Moggiee, Beags et al (whoever al is),
I was very interested to hear your debate over A400M/Belfast similarities.
I know for a fact (because I worked there at the time) that the finest of all the East Belfast area aerospace companies received a visit from some chaps belonging to EuroFLAG (precursor of Airbus Military).
These gentlemen were very interested in having a look at/borrowing the old Belfast drawings. That's not surprising really as this is the only ac of it's kind to be built in Europe - no point completely reinventing the wheel, is there?
I doubt that much of the specific design has been carried across but I am in no doubt as to what the conceptual start point for A400M is, i.e. a Belfast with some decent engines.
As a footnote, back in the 70s, said East Belfast aerospace company mooted a Belfast development involving swapping the wing and engines with those of a C141. Sounds barking but you can see where they were coming from. Wasn't the original FLA supposed to be a jet..................?