Shorts Belfast- farewell!
Chieftan o'the Pudden Race
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Rumour has it that the company operating the Belslow dunnunda is looking at resurecting the other Belfast currently at Southend (G-BEPS?), with the possibility that it will be working by 2005.
Join Date: Sep 1999
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As regards the "Belslow's" reputation in the RAF; the internal dimensions were capacious in the extreme, but if the flight was in excess of a few hundred miles all that could be carried were ping-pong balls. (No problem about them being damaged-it couldn't climb high enough!)
There was the scurrilous rumour at one time that one of their loadmasters has been Court Martialled- for leaving the payload behind in his locker.
All credit to the civilian world if they managed to operate them at a profit.
I can recall that when they were up for sale, the RAF crew left behind to demonstrate them was told that they could fly them every month to keep in practice...but try not to let anyone see you.
Not an easy task on an aircraft of that size.
PS The C130's purchased at the same time for a fraction of the price are either still in service or sold for more than we paid for them!
There was the scurrilous rumour at one time that one of their loadmasters has been Court Martialled- for leaving the payload behind in his locker.
All credit to the civilian world if they managed to operate them at a profit.
I can recall that when they were up for sale, the RAF crew left behind to demonstrate them was told that they could fly them every month to keep in practice...but try not to let anyone see you.
Not an easy task on an aircraft of that size.
PS The C130's purchased at the same time for a fraction of the price are either still in service or sold for more than we paid for them!
Join Date: May 2000
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Is this the aircraft in question?
Photographed in Cairns (November)
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=394119
Photographed in Cairns (November)
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=394119
Join Date: May 2000
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I spotted it on approach to Cairns
and had to rub my eyes. The last time I saw it was at EDI a few years back.
I grabbed a cab and dashed out to CNS,
my last chance to see this veteran?
and had to rub my eyes. The last time I saw it was at EDI a few years back.
I grabbed a cab and dashed out to CNS,
my last chance to see this veteran?
The aeroplane has been based in Cairns since it returned from maintenance in the U.K. More recently it has been involved in disaster relief operations in Indonesia.
A friend is preparing a magazine article on the aeroplane and he is having trouble locating a photo of 9L-LDQ in RAF service as XR365 "Hector". Can anyone oblige?
Cheers
A friend is preparing a magazine article on the aeroplane and he is having trouble locating a photo of 9L-LDQ in RAF service as XR365 "Hector". Can anyone oblige?
Cheers
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Usually Oz
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Recent shot from Bandar Aceh shows Aussie ADF trucks disembarking [well, being driven anyway] from the tail of an aircraft with "Heavylift" on the retracted door!
Methinks this is our survivor!
G'day
Methinks this is our survivor!
G'day
Join Date: May 2001
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The aircraft is parked a stones throw from my office door at the moment and I must say ,having followed this thread but never seen her before,that she is a magnificent sight and looks in great condition . As an ex- C130E FE I have a fondness for old slow trash haulers . Can't wait to hear her start up .
Join Date: May 2001
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She just rumbled past my door again and I had to go out and watch her taxi in . What a fantastic sound ,plenty of bass, truly a unique aeroplane and she looks great . Shame the rain has just started though
Senis Semper Fidelis
Join Date: Feb 2001
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For those who know far more than I do, can anyone throw any light on why the Hercules transport of today has many features that can be seen on the Belfast, in fact someone good with a computer could very easily make the two into one,
Or am I wrong?
PeterR-B
Or am I wrong?
PeterR-B
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The Hercules was on the drawing board in 1953/4 and had the first flight shortly thereafter, IIRC.
So, it could just as well be the other way 'round.
OTOH, the 130 never achieved autoland capability.
So, it could just as well be the other way 'round.
OTOH, the 130 never achieved autoland capability.
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She just rumbled past my door again and I had to go out and watch her taxi in . What a fantastic sound ,plenty of bass, truly a unique aeroplane and she looks great . Shame the rain has just started though
VC-9
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You may be correct , tinpis , of the Allison T56 powered objet d'air which wander around the tarmac here the low winged one is definately louder (slightly differnt prop shape noted).
