The BAC-111 was the outcome of a market survey undertaken by BAC in 1960 which determined a demand for short-haul jet transport.The survey results indicated that a capacity of at least 60 passenger and a range of 100 to 1000 miles was the optimum .Various design studies inherited from the companies which had been merged to form BAC were considered and rejected.The design eventually chosen did however owe at least some elements of it's final configuration to the Vickers VC.11 design.(this was a scaled down VC.10 with 4 rear mounted engines.
In march 1961 the company decided to proceed with the design,and on may 9th of that year,announced the intention to go ahead with manufacture.On the same day the first order(10 aircraft ) for British United was announced,with an order from Braniff being annouced some months later.
The prototype flew on 20th August 1963,but unfortunately crashed two months later.The second aircraft(first for BUA )flew in December of 1963,and deliveries to both BUA and Braniff started in April 1965.
The 200 series was the initial variant.The aircraft used RR Spey 2Mk.506 engines of 10410 Lbs static thrust.Max take off weight was initially 73500 lbs,later increased to 78500 lbs,carrying up to 79 passengers.
The 300 and 400 series were announced in May 1963 and were essentially both the same aircraft ,but for European(300srs) and American(400srs) markets.The new variants used RR Spey 25 Mk.511 engines giving a static thrust of 11400 lbs,allowing MTOW of92000lbs and up to 89 passengers.The first of this new uprated aircraft to fly was the BAC owned development aircraft G-ASYD on 13-7-65.
The next variant was the 500 series which was developed in response to the need by B.E.A to aquire a new aircraft for short-haul(UK) and european routs.The 500 srs had an increased wing span,a stretched fuselage(13 ft 6 inches longer) and Spey 25 Mk.512 engines with a static thrust of 12000 lbs.MTOW was initially 99650lbs ,97 passengers.Further improvements with later aircraft including the use of Spey 25 Mk512DW engines (12550 lbs static thrust) allowed MTOW of up to 104500 lbs and 119 passengers.
The 475 srs ,announced in January 1970 ,was basically a 400 srs with the areodynamic and powerplant improvements of the 500 srs.Use of low pressure tyres and gravel runway protection equipment allowed the aircraft to use unsealed runways without damage.This model , aimed at markets in the "third world" enjoyed limited success.
670 SeriesFurther improvements as the 670 srs were not proceeded with as sales dwindled and the only aircraft to carry this designation was BAC's development aircraft G-ASYD.
Listed below are the known series numbers.
BAC-111 Model/Series numbers. 200 BAC Prototype 432 Bahamas Airways 201 British United Airlines 475 BAC 202 Western Airways 476 Faucett SA 203 Braniff Airways 479 Air Pacific 204 Mohawk Airlines 481 Air Malawi 206 Bonanza Airlines 485 Oman Air Force 207 Central African Airways 487 Tarom 208 Aer Lingus 488 Monaffik Al Midani 211 Horten Flugbetrieb 492 BAC 212 Tenneco 500 BAC Prototype 215 Aloha Airlines 501 BUA 217 Royal Australian Air Force 509 Caledonian Airways 301 Kuwait Airways 510 BEA 304 British Eagle 515 Germania/Paninternational 320 Laker Airways 516 AVIATECA 517 Bahamas Airways 400 BAC Prototype 518 Court Line 401 American Airlines 520 Sadia/Transbrasil 402 Philippine Air Lines 521 Austral 407 TACA International 523 British Midland Airways 408 Channel Airways 524 BAC/Germanair 409 LACSA 525 ROMBAC 413 Bavaria Flug 527 Philippine Air Lines 414 TAE/Bavaria Flug 528 Bavaria Flug 416 Autair International 529 Phoenix 417 unspecified 530 British Caledonian 419 Page aw/Englehard Industries 531 LACSA 420 Austral /ALA 537 Cyprus Airways 421 LANICA 539 British Airways 422 VASP 560 ROMBAC 423 Brazilian Air Force 561 ROMBAC 424 TAROM