IATA CL4ICAO CL44

Canadair CL-44

Canadair

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Canadian swing-tail turboprop freighter with transatlantic range.

First flight

1959

Category

Long-range turboprop

Seating

Up to 189 passengers (passenger variant); primarily operated as freighter

Range

9,260 km

Engines

4 × Rolls-Royce Tyne turboprops

Status

Retired

The Canadair CL-44 is a long-range turboprop transport aircraft developed by Canadair in Canada during the late 1950s. It was derived from the Bristol Britannia and featured a distinctive swing-tail rear fuselage that allowed straight-in loading of large cargo, making it highly practical for freight operations. The aircraft entered service in the early 1960s and was acquired primarily by cargo airlines and military operators. Its four Rolls-Royce Tyne turboprop engines gave it considerable range and payload capacity, enabling transatlantic cargo routes. A small number of passenger-configured variants were also produced. Production was limited, with only 39 aircraft built in total. The CL-44 found a niche in charter and freight operations through the 1960s and 1970s, and some aircraft remained in service with smaller operators into the 1990s. It is now largely retired from commercial service.

Notable operators

Seaboard World Airlines, Flying Tiger Line, Slick Airways, and Icelandic Airlines were among the primary operators of the CL-44.

Notable facts

›Derived from the Bristol Britannia airframe with significant structural modifications.
›Featured a unique swing-tail rear fuselage enabling straight-in cargo loading.
›Only 39 aircraft were built across all variants.
›The CL-44D4 variant was the primary commercial freighter model.
›One aircraft was stretched by 4.6 metres to create the CL-44J passenger variant operated by Icelandic Airlines.