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Belfast, the true Queen of the Skies.
Could't help but get nostalgic
My first flight in the RAF was in a Hastings flogging around the circuit at Lindholme with a short, knarled master pilot who flew occasionally seated on a cushion or most often, standing at the controls to see over the coaming.
Alternately failing starboard and port engines to the sound of horns, bells and gasps from a young snotty nose in the RHS. The MP had an insane grin and seemed to relish the sweat pouring from the snotty. After that it was a Britannia to El Adem and although the cockpit door stayed open the entire way, it was uneventful.
So when, in '69, Brit XN404 as usual went U/S on the El Adem pan at 9am and I was offered a gash trip back to Brize on Hector, I somewhat apprehensively grabbed my kit and ran. My fears rapidly evaporated as we ambled up to around 15K and trundled along the coast to Benghazi (Mersa Matruh?) and then eventually after hours over the Med to Malta.
The "Greenhouse" windows, two unoccupied Nav seats and bench seating around the cockpit made for a visibly memorable trip. Airborne again from Luqa we again waddled up to the cruise with a Landrover and a pallet in the back and sailed gently all the way up the coast of Italy, with the sights being pointed out by the crew who seemed to be out for a Sunday drive, Sicily, Etna, Naples, Rome. Crossing the coast of France near Nice and then over the Alps, I am sure we must have climbed higher but we were passing mountain peaks at the same altitude as the aircraft.
Finally at around 7 pm dropping into Gutersloh and off to the club for a Pie 'n a Pint.
Airborne again around 9pm for the "short" hop to Brize with a private car and half of the furniture of someone's house in the back, we enjoyed the magnificent sight of London at night, crossing the city just North of Edgware and landing at Brize at some unGodly hour of the night. ('404 had arrived hours earlier.)
Yes, Hector was old, low and slow (14+ hours and two stops) but what a delightful way to travel, many trips on Belfasts, Brits and Alberts to exotic places could never surpass this experience of flying for a 22 Year old, even years later when I became a pilot.
Imagegear
My first flight in the RAF was in a Hastings flogging around the circuit at Lindholme with a short, knarled master pilot who flew occasionally seated on a cushion or most often, standing at the controls to see over the coaming.
Alternately failing starboard and port engines to the sound of horns, bells and gasps from a young snotty nose in the RHS. The MP had an insane grin and seemed to relish the sweat pouring from the snotty. After that it was a Britannia to El Adem and although the cockpit door stayed open the entire way, it was uneventful.
So when, in '69, Brit XN404 as usual went U/S on the El Adem pan at 9am and I was offered a gash trip back to Brize on Hector, I somewhat apprehensively grabbed my kit and ran. My fears rapidly evaporated as we ambled up to around 15K and trundled along the coast to Benghazi (Mersa Matruh?) and then eventually after hours over the Med to Malta.
The "Greenhouse" windows, two unoccupied Nav seats and bench seating around the cockpit made for a visibly memorable trip. Airborne again from Luqa we again waddled up to the cruise with a Landrover and a pallet in the back and sailed gently all the way up the coast of Italy, with the sights being pointed out by the crew who seemed to be out for a Sunday drive, Sicily, Etna, Naples, Rome. Crossing the coast of France near Nice and then over the Alps, I am sure we must have climbed higher but we were passing mountain peaks at the same altitude as the aircraft.
Finally at around 7 pm dropping into Gutersloh and off to the club for a Pie 'n a Pint.
Airborne again around 9pm for the "short" hop to Brize with a private car and half of the furniture of someone's house in the back, we enjoyed the magnificent sight of London at night, crossing the city just North of Edgware and landing at Brize at some unGodly hour of the night. ('404 had arrived hours earlier.)
Yes, Hector was old, low and slow (14+ hours and two stops) but what a delightful way to travel, many trips on Belfasts, Brits and Alberts to exotic places could never surpass this experience of flying for a 22 Year old, even years later when I became a pilot.
