How many passengers did the Tudor 1 carry, despite being…

How many passengers did the Tudor 1 carry, despite being larger than the York?

Short answer

Twelve passengers. The Tudor I was intended for the North Atlantic route, and the United States already had the Douglas DC-4 and the Lockheed Constellation, both able to carry more passengers than the Tudor. The aircraft was considered unacceptable for North Atlantic operations.

Published: November 4, 2026 · Updated: November 4, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

How many passengers did the Tudor 1 carry, despite being larger than the York?

Avro Ashton 2 -WB491Alan Wilson from Peterborough, Cambs, UK (CC BY SA), vía commons

Twelve seats

The Tudor carried only twelve passengers, while at that time the United States had the Douglas DC-4 and the Lockheed Constellation, both able to carry more passengers. The Tudor I was intended for the North Atlantic route.

Modifications and delays

BOAC contributed to the programme's delays by requesting more than 340 modifications. The aircraft was considered unacceptable for North Atlantic operations.

The York, the company's other four-engined aircraft

One of the Avro York prototypes, the LV633 "Ascalon", was custom-built as the personal transport and flying conference room of King George VI and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The aircraft was converted into a VVIP transport for the royal family, the prime minister and other dignitaries. It was delivered to No. 24 Squadron. On the York, the larger side area of the fuselage forward of the wing compared with the Lancaster made it necessary to fit a third central fin to maintain adequate directional control and stability.