Redcoat Air Cargo Ltd. was a British cargo airline between 1976 and 1982 with headquarters at Horley in Sussex and an operating base at Luton Airport.
History
Established in 1976, the company started operations on 27 May 1977 using a Bristol Britannia leased from Geminair. It used the aircraft to operate cargo flights from the United Kingdom to West Africa. It later bought its own Britannias, some being ex Royal Air Force Transport Command aircraft (including at least one previously operated by Air Faisal),Roach, 1998, p. 128-129 and by 1979 was also operating freight charters for the Ministry of Defence.
The crash of a Britannia in February 1980 led to the purchase of a Canadair CL-44 from British Cargo Airlines. Delay in acquiring the aircraft from the receiver and subsequent engine problems led to cash flow issues and in spring 1982 the company entered voluntary liquidation.
Fleet Bristol BritanniaUK CAA Registration Document for G-AOVS Canadair CL-44UK CAA Registration Document for G-BRED
Media In 1980 one of the company's Britannia aircraft (G-AOVS) was used in a BBC television drama series Buccaneer about a fictitious cargo airline.IMDB Buccaneer (1980)
Accidents and incidents
On 16 February 1980 a Bristol Britannia C Mk.1 crashed after departure from Boston-Logan due to ice and snow on the aircraft; seven of the eight occupants died, including the spouse of a serving airman at RAF Belize.
See also List of defunct airlines of the United Kingdom
References Notes
Bibliography
Further reading
External links
Remembering the Billerica plane crash of 1980