View source for Percival Prince

{{Inline|date=March 2021}}
{{short description|British light transport aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
{{Infobox aircraft
 |name= Prince
 |image= File:Percival Sea Prince T.1 WF118 727 Sqn FAA 09.56.jpg{{!}}border
 |caption=Royal Navy Sea Prince T.1 of 727 Squadron FAA from [[RNAS Brawdy]] operational with radar nose in September 1956
 |type=Transport aircraft
 |manufacturer=[[Percival Aircraft Limited]]
 |first_flight= 13 May 1948
 |introduction=
 |retired=
 |status=
 |primary_user=
 |more_users=
 |produced=
 |number_built=75 of all variants<ref name=abix>{{cite web|url=http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/PER50%20PRINCE%20PEMBROKE.doc|title=PER50 PRINCE PEMBROKE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314234714/http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/PER50%20PRINCE%20PEMBROKE.doc|archive-date=14 March 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
 |developed_from=[[Percival Merganser]]
 |variants=
 |developed_into= [[Percival Pembroke]]
}}

The '''Percival Prince''' is a British light transport of the early postwar period. It was a twin-engine, high-wing, cantilever monoplane of all-metal stressed-skin construction; the [[Undercarriage (aeronautics)|undercarriage]] was of [[Retractable gear|retractable]], [[Tricycle gear|tricycle]] type.

==Development==

The design of the Prince continued from the solitary [[Percival Merganser|Merganser]]. Further development of the type led to the '''Survey Prince''' survey aircraft and the '''Sea Prince'''. An improved version of the Prince 3 with an increased wingspan and engine and undercarriage modifications was developed for the [[Royal Air Force]] as the [[Percival Pembroke]].

==Operational history==
[[File:Percival Prince 3E Standard Croydon 04.54.jpg|thumb|right|Percival Prince 3E executive aircraft of Standard Motor Co. at [[Croydon Airport]] in April 1954]]

The Prince was produced in six versions for the civil market. Several examples were operated as executive aircraft including [[Standard Motors]] and [[Shell Oil]]. Three aircraft were used by the UK [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Civil Aviation]] as airport facilities checking aircraft.

The Sea Prince operated in two roles: in T.Mk.1 form it served as a navigation and anti-submarine trainer; the C.Mks. 1 and 2 were flown in the transport role. However, these were land planes and not [[Carrier onboard delivery|COD]] (carrier on board delivery) aircraft.
Sea Princes operated in both roles from 1954 to 1972 and as a navigation trainer until 1978, when it was replaced by the [[Handley Page Jetstream]]

==Variants==
<ref name="abix"/>
* '''P.50 Prince 1''' – prototype based on [[Percival Merganser|Merganser]] with modified fin and undercarriage and two 520&nbsp;hp [[Alvis Leonides|Alvis Leonides 501/4]] engine, one built.
* '''P.50 Prince 2''' – As Prince 1 with sloping windscreen, stronger main spar, five built.
* '''P.50 Prince 3''' – As Prince 2 with [[Alvis Leonides|Alvis Leonides 502/4]] engine and lengthened nose on some aircraft, 12 built.
* '''P.50 Prince 4''' – Conversions to [[Alvis Leonides|Alvis Leonides 503]] engines, ten converted.
* '''P.50 Prince 5''' – original designation of the [[Percival President]].
* '''P.50 Prince 6''' – Conversions to [[Alvis Leonides|Alvis Leonides 504]] engines.
* '''P.54 Survey Prince''' – Prince 2 with lengthened transparent nose and camera hatches, six built.
[[File:Percival Sea Prince WP308.jpg|thumb|right|Sea Prince T.1 preserved at the [[Gatwick Aviation Museum]] in 2008]]
* '''P.50 Sea Prince C1''' – Prince 2 for [[Royal Navy]] use, three built.<ref>Silvester 1987, pp. 112 & 119</ref>
* '''P.57 Sea Prince T1''' – Prince 3 with long nose housing radar, twin wheeled main undercarriage and lengthened engine nacelles for navigation and anti-submarine training, 41 built.[[File:Percival Prince at Luton 31-Jan-1950.tif|alt=Survey Prince|thumb|A Percival Survey Prince on 31 Jan 1950 at Luton, with a team from the Ordnance Survey]]
* '''P.57 Sea Prince C2''' – Transport version of Sea Prince T1, four built.
* '''B.T.1''' – ({{langx|th|บ.ต.๑}}) Thai designation for the P.54.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thai Military Aircraft Designations |url=https://designation-systems.net/non-us/thailand.html |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=designation-systems.net}}</ref>

