Scottish Aviation Twin
Pioneer CCII
Serial Number: XL993
Period:
Post-WWII
Collection Ref: 69/A/217
Location: RAF Museum Cosford, National Cold War Exhibition
Known as the 'Twin Pin', the Twin Pioneer was a follow-up
to the same company's single-engined short take-off and landing (STOL)
transport, the Pioneer, and like the latter required an area only 30m
(99ft) by 275m (902ft) in which to operate.
The Twin Pioneer was initially designed as a 16-passenger civil transport
aircraft and first flew in June 1955. Following the success of the Pioneer,
the RAF ordered 39 of the new type, the first examples entering service
in October 1958 with No.78 Squadron in Aden, air-lifting troops and supplies
in the Protectorate.
STOL characteristics and suitability for operations in tropical conditions
were also demonstrated by aircraft based in Singapore (during the Borneo
Campaign in the 1960s), in Bahrain (during the 1961 Kuwaiti crisis) and
in Kenya (on internal security duties in the mid-1960s). A fifth unit
to use the Twin Pioneer was No.230 Squadron at RAF Odiham which provided
transport support for Army units.
In 1965 an additional aircraft was acquired for use by the Empire Test
Pilots School, though the last aircraft on frontline duties was retired
in 1968.
Including civilian versions, 89 Twin Pioneers were built, other operators
including the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Nepalese Royal Flight.
