British South American Airways
British South American Airways (BSAA) was a British state-run airline of the
1940s. Originally named
British Latin American Air Lines (BLAIR) it was split off from
British Overseas Airways Corporation to operate their
South Atlantic routes. It commenced transatlantic services in March
1946, with a BSAA plane making the first operational flight from London
Heathrow Airport.
The airline operated mostly
Avro aircraft:
Yorks,
Lancastrians and
Tudors, and flew to
Bermuda, the
West Indies and the western coast of
South America.
BSAA was planning to introduce
de Havilland Comet jet airliners, but in
1949 it was merged back into BOAC.
During its short existence BSAA seems to have suffered more than its fair share of mysterious accidents. The loss without trace of the Tudors
Star Tiger and
Star Ariel are often quoted to validate the existence of a mystery zone in the
Bermuda Triangle, and the loss of the Lancastrian
Star Dust in the
Andes after sending a partly unreadable radio message has been named the
Stendec incident. The discovery in
2000 of the wreckage of
Star Dust appears to indicate a perfectly mundane accident, and there can be no serious doubt that the Tudors were also lost to the natural hazards of aviation of the times.
* = aircraft name not known*
Avro 688 Tudor 4* G-AGRE -
Star Ariel* G-AGRF - * - formerly a Tudor 1 of
BOAC named
Elizabeth of England* G-AGRG -
Star Cressida* G-AHNJ -
Star Panther* G-AHNK -
Star Lion* G-AHNN -
Star Leopard |
The BSAA Avro Tudor II, G-AKCD, Star Eagle |
*
Avro 689 Tudor 2* G-AKCD -
Star Eagle*
Avro 688 Tudor 1* G-AHNP -
Star Tiger*
Avro Lancastrian * G-AGWG
Star Light* G-AGWH
Star Dust* G-AGWL
Star Guide*
Avro Lancaster Freighter* G-AGUL
Star Watch*
Avro York* G-AGOC
Star Path* G-AGSN -
* G-AHFE -
* G-AHFF -