==Operators==

===Civil operators===
; {{AUS}}
; {{BRN}}
* [[Brunei Shell Petroleum Company]]
; {{BRA}}
* [[Aeronorte]]
; {{FRA}}
; {{KEN}}
; {{NZL}}
; {{SIN}}
; {{SUI}}
; {{flag|Tanganyika}}
; {{flag|South Africa|1928}}
; {{UK}}
; {{USA}}
; {{VEN}}

===Military operators===
;{{AUS}}
* [[Royal Australian Air Force]] – Three Princes were in service with the RAAF from 1952 to 1957. The aircraft were used for communications and support duties at the Weapons Research Establishment, [[Woomera, South Australia]].
** Air Trials Unit
;{{THA}}:
* [[Thai Air Force]] – One Survey Prince aircraft.
* [[Thai Army]] – One Survey Prince aircraft.
;{{UK}}:
* [[Fleet Air Arm]]<ref name="abix"/>
** [[700 Naval Air Squadron]]
** [[702 Naval Air Squadron]]
** [[727 Naval Air Squadron]]
** [[744 Naval Air Squadron]]
** [[750 Naval Air Squadron]]
** [[781 Naval Air Squadron]]
** [[831 Naval Air Squadron]]
* [[Royal Naval Reserve]]
** 1830 Squadron RNVR
** 1840 Squadron RNVR
** 1841 Squadron RNVR
** 1844 Squadron RNVR

==Surviving aircraft==
;Thailand
* T1-1/98 – Prince 3A on display at the [[Royal Thai Air Force Museum]] in [[Bangkok]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Percival Prince 3A, s/n T1-1/98 RTAF, c/n P41 |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=1063 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=4 August 2020}}</ref>

;United Kingdom
* P50/46 – Prince 6E on display with the Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group in [[Liverpool, Merseyside]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Percival Prince 6E, c/n P50-46, c/r G-AMLZ |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=114399 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=4 August 2020}}</ref>
* WP313 – Sea Prince T.1 in storage at the [[Fleet Air Arm Museum]] in [[Yeovilton, Somerset]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Percival Sea Prince T1 (WP313) |url=http://www.fleetairarm.com/exhibit/percival-sea-prince-t1-wp313/6-30-84.aspx |website=Fleet Air Arm Museum |access-date=3 August 2020}}</ref>
* WF128 – Sea Prince T.1 on display at the [[Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum]] in [[Flixton, The Saints|Flixton, Suffolk]].<ref>{{cite web |title=OUR AIRCRAFT |url=http://www.aviationmuseum.net/ouraircraft.htm |website=Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum |access-date=3 August 2020}}</ref>
* WP309 – Sea Prince T.1 on display at the [[Solway Aviation Museum]] in [[Irthington|Irthington, Cumbria]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Aircraft |url=http://www.solway-aviation-museum.co.uk/?page_id=105&page=2 |website=Solway Aviation Museum |access-date=3 August 2020}}</ref>
* WP308 – Sea Prince T.1 on display at the [[Gatwick Aviation Museum]] in [[Charlwood|Charlwood, Surrey]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Percival Sea Prince T.1. |url=http://www.gatwick-aviation-museum.co.uk/prince/prince.html |website=Gatwick Aviation Museum |access-date=3 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190311022227/http://www.gatwick-aviation-museum.co.uk/prince/prince.html |archive-date=11 March 2019}}</ref>
* WF122 – Sea Prince T.1 under restoration with the Ulster Aviation Society in [[Lisburn|Lisburn, Antrim]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Percival P.57 Sea Prince T.1 |url=https://www.ulsteraviationsociety.org/percival-sea-prince-t1 |website=Ulster Aviation Society |access-date=3 July 2024}}</ref> It was formerly on display at [[Aeroventure]] and operated by [[750 Naval Air Squadron]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Percival Sea Prince T.1, s/n WF122 RN, c/n P57/0018 |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=67350 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=4 August 2020}}</ref>
* WP321 – Sea Prince T.1 on display at the South Wales Aviation Museum in [[St Athan|St Athan, Glamorgan]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Percival Sea Prince T.1, s/n WP321 RN, c/n PAC/57/71, c/r G-BRFC |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=56357 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=4 August 2020}}</ref>

