Name: 英國造過最大的飛機布里斯托布拉巴宗（The Largest Aircraft Ever Built By Britain: The Bristol Brabazon）
Uploaded: 2021-05-30T03:45:51.000Z
Duration: 8 min 10 s

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Thanks to SquareSpace for making this video possible.

感謝SquareSpace讓這支影片成為可能

With a wingspan greater than a Boeing 747's, this was

有著比波音747更大的翼展的它 是英國有史以來建造過的最大型飛機

the largest aircraft ever built by Britain.

相比同期飛機它更像是艘「飛行郵輪」

More a flying oceanliner than plane, it had sleeping cabins, a dining room, a cocktail

甚至還有二十三個座位的電影院

And if it had been the 1930's, when transatlantic crossings were pretty much always by boat,

若它出現在靠坐郵輪跨洋旅行的1930年代

But this lumbering super-sized piston airliner was being introduced for the 1950's, when

但這充滿噪音的巨無霸螺旋槳客機

the first jets were already taking to the skies.

卻是在噴射客機投入服務的1950年代完成的

After a massive development effort, Britain was stuck with a plane that nobody wanted,

designed for an era that no longer existed.

英國得到了一款生錯年代沒人想搭的飛機

In the midst of the Second World War, with battles raging across the globe, the British

耗盡心血的失敗品 英國布里斯托布拉巴宗型客機

在戰火延燒全球的二戰中期，英國開始擔憂

Not just about the war, but what happens after.

不只是因為戰爭，他們同時也煩惱著戰後將發生什麼事

Because as soon as victory was assured, Britain would almost certainly begin losing a different

因為二戰的勝利就近在眼前 但英國在轉眼間就要輸在另一個戰場上

kind of battle; one for the future of their aviation industry.

Because the Americans had a whole range of military transports which they could easily

But Britain's industry had been focused on building bombers, so they could dish it

但為了能更有效率對德國做出反擊

英國全心投入在轟炸機的設計上

But these bombers couldn't easily be redesigned into airliners.

但這些轟炸機無法輕易改裝成民用客機

They'd design a whole range of cutting edge airliners, completely from scratch.

它們從零開始設計了一系列劃時代客機

Like building the world's first jet powered airliner.

But the way Britain really planned to get ahead of the Americans, was to build the world's

但英國計畫真正用來超越美國的

An enormous luxury-liner of the skies, which they'd name the Brabazon.

而它就是後來名為布拉巴宗的奢華客機

It would have true transatlantic capability.

Able to fly non-stop from London to New York against prevailing eastern winds.

它能突破由西吹來的強烈信風 從倫敦直飛到紐約

In the 1940's, this would have been quite the feat.

Transatlantic flights were almost always done in stages to allow for refueling.

因為當時的客機需要停靠在中繼站加油

The task of building this behemoth was assigned to The Bristol Aeroplane Company.

這空中巨獸的建造計畫交付給了布里斯托飛機公司

And its development was given the highest priority, over all the other planned airliners.

這計畫擁有最高的優先度 高過其他計畫中的客機

But the Brabazon wasn't just going to push the limits of airliner size and range.

但布拉巴宗計畫 不僅於突破客機極限大小與航程

This plane was also going to redefine luxury.

Because, although the Brabazon would have been large enough to seat over 300 passengers,

盡管布拉巴宗的大小能搭載超過三百名乘客

it was only ever intended to carry between 50 and one hundred.

它卻只被設計搭載五十到一百名乘客

甚至還有人認為這樣已經載太多了

Because comfort was the highest priority, in luxury class each passenger was allotted

因為這架飛機的設計著重在旅客的舒適度

每位尊貴艙乘客將能分配到八立方公尺的 生活空間

The less fortunate would have to settle for 212.

而在稍微便宜的艙等能分到六立方公尺

There would be private sleeping compartments, a dedicated dining room.

機上配著私人睡覺用隔間與餐廳

A cocktail lounge and bar for schmoozing.

And of course, no flight is complete without a movie.

當然，一趟好的飛行當然少不了電影

we're talking about an actual movie theater with seating for 23.

有一個有二十三個座位的小電影院

The Brabazon was also fitted with cutting edge innovations.

布拉巴宗上有著不少劃時代的技術創新

A fully pressurized, air conditioned cabin.

Electric engine controls, and high-pressure hydraulics to operate its massive control

電子引擎控制裝置 還有用來控制這龐然大物的液壓控制面板

但要讓這滿載重量為一百三十噸的龐然大物

But getting this 130 tone, fully loaded behemoth to make it all the way from London to New

一口氣從倫敦飛到紐約並不容易

York.. in one shot, wasn't going to be easy.

