At least until 1961 the RAF intended to fit the Blackburn Air Delivery System, having ordered 56 units for the Argosy and specified provision for the same in the Belfast. Source: Flight, 28 December 1961. I don't know what happened subsequently so that it wasn't fitted to the Belfast. If they didn't even try the drop, how would they know that the Mark I rear fuselage was not conducive?
Re: the miraculous, all-dancing Herk. The original requirement in OR.351 was for a tactical aircraft that could spatially accommodate anything a Beverley could. The Herk failed on both points, but was purchased anyway. The Transall had superior soft-field peformance and was more commodious but failed on the range requirements ( for which the RAF had the Belfast anyway... )
Last edited by El Bunto; 13th Jan 2018 at 07:50.