| CC-109 Cosmopolitan CL-66 | |
|---|---|
 A CC-109 Cosmopolitan of 412 Squadron atCFB Cold Lake in 1985 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Transport aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Canadair |
| Primary users | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Number built | 13 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1959, 1966 (reconfigured variant) |
| Introduction date | 1960 |
| First flight | 2 February 1959 |
| Retired | 1994 |
| Developed from | Convair 440 |
| Variant | Convair 540 |
TheCanadair CL-66 was aturboprop version of the civilianConvair CV-440 Metropolitan. TheCC-109 Cosmopolitan or "Cosmo" inRCAF service became the standard VIP aircraft as well as replacing theDouglas Dakota and theNorth American B-25 Mitchell in light transport duties. After a lengthy career stretching into the 1990s, the CC-109 was replaced by theCC-142 Dash 8 andCC-144 Challenger.
With the close of production of the Convair CV-440 in San Diego, Canadair acquired the rights to the design along with the jigs, tooling and even three unsold 440s. With the availability of aNapier Eland turboprop conversion, the re-engined CV-440s became the CV-540, an all-cargo variant.
In 1958, the RCAF wanted to replace their agingC-47 Dakotas with a turbine-powered aircraft. Their choice was theVickers Viscount, but the Canadian government decided against this aircraft. Instead, Canadair offered a series of CV-540 variants powered by Napier Eland turboprops. The project was given the numberCL-66 and three versions were considered. TheCL-66A was to be a 48/64 passenger aircraft. TheCL-66B designed to be a cargo/passenger configuration with a payload of 14200 lb. TheCL-66C used the Convair-built CV-440s, having only their new engines fitted at Canadair.
The first CL-66 to fly was a "C" version with its first flight in February 1959; the CL-66B had its first flight in January 1960. No "A" versions were built.
Canadair was not able to get contracts from any major airline for the CL-66. It was too expensive and other similar types had better performance. The two aircraft, both of them CL-66Cs, that had been used for extensive sales demonstrations, were sold to the local carrierQuebecair. The RCAF took ten aircraft, mainly Bs. The Eland not only proved to be unreliable, but also did not deliver the expected power, consequently, the RCAF instituted an engine upgrade in 1966–1967, installingAllison 501-D36 engines. After eight airframes had been re-engined, the company phased out further development work on the type, "orphaning" the remaining final two Eland examples, which were subsequently scrapped.[1]
No. 412 Squadron at CFB Ottawa (S), or "Uplands" flew the "Cosmo", from 1960 to 1994 as VIP transport. The Cosmopolitan aircraft were also deployed to Europe for Canadian NATO contingent support as well as to the US in support of Canadian NORAD operations.
Military
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961–62[2]
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
Related lists
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