設計公司減輕重量上花了大量努力

布拉巴宗客機使用了專門設計的機殼

A custom, lighter, non-standard aircraft skin was used.

巨大的機翼上乘載著一萬六千加侖的燃料和

It's enormous wing housed more than 16 thousand gallons of fuel, and eight of the most powerful

八具當時推力最大的活塞式引擎

再也沒有甚麼能比有著十八對汽缸的增壓引擎 讓旅客有自信地進行跨洋飛行

Nothing instills confidence over the middle of the Atlantic Ocean like a pair of 18 cylinder

經由傳動軸連接到超壓變速器後

supercharged engines, each connected by a drive shaft to an overstressed gearbox, which

再由每兩具引擎各驅動一組同軸反轉螺旋槳

then drives a pair of contra-rotating propellers.

這八具引擎勉強能產生足夠讓它起飛的推力

the 8 engines produced barely enough power to get this enormous plane off the ground,

最後它的巡航速度來到了每小時四百公里

and give it a cruise speed of only 250 miles per hour.

但布拉巴宗真正需要的是 推力更大的渦輪螺旋槳引擎

What the Brabazon really needed was more powerful turboprop engines.

不幸的是發展出推力夠的新引擎 會趕不上計劃時間

所以計畫上第一架布拉巴宗測試機 使用的是活塞引擎

So a decision was made to finish the first brabazon with piston engines, and begin building

第二架再使用布里斯托公司開發的渦輪引擎

a second one using a new turboprop being developed by Bristol.

In late summer 1949, the first Brabazon rolled out of it's enormous hanger to make its

第一架布拉巴宗 從巨大的機庫駛出進行首度試飛

但布拉巴宗向人們證明了它的適航性 並讓目睹者驚嘆

But the Brabazon proved it's airworthiness to awestruck crowds, attracting enormous praise

但它未能吸引到任何一家航空公司前來訂購

But what it didn't attract was a single airline.

問題是 布拉巴宗並不是設計用來跟其他客機競爭的

The problem was, the Brabazon wasn't really designed to compete with any other airliners.

相反的，它是用來搶奪跨洋航班的富裕客群

Instead, it was going steal away wealthy passengers away from ocean liners.

若這是發生在1943年這將會是很棒的計畫

And in 1943 that might've been a solid plan.

但在1949年的定期跨洋航班早已大幅增加

But by 1949, the number of aircraft making regular transatlantic flights, had grown dramatically.

與布里斯托公司一起研發布拉巴宗的 英國海外航空也就是後來英航

BOAC, later known British Airways, had worked closely with Bristol to develop the Brabazon.

And in the end, even they didn't want it.

By the time the Brabazon made its first flight, the airline had already begun purchasing Boeing

英國海外航空早已採購波音同溫層巡航者 負責跨洋服務

Stratocruisers for their transatlantic flights.

同溫層巡航者能攜帶一百名乘客

A plane that carried up to a 100 passengers, with half as many engines, and nearly half

卻只用布拉巴宗一半的引擎數與 一半的起飛重量

首度投入服務的噴射客機―彗星型客機 更比布拉巴宗早幾個月試飛

And the Comet, the first jet airliner to enter service, beat the Brabazon to the skies, making

徹底地把布拉巴宗從空中「踢」下來

彗星型客機航程沒有布拉巴宗那麼遠

The Comet didn't fly far as the Brabazon, nor did have a cocktail lounge.

但它的飛行速度接近布拉巴宗的兩倍快

And that was far more appealing for passengers who could afford the tickets.

對買得起機票的乘客來說這更具吸引力

For the next three years, the Brabazon lumbered around Britain and Europe, making high profile

在這之後的數年布拉巴宗以高姿態 在英國與歐洲間往返

appearances and wowing crowds with its size.

用它驚人的大小使看過它的人驚嘆

But few airlines showed any interest in the enormous complex plane.

但只有少數幾家航空公司 對它產生那麼一丁點興趣

Meanwhile, back in Britain, the second Brabazon sat half finished as Bristol struggled to

此時的第二架布拉巴宗以半成品的姿態 在英國停擺

因為開發商無法發展出 夠先進的渦輪螺旋槳引擎

By 1953, it was clear that Britain was parading around a giant white elephant.

到了1953年，很明顯的英國是在帶著 她的高貴失敗品到處遊行

After 6 million pounds spent on it's development,

在耗費了六百萬英鎊的研發後此計畫宣布取消

the program was cancelled. And the Brabazon, and it's half finished turboprop successor were

最後布拉巴宗與它的半成品渦輪螺旋槳引擎 被秤重賣出

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英國造過最大的飛機布里斯托布拉巴宗（The Largest Aircraft Ever Built By Britain: The Bristol Brabazon）

incredible

massive

dedicated

enormous