Short Belfast-why?

[treadigraph]

Seems to have survived unlike some lighter aircraft which are a bit damp...

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by MAC 40612

All ten Belfast were stored at Kemble with them all arriving between June-November 1976 but most had gone by 1978, so your images are more likely to be in 1977?

Prior to Kemble some were parked at Colerne for a while and from Kemble they were all ferried to Manston for storage and disposal. I can remember several staging though my airspace (Farnborough) below controlled airspace (usually 2,400ft QNH) and a photo of them parked north of the original Manston control tower which was also north of the public road.

[JW411]

Some recollections may vary. They were not all at Kemble by November 1976. XR366 was kept at Brize Norton as a demo aircraft for potential buyers. I last flew her there on 25 February 1977. I first flew XR368 as G-BEPS from Manston on 14 February 1978. The original plan was to buy all 10 aircraft but the money ran out after 3 had been delivered to Manston (XR362/G-BEPE, XR368/G-BEPS and XR369/G-BEPL). We only ever had the three aircraft there in my time.

Incidentally, I flew XR371 from Brize to Kemble for storage on 26 August 1976. She was destined to be broken up at Hucknall (Rolls-Royce were only interested in the engines) but R-R presented her to the RAF Museum at Cosford so she went Kemble - Hucknall - Cosford. R-R got XR369 (Manston - Hucknall) as a substitute. XR364, XR366, XR369 and XR370 were broken up at Hucknall.

XR362/G-BEPE, XR363/G-OHCA, XR365/G-HLFT, XR367/G-BFYU and XR368/GBEPS all ended up with Heavylift although XR363 was delivered to Southend and never flew again but was used for spares.

I don't remember the Colerne bit at all but my memory isn't what it used to be.

[Quemerford]

Two questions then:

1. How many were stored at Kemble after their RAF service?
2. What's the background to this:
https://vintageaviationnews.com/airc...to-return.html

[Loadex]

Originally Posted by JW411

I seem to remember one of our aircraft doing a run from Changi to Saigon with Red Cross supplies that were stuck inside 2 unserviceable C-130s.

I was on that flight. Exciting offload at Tan Son Nuit with mortars landing on the airfield.

[JW411]

Quemerford:

How many were stored at Kemble after RAF service?

You would need to specify a date to get an accurate answer to that question. For example, I can tell you for sure that on 25 February 1977, nine aircraft were at Kemble (I was flying XR366 from Brize that day. I would imagine that all ten aircraft visited Kemble at one point or another. I have an air to ground photograph of seven aircraft parked just north of the 26 threshold at Kemble (marked as Air Salvage Intl on Google Earth). (I apologise but I can't remember where I got the photograph from). It would be tempting to assume that the three missing aircraft are the three that we had at Manston but that would be pure speculation.

As to how exactly Silly Old Hector got to Australia, you would probably have to find someone who flew for Heavylift. I know that she did a runner from Prestwick and was on the other side of the Pond before the CAA wakened up. The whole story would make a great yarn one day

.

[bingofuel]

Am I the only one that finds photographs like that quite sad. Serviceable aircraft awaiting the scrapman.

[JW411]

It was perhaps the unhappiest time in my flying career.

[N707ZS]

Is that why there's an area at Kemble called the Belfast apron?

[Quemerford]

Further to my last, does anyone know the background to the second question? It looks like a return to flight is on the cards.

[bean]

Originally Posted by Quemerford

Further to my last, does anyone know the background to the second question? It looks like a return to flight is on the cards.

I think return to flight is but a pipe dream

[Jhieminga]

Originally Posted by treadigraph

Seems to have survived unlike some lighter aircraft which are a bit damp...

Did anyone spot any animals boarding the Belfast in pairs?

[treadigraph]

If the water level rose any higher, it would emulate its namesake moored by Tower Bridge...

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by bean

I think return to flight is but a pipe dream

Hard to disagree with that.

[meleagertoo]

I know that she did a runner from Prestwick and was on the other side of the Pond before the CAA wakened up.

Anyone able to elaborate on that intriguing snippet?

[Quemerford]

From what I've seen of Cairns airport, it seems that the flood may well have scuppered any last-minute plans to get her out. What you see there is salt water unfortunately.