'White Knuckle Airlines'
 

.......was one of the aircraft returning to UK when 205 Sqn disbanded at Changi in '71. We didn't come back en-mass, but each ac and crew did 2 weeks in Gan as the Search and Rescue Crew, so very much a staggered return. A number of 'sartorial' improvements were carried out at the same time (I remember 'go faster' stripes were very much the vogue at the time) and each ac ended up with a name or painting on the nose, as well as a fair bit of what would now be called graffiti elsewhere.

Wander00;

The AWA 650 Argosy Series 100 wing has an Avro project number, it is the Avro Type 733. Drawings still exist, most of which are in the Shackleton drawing archive we have at Coventry along with (weirdly) details of the bomb racks for Argosy - also drawn up by Avro.

Regards,

Rich

Thanks, I am always amazed at the amount of information that appears on this site. I have learned so much over the years, for which I am most grateful

I was told the Argosy "booms" were Meteor aft' fuselages. Hence the flush riveting. Sorry for drift'!

So that's where they got the idea for "Flight of the Phoenix"...................

Pretty sure that came from the fairies at the bottom of the garden. Argosy booms were much longer than the aft fuselage of a Meteor.

They were tail booms left over from the secret programme to 'stretch' the Vampire, to create Vampire C.1 strategic transport ac.;)

Nimrod Trooper role
 

The Nimrod had a Trooper role in its original plans, some bits were still with the MR2. The 2nd lox pot I'm sure had conections labeled 'trooper lox'. The fixed and rotary sonobuoy launchers could be removed and blanked for more seats the extra O2 pax masks on the cabin roof marked where the seats were to be fitted. I'm pretty sure the Galley could be removed as well. Not sure the last mod would be entirely popular!

Someone must know for sure...
 

.....(there always is) that extra crash positions in the Nimrod AEW were also of the canvas and steel rod "corset" type held in with dog clips to recesses in the floor. I only had the one "guided tour" of the beast but distinctly remember thinking to myself "Jesus wept, I thought we were a bit more up to date than this!! What's the rest of it like?"

We found out later.

The Ancient Mariner

"Corset"
 

MK2 shacks had them!My crash position on several occasions was between the pilots facing aft.For those that had the same experience remember the silence as the engs were throttled back and waiting for the wheels to touch down?!!!!
In 1960 we did get ready to do trooping flights to I think the Congo ?I seem to recall a rehearsal but I think it only went from BKY to ALD ,cant remember how many on board !

Bomb racks !
 

Richard Wood :

Yes the Argosy had the ability to have bomb racks fitted, saw it once during my Argosy course at Benson for the press in early 62, then again we fitted them when Radfan started (was on 105 in the sandy parts) although never saw them actually hold bombs / weapons, they made very comfy seats to while away the time during pre and after flights out on the bondou whilst supping our ice cold Stims (lemon and for a change, orange, any one remember that ?), they lived in the racking in the role equipment hangar next to Air Movements and took some time unpacking from the crates, I remember it well !. Paul H.

whenurhappy:
The Vampire transport called the 'Mystery Jet' was only a 6 seater and used the original tailbooms and the original engine.
google 'mystery jet aircraft' for some piccies.

Intriguing to see a piccie of Argosy XP447 in the bit about the Argosy; I flew in '447 from Benson in '63 or '64!

There were some Argosy navs on the Visual Bombing course in 1967 at Lindholme.

Yup, back in the 90's I met a former POW who came back home by that method.

Mosquito bomb bays were also used to transport a person (usually agents on the BOAC Mossie runs to neutral Sweden) which must have been really fun.....:sad:

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/u...0/boacmosq.jpg

Argosy Bomb Racks
 

I was on 105 at Khormaksar when we were told that we might have to take on the Shack role of air support up country when 37 was deployed down south. There was a fixed sighting head rigged in the supply aimers window and it was getting quite exciting before common sense returned and 105 (bomber) Squadron returned to box dropping.

Argosy: Darts, Shack mainspar and Meteor booms.

I was on a fairly early course in 1962 and I can remember the possibility of fuselage sponsons; two on each side mounted on hard points from which it was possible to dangle smallish anti-personnel bombs.

I seriously doubt that 1,000 lb bombs were ever contemplated.

Tha' was lucky. We used to go up to Habilayn with a cold-box containing Stims and sandwiches. That was at about 07:00. Come midday, it was luke-warm Stims and inedible sandwiches.