One thing that has always amazed me about the Belslow was that it was fitted with a Machmeter.... Only slightly less useless than a gunsight on a Mark 5 Harrier.
Flew back from Wildenrath to Brize in one in 1969. Even with a triple seat on each size there was an ocean of space. I recall stretching out in the seat, the quiet purr (?) of Tynes.....and a rumble as we landed at Brize. Much, much more comfortable than the misery of the C-130 pax seating.
Another defence cut folly of the highest magnitude - we ended up leasing the HeavyLift Belslow for GW1!
I last saw a Belslow at Dakar during a gas-and-go turnround of our UK-bound FunBus. We took off a while after it and later heard the crew gallantly plodding along at FL160-ish.... Hope they made it home before scurvy set in amongst the crew!
Talking about Beverleys, the splendid Puddy Catt once told me about the time he was travelling in the boom of one somewhere hot and sandy when a steward offered him his compliments and stated that the captain had "requested the pleasure of his company for afternoon tea". Pud, being a true gent, duly accepted and descended the ladder - to find a table set up in the freight bay with white tablecloth and china. They exchanged small talk, sipped Earl Grey and nibbled on cucumber sandwiches (minus crusts) as the Bev stooged along at some 2 figure IAS, valiantly battling the headwinds.....