;United States of America

* N206UP - Prince 2 c/n P50/10, on display in private garden in Antelope Acres, California <ref> |url= https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=54966 </ref>

==Specifications (Sea Prince T.1)==
[[File:Percival Sea Prince T1 3-view silhouette.jpg|thumb|Percival Sea Prince T.1]]
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=British Naval Aircraft since 1912<ref name="Thetford Naval p251">Thetford 1978, p.251.</ref>
|prime units?=kts
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|genhide= 

|crew=Two pilots
|capacity=Three pupils
|length m=
|length ft=46
|length in=4
|span m=
|span ft=56
|span in=0
|height m=
|height ft=16
|height in=1
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=365
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=8850
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=11850
|fuel capacity=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=[[Alvis Leonides]] 125
|eng1 type=9-cylinder air-cooled [[radial engine]]s
|eng1 kw=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng1 hp=550<!-- prop engines -->

|prop blade number=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop name=
|prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->

<!--
        Performance
-->
|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=223
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=at {{convert|2000|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|cruise speed mph=183
|cruise speed note=at {{convert|11000|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|range km=
|range miles=
|range nmi=400
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=22000
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=1400
|more performance=

|avionics=
}}

==See also==
{{Aircontent
<!-- include as many lines are appropriate. additional lines/entries with carriage return. -->
|related=<!-- related developments -->
* [[Percival Merganser]]
* [[Percival Pembroke]]
* [[Percival President]]
|similar aircraft=<!-- similar or comparable aircraft -->
|lists=<!-- related lists -->
|see also=<!-- other relevant information -->
}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Grant, Robert S. "Canadian Prince". ''Air Enthusiast'', No. 55, Autumn 1994, p.&nbsp;13. {{ISSN|0143-5450}}
*Jackson, A.J. ''British Civil Aircraft 1919–1972: Volume III''. London:Putnam, 1988. {{ISBN|0-85177-818-6}}.
* Silvester, John. "Call to Arms: The Percival Sea Prince and Pembroke". ''Air Enthusiast'', No. 55, Autumn 1994, pp.&nbsp;56–61. {{ISSN|0143-5450}}
* Silvester, John. ''Percival and Hunting Aircraft''. Leicester: Midland Counties Publications 1987. {{ISBN|0-9513386-0-9}}.
*Thetford, Owen, ''British Naval Aircraft since 1912''. London:Putnam, 1978. {{ISBN|0-370-30021-1}}.

== External links ==
{{commons category|Percival Prince}}
*[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1949/1949%20-%201498.html ''Flight'' – Proving flights for tropical use]

{{Hunting Percival aircraft}}
{{British military aircraft since World War II}}
{{ADF aircraft designations}}
{{Thai observation aircraft designations}}

[[Category:Hunting Percival aircraft|Prince]]
[[Category:1940s British airliners]]
[[Category:1940s British military trainer aircraft]]
[[Category:High-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1948]]
[[Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear]]