HS780 Andover C1/E3
 

How many Navs did the Andover carry, as standard?

One. In the flight checking role there was also an Air Electronics Officer. All first-class guys with either brevet.

And they did buy the beers occasionally. 🤓

I don't know. Why would it require more than one? :confused:

With a stated crew of 2-3 - presumably pilot, co-pilot and loady - possibly no nav at all? Perhaps the Open Skies aircraft may have carried a dedicated Nav?

I thought that back in the days of 46 Squadron most RAF transports had two navs, and I wondered whether the aircraft had two Nav seats.

As Brevet says, at least for the mighty 115 operations, very happy days working on the best squadron (with the best boss) in the RAF by far (IMHO)

I'm wondering if the AEO occupied what had once been the second nav's position?

46 Sqn - Abingdon Era
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....63f975ae81.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....04fba4a342.jpg

Hey Longer Ron,

That looks like two pilots, a nav, an eng and a loadie?

Hi Jacko
I would not like to be drawn on the crew make up.(I cannot see the Half Wings clearly enough)
AFAIK - they did have 2x NCO Navs as late as Thorney Island.

This 46 sqn 1971 route flight with cargo to Malta/Cyprus has a crew of 2 x Pilots,2 x Navs and 2 x Loadies.
I guess the crew make up might have varied quite a bit depending on tasking.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....56cccbaf6e.jpg

The standard crew of an E3 was 4; 2 pilots, a Nav and an AEO. There was no ALM but the AEOs carried out the duties of Freight Bay Management. I think they were qualified to carry up to 12 pax. If more pax were carried either a second AEO would be carried or an ALM sourced from the OCU or Staneval would help out. The E3As without the IRFIS fitted still had the second nav station fitted.

46 Squadron
 

What a nasty-looking crowd in the newspaper article; would one, for example, buy a used motor car from one in particular? As for a Squadron Commander with a double-barreled name.......? An appropriate post, since it is their time of the year.

No NCO Navigators at Thorney on 46, albeit that one may have moved from Abingdon as an instructor with the Training Squadron. Standard crew one of each, that's four for the innumetate.

In my short time in the RAF (65-73, Herc' nav from 67 ) all transport aircraft had only ONE nav, apart from checks, training and in the case of the Herc', gyro/grid sorties over the pole.

See Terry Boothby (RIP) there, served with him as a Reservist about 30 years ago! Was an LM in his regular days (Brits and '10's also I think).

We had three C2s (HS748) and one C1 (HS780) at Northolt on 32 Squadron. Crews for both types were two pilots, one navigator and one loadmaster. I never saw or heard of a second navigator but there was a crew seat in that forward compartment for the loady as he wasn't allowed to sit with the "guests" for take-off and landing.

So what was the difference between the E3 and the E3A (no IRFIS on the E3A, right?), and between the E3A and a basic C1?

How many C1(PR)s were there? Both the 60 Squadron aircraft, I guess?

Some blasts from the (distant) past in those pictures. Mark Gilson and David Crwys-Williams to name but two. In post #8, Dave Higgs. OC Ops Thorney Island 1970-72

Is Gp. Capt. W. J. Knowles still around with M.E Leggett & Co Ltd?

I would like to join a scheme that will double my money in nine years.