The Brabazon Committee in the UK recommended early 1943 in its report the development and construction of a 30-seat transport aircraft for the short to medium range. Airspeed responded with the AS.57 Ambassador designed by a team led by Arthur Hagg.
The had a standard seating capacity for 40 passengers. The first unpressurized prototype Ambassador Mk.1 (G-AGUA, c/n 61) flew July 10, 1947, with the second (G-AKRD c/n 62) flying over a year later on August 26, 1948. Finally the production prototype Ambassador Mk.2 (G-ALFR, c/n 5210) was flown May 1950.
G-AKRD was used, from 1951 on, in the development of a de Havilland propeller; the Bristol Proteus 705 radial; and the Rolls-Royce turbine engines Tyne and Dart.
In 1948 British European Airways was the first, and as later turned out the only airline, to order the aircraft, naming it Elizabethan. Due to the delays during development the first production aircraft was not delivered until March, 1952. From 1957 BEA started to sell the type, the last scheduled flight taken place on June 30, 1958. Most of the sold aircraft went to Dan-Air London and BKS of Newcastle, the last one sold in March 1961. Last known flight of an Ambassador was in 1971.
Twin engined high wing pressurized passenger transport aircraft
Two 2625 hp Bristol Centaurus 661 radial engines
115 ft 0 in (35.00 m)
82 ft 0 in (25.00 m)
18 ft 3 in (5.56 m)
1,200 sq.ft (111.48 sq.m)
35,781 lb (16,230 kg)
52,500 lb (23,814 kg)
272 mph (438 km/h) at 15,000 ft (4,572 m)
1,250 ft (381 m)/min
1,550 mls (2,494 km)