De Havilland DH 121 Trident
Hawker-Siddeley Trident
Trident
The British Trident began life in 1958 as the de Havilland 121. Designed to cruise at over 600 mph, this aircraft has a T-tail, triplex powered controls (three separate power units driving each control surface), four small wheels on each main landing-gear leg, and an offset sideways-retracting nose gear. The Trident pioneered truly blind autolanding, and was the first airliner in the world to be certificated for automatic landing in passenger service, a year after beginning scheduled flights with BEA in April 1964. The advanced flight control system, together with the Smiths autopilot, enables the aircraft to lock onto ground radio beams and, using auto-throttle to control airspeed, descend along the glidepath to touchdown.
The world’s first fully automatic landing by a passenger-carrying jet was made in 1965 by a BEA Trident at London’s Heathrow Airport in daylight.
The first flew on January 9, 1962. It has been produced in four models. The IE featured accommodations for a maximum of 115 passengers and was powered by 11,400-lb. s.t. turbofans.
The 2E was the long-range version with more fuel, operating non-stop between London and the Middle East. The 2F featured increased fuel capacity and takeoff weight and was fitted with 11,960-lb. s.t. turbofans. The 3B was a high capacity short-haul transport with a lengthened fuselage and the addition of a 5,250-lb. s.t. turbojet in the tail for better takeoff performance. The Super 3B was an upgraded version of the 3B.
Trident 3B
117 Tridents, including over 30 of the stretched long-range 3B, were sold.
Hawker Siddeley Trident, Nicosa Airport, Cyprus
Over a dozen of Hawker Siddeley HS.121 Tridents were used by the Peoples Republic Air Force.
Gallery
De Havilland DH 121 Trident
Length: 114.829 ft / 35.0 m
Height : 26.903 ft / 8.2 m
Wingspan : 89.895 ft / 27.4 m
Wing area : 1358.417 sq.ft / 126.2 sq.m
Max take off weight : 115030.4 lb / 52168.0 kg
Weight empty : 67473.0 lb / 30600.0 kg
Max. payload weight : 20316.9 lb / 9214.0 kg
Max. weight carried : 47557.4 lb / 21568.0 kg
Max. speed : 529 kt / 980 km/h
Cruising altitude : 29528 ft / 9000 m
Wing load : 84.67 lb/sq.ft / 413.0 kg/sq.m
Maximum range : 2484 nm / 4600 km
Range : 2484 nm / 4600 km
Range (max. weight) : 1577 nm / 2920 km
Engine : 3 x Rolls Royce Spey RB 1631, 43831 N
Crew : 3 + 77-103 pax
Trident IE
Engines: 3 x 11,400-lb. s.t. turbofans.
Accommodation: 115
Trident 2E
Engines: 4 x Rolls-Royce Spey RB.163-25 Mk 512-5W turbo-fans, 53.2kN / 11,930 lb. (5,410 kg.)
Max take-off weight: 65318 kg / 144002 lb
Empty weight: 33203 kg / 73200 lb
Wingspan: 29.87 m / 97 ft 12 in
Length: 34.98 m / 114 ft 9 in
Height: 8.23 m / 27 ft 0 in
Wing area: 135.26 sq.m / 1455.93 sq ft
Cruise speed: 974 km/h / 605 mph
Ceiling: 9100 m / 29850 ft
Range: 3965 km / 2464 miles
Crew: 3
Passengers: 140
Trident 2F
Engines: 3 x 11,960-lb. s.t. turbofans.
Trident 3B
Engines three 11,960-lb. s.t. turbofans and one 5,250-lb. s.t Rolls-Royce Spey turbojet.
Wing span: 98 ft 0 in (29.87 m).
Length: 131 ft 2 in (39.98 m).
Height: 28 ft 3 in (8.61 m).
Max TO wt: 150,000 lb (68,040 kg)
Empty wt. 81,778 lb
Fuel capacity 6,750 imp Gal.
Max level speed: 605 mph (972 kph).
Cruise speed 533 mph.
Stall 129 mph.
Range 1,785 miles.
Takeoff distance (35') 8,900 ft.
Seats 97-180.
