[Note: This is a post about my (this year's) very first (SIM) purchase, the (JF) Hawker Siddeley 748, the purchase been triggered by one recent (and beautiful) picture of the same plane/SIM, posted by another member, here. The plane, however, has been one of my favorites since a long time, thanks to a popular freeware model of it available, since the FS9 days...(many of us might recall the one I'm talking about, from (CBFS) by Rick Piper, who, along with one or two others, had got me initiated into the realm of Classic British Aircraft). Now, for a bit of nostalgia, and a bit of fun, too, I quote, below, three comments, I came across today, from Rick's README, for his (original) HS748:

[1]

"FSDS3 Hawker Siddeley HS.748 for FS2004 .  (April 14th 2006)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   FS2004 only   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Will not display at all in FS2002."
[So, the warning is that his FS9 plane will NOT show up in FS2002, and, coincidentally, just this past week, we'd a post going here, where, we were talking about "FSX/P3D" gauges/planes, NOT showing up on "MSFS",...🙂...]

[2]

"(Sorry, but there are too many (files) and with a full VC and sounds etc. the files are much too big for Dial-up users). (So) I have split the file into 3 so that it can be downloaded by just about everyone. Hopefully including Dial-up users."
[Yes, I do recall...(not sure I should be proud to announce it, here, though...🙂...)...those screeching "Modem" dial-up sounds (for internet connectivity)...they are ringing in my ears still...!]

[3]

"Please can this model get a review as I seem to have been forgotten for a long time lately...PCPilot used to jump for my stuff...(now it's 95% payware)...!"
[Yes, those were the days, PCPilot would feature full-length articles on (worthy) Freeware (SIM) contributions. I do recall, however, when I was subscribing to that magazine, years ago,....they used to attach DVDs, with (nice and notable) freeware files/aircraft from selected contributors, with each issue...]

Anyway, I couldn't resist this HS748, from JF's SALE, so, here, we go, along with a (little-known) livery, I've chosen of this classic plane, for my illustration, here...]

The Hawker Siddeley HS 748 is an airliner originally designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Avro (the plane was actually (initially) called Avro 748, not HS 748). It was the last aircraft to be developed by Avro prior to the company's dissolution into Hawker Siddeley Aviation in 1963. Importantly, one might notice the famous Rolls-Royce Dart (turboprop) Engines on its' wings (I've included several shots, below). The engine was the same (and by then proven) as the one that had earlier, on April 18, 1953, powered the first ever "turboprop" and "commercial" airliner to enter scheduled service, the Vickers 701 Viscount. HS 748 proved a capable and versatile turboprop, and was popular with world-wide operators, for both pax and freight transport, but, (eventually), it lost its market-share to the (modern) likes of (Dash-8 and ATR-42 etc.). BTW, for curiosity, I've also included close-up shot of its Pedestal, where you will notice (JF's custom-coded, and period-typical) Autopilot Panel (along with the "NAV/GPS" switch under the Autopilot Panel, for easy navigation, here).

Next, a bit about my choice of livery, for this post: When I first spotted this "all-Red" paint, I (mistakenly) thought it might be Air Greenland (another "all-Red"), but it turned out to be for "Parcelforce Worldwide" and caught my interest. I have been (somewhat) aware of Parcelforce's parent: the (historic) Royal Mail (see below) and its (classic) logo (the "Red & Gold" Crown), but, I was not aware of Parcelforce's connection to Royal Mail. Founded in 1516, by King Henry VIII himself - (we haven't had too many of those kings around here...🙂...hence the fascination...), more than five centuries ago, the Royal Mail, in modern times, separated itself into three (subsidiary) divisions, and in August 1990, Royal Mail Parcels was (further) rebranded as "Parcelforce", in the (the eye-catching "Red") livery, you see in the images of this post.

[Side Notes: (Parent) Royal Mail was (1) first to run (mail) stage-coach in 1784 (2) first to use mail train in 1830 (3) first to create the designation "Postmaster General" (4) first to issue prepaid postage stamps (5) first to use Post Office (pillar) box etc. - all these are now pretty much antiquated,...except (3)...] BTW, I was pleasantly (and unexpectedly) surprised to notice the "Royal Mail" logo on DAN-AIR, see under the Pilot Side window, in the close-up shot, within the first couple of screenshots, relating to (default livery) Cold & Dark flight.

So, please find, below, a collection of images of Parcelforce (G-OPFW) HS748 - operated by "Emerald Airways" (marking seen under logo), flying (appx. 500 miles) between two primary mail centers/hubs of Royal Mail - Inverness/EGPE (Scotland) and Cornwall/EGHQ (England). On take-off, from Rwy 23, the plane is banking hard-left (southward), over the waters (and the (scenic) adjoining terrains) of Moray Firth. [And, if you wish to see a few (RW) pictures of the (exact) same plane/reg, please search for "Images for parcel force G-OPFW HS748"].

Thanks for your interest, and happy flying with the platform, you're flying, at the moment...!!

[JF(HS748), Orbx(Scotland/England), REX]

Nice story and shots!  Thanks.

Due to some ...delivery problems... Parcelforce is commonly referred to as Parcel Farce over here! 

An excellent potted history of our Royal Mail and the Post Office - stamps and the pillar boxes are still very much in use today of course.🍻

Great pictures!

Thanks, folks...!!

Appreciated the comments and kind words...!!

***Excellent Post*** as usual***

Great post, again, P_7878. I think most of us here can recall that (in-)famous sound when the internet came alive. I have this plane too and of course the Rick Piper version. I tried to port the JF model over to MSFS. So far no luck. But I'm not giving up. 🙂🙂

Coooeee! Nice set!  

Happy to have inspired you to add this classic beauty to your hangar. 🙂

And thank you for the great shots and giving a historical info as well. If Im not mistaken, HS. 748 was later developed into the impressive but economically not so successful BAE ATP with a stretched fuselage, PW engines and modern avionics.

As far as I know, Virtualcol are working on an ATP. So Im curiously waiting for that.

 

 

Patrick, Bernd, Ed, duesenwerni: Good to hear from you on this post...!!

Bernd:  You've already converted so many JFs, so, keep at it...🙂...this plane will look good (I mean even better than FSX...🙂...) in MSFS...

duesenwerni: Yes, sometimes a "nudge" is needed from a fellow-member...🙂...to finally acquire an aircraft SIM, though, long on the "WANTED" list...BTW, your that one shot of the HS748, was marvelous...not just the plane but the ambience of that image...I recall it well...(And, you're correct...it's the BAe ATP variant (with PW engines rather than RR) that would have competed with Dash 8 and ATR 42/72, which were powered by PW too, but, it appears, it didn't work out successfully...for various reasons)...Thanks for the comments ...!