Originally Posted by
Bigt
Did I read somewhere that each belfast was designed for a particular role? Each airframe was slightly different re the ramp and handling equipment.....
They weren't built for different roles, but they were all built individually, rather like ships - no computer-built modules to nanometric accuracy! There is a story (which I'm pretty sure is true) that in the late '60s, in an effort to use all this new freight capacity, the MOD attempted to charter the Belfasts out. The Americans decided to take them up on this, as they needed to move some rocket stages (Atlas?) and had nothing large enough and available at the time. A team was duly despatched to Brize to measure a Belfast up, and it was declared that the payload would fit - but it would be tight.
Another aircraft was then scheduled to pick up the load. Everything was prepared, and the movers started winching the rocket into the freight bay. But it didn't fit! In some crucial dimension or other, the Belfast deployed was significantly different from the one measured...