Shorts Belfast

[brakedwell]

ex_rigger

I imagine the Belfast was "hand made" like the Britannia. Parts like engine cowlings, which were specific to one engine. Swopping them to another engine required hours of filing and bending and swearing to make it fit. I diverted to Malta on an east med when no 2 engine cowl started to dismantle itself and it took all day to fit a cowl from the spare Proteus stored in the MU at Safi.

[Fareastdriver]

The Comets the same. When they were being rebuilt as Nimrods they found the fuselages were difference lengths. Made it quite difficult to fit a another prebuilt ventral fuselage on

[ICM]

Arfer: There was indeed a project - not that it got very far - for a marriage of the Belfast fuselage with the C-141A Starlifter's swept wings and T-tail, all to be powered by 4 RR fans - but I don't believe that a double-deck airliner was any part of that. Had it come to fruition, a highly useful military freighter would have resulted, but the USAF already had the C-5 on the way and RAF Transport Command had got as much new kit as HMG, by then into reductions East of Suez mode, was likely to contemplate.

And as you say, the Belfast was not designed to have the versatility of the C-130. When it was ordered, those capabilities were expected to be provided by the STOL HS 681, a project that did not survive the Wilson government of 1964, thus opening the gate to the Hercules buy.

[Blacksheep]

I worked as a VC10 Leccy on LSS from 71 to 74 (can't remember my shift - " B" seems to ring a bell) but we still had to do our bit on the Belslug. The electrical systems were, along with the hydraulics, clearly devised by lunatics in a Belfast funny farm. But it was an aircraft with character that, like an eccentric old aunt, you can't help being fond of. Had the Belfast been fitted with some proper engines it would have been more useful but she did her bit at a time when she was needed. Once we pulled back west of Suez the Belfast was essentially surplus to requirements.

[cuefaye]

After 3 pages, now I'm reminded why truckies were so boring in the bar
(And I'll wager what's coming)

[1.3VStall]

Truckies in the bar? They were normally in their hotel rooms saving their down-route allowances!

(Standing by for more incoming!)

[brakedwell]

Rooms? Hotel Suites if you please

[Mike Gallafent]

I've been reading this thread with interest as I flew Belfasts as co-pilot and captain from 1966 to 1972. From flying Twin-Pins in Borneo to Belfasts was a marked change. Seeing a Belfast under construction at Shorts while still on jacks, it appeared little different to a block of flats. After courses at Shorts & Rolls Royce one exercised patience to get 'hands-on' practice with early aircraft deliveries. In consequence, the flight deck was often crowded executing circuits & let-downs at Brize. Memories? Many. Only lost an engine once getting airborne out of Akrotiri . Dumped fuel to obtain max landing weight 215,00. Hit a flock of birds on night take-off from Butterworth. Found in excess of 50 dead on runway.Taking a chopper from Ottawa (cold weather trials) to Edwards AFB for the hot equivalent. To Hollywood to collect C-130 wing planks from the Lockheed plant. Routing westabout via Gander- and once via Keflavik or else the southern route via Lajes. Delivering 747 simulator to Heathrow (inches to spare). Ferrying cases of lemonade and baked beans plus fridges & motorbikes from Aden to Muharraq. By chance, all the 7 crew were small in stature. The aircraft A/C failed en route and we were soaked as we exited aircraft. A tall movements officer, crisp from air con met us at the aircraft steps to ask the whereabouts of Snow White. Belslow? Yes, particularly in the early days. Hot and heavy out of Muharraq to Gan, it took 45 mins to reach FL 90. (There was also an engine restriction). Double crew? One became accustomed to see on flight deck the relief crew in PJs cleaning teeth etc an hour out from next landing. Only had to reverse once - tight space at Thessaloniki. One remembered to keep feet off brakes!
Due to personal circumstances, I became OC Task Plans at Brize. It fell to me to see that it was possible from the flow charts to alter the dates of some events to enable all 10 Belfasts to be at Brize at the same time. I sold the idea to OC Ops and which led to the historic flight and photos of all 10 aircraft.
It was a very enjoyable aircraft to fly and you could make some sweet landings with it. Accidents? Somebody took the fence away in the undershoot and a malfunction of brakes caused all 16 tyres to blow - both at Brize.

[Pontius Navigator]

Originally Posted by ICM

for a marriage of the Belfast fuselage with the C-141A Starlifter's swept wings and T-tail, all to be powered by 4 RR fans

That would certainly have proven that you could make a pig fly.

The capacity of the fuselage would have been good but how would that improve the drag?

[ICM]

PN: Had that hybrid concept ever been realised, I assume that all of the drag reduction mods in the Fastback version would have been incorporated. These, as I recall, restored the aircraft drag parameters to what had been predicted at the design stage. That done, a bit more power would have been handy (the aircraft presented all manner of challenges as far as Scheduled Performance was concerned) and the 4 RR fans envisaged might have done all that was needed. But it's all academic now.