Ten worst British Aircraft.
On the basis that there is no such thing as the 'perfect' aircraft. the Bev gets an unfortunate (and disproportionate) share of criticism. It was designed for short and ultra short Forward Battle Area operation for combined freight and pax into unprepared strips. Used like that it was excellent and proved itself in service. However when it was MISused on medium to longhaul duties, the results were totally predictable. I suspect similar caveats would apply to Fat Alberts.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Ref Fat Albert, Cornish Jack, not quite. Agreed about the Bev, unfairly maligned. However, it used to be said about the C130 that the RAF bought a good tactical freighter and discovered that Lockheed had included, for free, a very good strategic one as well.
Possibly because the RAF, not having a decent large freighter , decided to produce the stretch that should have been done by the USAF years before????
Don't knock they old Beverley. They would resupply us twice a week in the middle of Sabah dodging clouds and hills with impossibly tight turns so that they would line up on the DZ.
I was telling him about "poor morale in the RAF".
He replied "you should try being on a Fairey Battle squadron in 1940"!
He was OC a UK based squadron while the squadrons in France were taking terrible losses.
So he got his flight commanders together to discuss tactics - the best they could come up with was to fly defensive circles if attacked by fighters.
Straight from the horses mouth!
lsh
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
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Many summers ago, I was painting my porch and had some interesting conversations with my neighbour.
I was telling him about "poor morale in the RAF".
He replied "you should try being on a Fairey Battle squadron in 1940"!
He was OC a UK based squadron while the squadrons in France were taking terrible losses.
So he got his flight commanders together to discuss tactics - the best they could come up with was to fly defensive circles if attacked by fighters.
Straight from the horses mouth!
lsh
I was telling him about "poor morale in the RAF".
He replied "you should try being on a Fairey Battle squadron in 1940"!
He was OC a UK based squadron while the squadrons in France were taking terrible losses.
So he got his flight commanders together to discuss tactics - the best they could come up with was to fly defensive circles if attacked by fighters.
Straight from the horses mouth!
lsh
"the best they could come up with was to fly defensive circles if attacked by fighters."
Witness the much vaunted Messerscmitt Bf 110 when encountering the RAF during the Battle of Britain........
Witness the much vaunted Messerscmitt Bf 110 when encountering the RAF during the Battle of Britain........
I've seen it illustrated with pictures of the Bf110 before - in Britain's Wonderful Airforce (?1942?) for a start
