of a CV-240 which was delivered to the USAF as a C-131A. I photographed it in the early nineties at Avra Valley. The pictures below show some other Convairs in a sad condition at the scrapyards of Davis Monthan Air Force Base.
Convair-versions and conversions:
CV-110: prototype of first concept.
CV-240: First production model.
CV-340: Stretched aircraft seating 44 passengers.
CV-440 'Metropolitan': Further stretch, seating 52 passengers.
CV-540: Conversion with Napier Eland turboprops.
CV-580: Conversion with Allison 501-D turboprops.
CV-600: CV-240 conversion with Rolls Royce Dart turboprops.
CV-640: CV-340/440 conversion with Rolls Royce Dart turboprops.
CV-5800: CV-580 stretch by Kelowna Flightcraft in Canada.
Air forces used their own designations for their Convair-aircraft:
C-131 'Samaritan': USAF transport aircraft.
CC-109 / CL-66 'Cosmopolitan': Canadian Forces transport aircraft.
R4Y: US Navy transport aircraft.
T-29 'Flying Classroom': Trainer for navigator/radar operators.
VC-131: USAF VIP version.
An ex-Aspen CV-580 in basic United Airlines Express colours.
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Specifications
CV-240
Length: 74ft 8in (22.76m).
Wing span: 91ft 9in (27.97).
Height 26ft 11in (8.20m).
Empty weight: 27,600lb (12,520kg).
Max takeoff weight: 41,790lb (18,956kg).
Cruising speed: 235kt (435km/h).
Range with max fuel: 1,565nm (2,900km).
Engines: Two 1,490kW (2,000hp) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CA18 Double Wasp piston radial engines.
Capacity: 40 passengers or 9,350lb (4,240kg) of cargo.
CV-340
Length: 79ft 2in (24.13m).
Wing span: 105ft 4in (32.12m).
Height: 28ft 2in (8.58m).
Empty weight: 29,486lbkg (13,375).
Max takeoff weight: 47,000lbkg (21,320).
Cruising speed: 247kt (457km/h).
Range with max payload: 505nm (935km).
Engines: two 1,790kW (2,400hp) R-2800-CB16 Double Wasps.
Capacity: 52 passengers or 13,391lb (6,075kg) cargo.
CV-440
Length: 81ft 6in (24.84m).
Wing span: 105ft 4in (32.12m).
Height: 28ft 2in (8.58m).
Empty weight: 33,314lb (15,110kg).
Max takeoff weight: 49,700lb (22,544kg).
Max cruising speed: 261kt (483km/h).
Range with max payload 408nm (756km).
Engines: two 1,865kW (2,500hp) R-2800-CB16 or -CB17 Double Wasps.
Capacity: up to 52 passengers or 12,836lb (5,820kg) cargo.
CV-580
Length: 81ft 6in (24.84m).
Wing span: 105ft 4in (32.12m).
Height: 29ft 2in (8.89m).
Max cruising speed: 297kt (550km/h) at 20,000ft.
Range with 5,000lb (2,270kg): payload 1,970nm (3,650km).
Empty weight: 30,275lb (13,732kg).
Max takeoff weight: 58,140lb (26,371kg).
Engines: two 2,800kW (3,750shp) Allison 501-D13H turboprops.
Capacity: up to 56 passengers.
CV-640
Dimensions as 340 and 440.
Cruising speed: 260kt (483km/h).
Range with max payload: 1,069nm (1,979km).
Empty weight: 30,275lb (13,733kg).
Max takeoff weight: 57,000lb (25,855kg).
Engines: two 2,255kW (3,025hp) Rolls Royce R.Da.10/1 Darts.
CV-5800
Length: 95ft 9in (29.18m).
Empty weight: 33,166lb (15,043kg).
Max takeoff weight: 63,000lb (28,576kg).
Engines: two 3430kW (4600shp) Allison 501-D22Gs.
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