| Type 170 Freighter / Wayfarer | |
|---|---|
 Bristol Freighter 31 of Dan-Air operating a cargo service at Manchester Airport in 1964. | |
| General information | |
| Type | Cargo aircraft |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Bristol Aeroplane Company |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary user | Silver City Airways |
| Number built | 214[1] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1945–1958 |
| Introduction date | 1946 |
| First flight | 2 December 1945 |
| Variants | Bristol Superfreighter |
The Bristol Type 170 Freighter is a British twin-engine aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company as both a freighter and airliner. Its best known use was as an air ferry to carry cars and their passengers over relatively short distances. A passenger-only version was also produced, known as the Wayfarer.
The Freighter was developed during the Second World War, having attracted official attention from the British Air Ministry, which sought the development of a rugged vehicle capable of carrying various cargoes, including a 3-ton truck. Various changes to the design were made to accommodate their requirements, but being completed too late to participate in the conflict, the majority of sales of the Freighter were to commercial operators. In response to customer demand, an enlarged version to maximise vehicle-carrying capacity, known as the Bristol Superfreighter, was developed.