Roden 305 Carvair ATL-98

The Aviation Traders ATL-98 Carvair was a British all-metal transport and passenger plane with a low wing configuration. The drive was provided by four Pratt and Whitney R-2000-7M2 radial engines with 1450 HP each. The prototype flight took place in 1961. Serial production started shortly after, which led to the creation of about 20 machines of this type.

The ATL-98 Carvair aircraft was developed and manufactured by Aviation Trawers on behalf of the airline Channel Air Bridge , which at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s was looking for a relatively large aircraft capable of transporting passengers and cars between the British Isles and France. In order to shorten the research and development time and reduce their cost, the manufacturer decided to modify the Douglas DC-4 aircraft in a far-reaching manner. This design was chosen because of its durability, widespread use in the civil market and relatively low operating costs. The changes compared to the prototype were significant: first of all, the front part of the fuselage was completely redesigned, in which there was a space for transporting cars with opening wing doors. Above it, in turn, the pilot's cabin. The vertical tail of the aircraft has also changed, and its structure has been further strengthened. The plane, despite its unusual design, turned out to be a successful machine operated until the beginning of the 21st century.