Imagegear
Last edited by ImageGear; 22nd Jan 2005 at 16:46.
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Any one know if the old girl will be in OZ during March / April
I'm heading that way myself and would love to catch a glimpse
of her again. Flew in her quite a few times in the late 80's.
If I remember correctly she was one of the most reliable in the fleet.
digit failure that should have read late 60\'s
I'm heading that way myself and would love to catch a glimpse
of her again. Flew in her quite a few times in the late 80's.
If I remember correctly she was one of the most reliable in the fleet.
digit failure that should have read late 60\'s
Join Date: Mar 2003
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Shorts Belfast
On a kind note ,
I remember reading an article in Aircraft Illustrated around 1969 entitled DragMaster to Singapore, a nickname given to the aircraft by R A F crews, as apparantlly the first 4 production models of the Belfast in R A F service suffered from severe drag problems,that was supposed to corrected in later production aircraft, but I don't think they ever where.
I remember reading an article in Aircraft Illustrated around 1969 entitled DragMaster to Singapore, a nickname given to the aircraft by R A F crews, as apparantlly the first 4 production models of the Belfast in R A F service suffered from severe drag problems,that was supposed to corrected in later production aircraft, but I don't think they ever where.
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I remember that article and rummaged all my surviving Aircraft Illustrateds a few times but never found it again. Any links ?
I read it as a fourteen year old never quite imagining that I'd quit the queen thirty years later with nearly five thousand hours on it.
I seem to remember part of the article described the hopes for the retrofitted strakes fitted on the chine of the fuselage by the upper freight door. It was probably at Belfast Harbour, which was a frequent nightstop for moving Fokker 100 wing sets, that a visitor told us about the various attempts at getting this aerodynamic solution to work. Apparently each of the shipsets of strakes was slightly different - which would be in keeping with all of the frames - they were all very handbuilt.
We used to get a crop of visitors from the factory, draughtsmen, engineers and office people to see their own ancient contributions to the aeroplanes. The sympathy vote was one of the strengths of the thing that kept it floating round the world. Everybody would lend bits of kit and help in order to keep it going.
A fabulous aeroplane to see the world in.
I read it as a fourteen year old never quite imagining that I'd quit the queen thirty years later with nearly five thousand hours on it.
I seem to remember part of the article described the hopes for the retrofitted strakes fitted on the chine of the fuselage by the upper freight door. It was probably at Belfast Harbour, which was a frequent nightstop for moving Fokker 100 wing sets, that a visitor told us about the various attempts at getting this aerodynamic solution to work. Apparently each of the shipsets of strakes was slightly different - which would be in keeping with all of the frames - they were all very handbuilt.
We used to get a crop of visitors from the factory, draughtsmen, engineers and office people to see their own ancient contributions to the aeroplanes. The sympathy vote was one of the strengths of the thing that kept it floating round the world. Everybody would lend bits of kit and help in order to keep it going.
A fabulous aeroplane to see the world in.
Join Date: Oct 2005
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Hello All,
I think the Belfast stands better comparison with the C-133 Cargomaster than the C-130 Hercules. The Herk was designed for a different role and its is unfair (on the herk) to compare it with the Belfast.
One major advantage if you have to move helicopters you can get more in a Belfast in less pieces than Herks, it doesn't take as many men any thing like as much time to put them back together at the far end.
A friend of mine (ex 53 sqdn and Heavylift) Claims he was sent to Ascencion in the dark so the volcanos wouldn't frighten him !
Be lucky
David
I think the Belfast stands better comparison with the C-133 Cargomaster than the C-130 Hercules. The Herk was designed for a different role and its is unfair (on the herk) to compare it with the Belfast.
One major advantage if you have to move helicopters you can get more in a Belfast in less pieces than Herks, it doesn't take as many men any thing like as much time to put them back together at the far end.
A friend of mine (ex 53 sqdn and Heavylift) Claims he was sent to Ascencion in the dark so the volcanos wouldn't frighten him !
Be lucky
David