Short Belfast - Britain's Hercules

Greetings! :D
During the height of the Cold War, as America and the Soviet Union prepared for inevitable open conflict by strengthening their armed forces, Britain attempted to do the same with the Short Belfast, among the largest turboprop aircraft in the world, and one that had been designed to swiftly transport troops and weaponry into the combat zone.
Sadly, the Belfast came at a very bad time in British history, as with the collapse of the British Empire between the 1940s and 1980s, the UK's role as a global superpower diminished rapidly, and therefore the Belfast was a gigantic aircraft left without a purpose.
All video content and images in this production have been provided with permission wherever possible. While I endeavour to ensure that all accreditations properly name the original creator, some of my sources do not list them as they are usually provided by other, unrelated KZbinrs. Therefore, if I have mistakenly put the accreditation of 'Unknown', and you are aware of the original creator, please send me a personal message at my Gmail (this is more effective than comments as I am often unable to read all of them): [e-mail]
The views and opinions expressed in this video are my personal appraisal and are not the views and opinions of any of these individuals or bodies who have kindly supplied me with footage and images.
If you enjoyed this video, why not leave a like, and consider subscribing for more great content coming soon.
Paypal: paypal.me/rorymacve?country.x...
Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/rorymacve
Thanks again, everyone, and enjoy! :D
References:
- Tangmere Museum (and their respective references)
- Aerocorner (and their respective references)
- Wikipedia (and its respective references)

[@patriciaduncan2146]

Thats my Dad flying in many of those clips. He took over the aircraft from Short brothers on behalf if the RAF. He was the RAF test pilot. He did the Madrid trials which was a combination of heat trials and altitude tests, and the polar circumnavigation. He was also the Britannia pilot in many of the clips too. He retired when 53 Squadron was disbanded. I have loads of material.

[@FliVids]

Amazing! Bless him!!!!

[@thiest1205]

Must be really great watching these videos, great story, great life, flying wasn't so safe back then either, I bet he had some fun

[@andreinarangel6227]

Not "Madrid", but actually Torrejon Air Base (LETO)which is approx 20km northeast from Madrid and about 4km from its international airport. Many European manufacturers conduct the "Hot/High" (not "heat and altitude") trials at LETO. During these tests the manufacturer is sponsored by the Spanish AF testing facility CLAEX ("Centro Logístico de Armamento y Experimentación")(english: Experimental and Weapons Testing Center).

[@H-Zazoo]

That's great. That must have been a great Dad to have had.

[@craigduncan4826]

Pretty sure I’m related

[@jdseymour1978]

Two additional bits of information about the Belfast: Firstly, the engines were widely-spaced on the wings, as the Tyne was only considered as an interim powerplant, and they envisaged accommodating a bigger engine/prop. Secondly, as Richard states, it acquired the unfortunate sobriquet of 'Belslow' in service. This turned out to be due to the design of the rear fuselage, and attempts were made to re-design it to improve the drag profile. The reputation was so bad there is the apocryphal tale of a Belfast captain's radio message during a flight over the Indian Ocean along the lines of: "Steaming slowly south-easterly. Crew in good heart. No signs of scurvy on board"

[@martinda7446]

Ha, ha, ha @ Belslow. Love it.

[@gusgone4527]

Good one. Did the redesign solve the problem and what effect would bigger more powerful/efficient engines have had? It strikes me that the Belfast was just one step away from being far better than the C130 as a transport. Also offering a very versatile fuselage for further development and other roles. Tanker, AWACS maritime patrol etc.

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

That Repost really deserves to belong to the flying Cowshed 🐄 ...the Beverley.😂😉

[@javiergilvidal1558]

I don´t get it. Unless my Wikipedia wisdom fails me, we have: Belfast. Cruise speed: 336 mph (541 km/h, 292 kn) at 24,000 ft (7,315 m). C-130. Cruise speed: 292 kn (336 mph, 541 km/h). If the parameter is top speed, here´s what my Wikiwisdom says: Belfast. Maximum speed: 352 mph (567 km/h, 306 kn). C-130. Maximum speed: 320 kn (370 mph, 590 km/h) at 20,000 ft (6,100 m). So, yeah, top speed of the Hercules was 23km/h greater, but that´s a marginal difference, and for how long can a monster like this keep its top speed? Leave such parameters as top speed for the fighters. But now let´s compare lifting capacity, which is after all what a super-freighter must be chiefly judged by. Wiki again: C-130. Empty weight: 75,800 lb (34,382 kg). Max takeoff weight: 155,000 lb (70,307 kg). Substracting, you have that the Hercules´ maximum capacity is 36.000 kg. For the Belfast, you have: Empty weight: 127,000 lb (57,606 kg). Max takeoff weight: 230,000 lb (104,326 kg). Substracting, you have .... 47.000 kg, 30% more! Trashing the astonishing Belfast, especially when comparing it with the allegedly "superior" yankee offering (for which Transport Command dumped the indigenous product) is yet one more example of the hoary and stupid Brit-bashing habit, and the more than lamentable Anglo self-loathing. The English have been hating and disrespectig their country for so long, that now, finally, they are right: decades of neglect, contempt and self-loathing have turned England into a despicable basket-case. I still can´t believe how a once great country could self-destruct like this.....

[@jdseymour1978]

@@gusgone4527 The tail re-design supposedly increased the cruise speed by 20-30kts, as well as improving fuel efficiency. As for bigger engines, I think it was more a case that the original engines had come from the Vanguard, a smaller aircraft, so were perhaps considered only interim

[@richardcrump21]

Went to a presentation by an ex-RAF Hercules pilot recently. He said within the RAF the Belfast was never known as the Belfast but always the Belslow !

[@bertiewooster3326]

Correct it was a never ending journey UK to Singapore ! Designed to carry Polaris missiles .

[@michaelevans205]

Probably apocryphal but one captain apparently signalled from an east bound Belslow, 'just passing Gibraltar. As yet no sign of scurvy among the crew.'

[@patriciaduncan2146]

Nope. Ot true....

[@weaselman24]

If you want to know suffering do a long distance flight in the back of a DHC-4.

[@bertiewooster3326]

@@weaselman24 I can beat that try a Handley Page Hastings Lyneham to Hong Kong !!

[@paladin0654]

Another example of a good design, short run British aircraft that should not have been cancelled. Thanks.

[@JoshuaC923]

I always thought they look fantastic in the Heavylift livery, a classic icon for sure

[@jasonnardini5477]

Great story! I visit Cairns Airport regularly for work (Royal Flying Doctor Service) and this unique beast always stirs up some conversation in our aircraft.

[@alansimpson596]

I live close to where these planes were built and have fond memories of them flying for Heavy Lift carrying wings for the Fokker 100 from Shorts to Holland. I could hear the thunder from their engines for minutes after take off as they climbed slowly. I also seem to remember that the RAF had to lease them back to carry loads to Ascension Island during the Falklands war.

[@donaldstanfield8862]

Great memory, I'd love to see and hear that now. I've been lucky enough to see the Hercules do jato with the US Navy Blue Angels, literal blast. No longer done, as they don't make those rockets nowadays. 😢

[@taytos93]

I studied Aerospace Engineering at Queens University Belfast, and the local RAES chapter held a presentation by some of the remaining design team of the Belfast. One story told, that has stuck with me, is what happened when the prototype was finally rolled out. Between the Shorts assembly building and the runway at Sydenham there was a bridge over a drainage culvert. It was only on prototype rollout that the site manager suddenly declared the bridge had not been assesed to take such a large load as the Belfast before. Despite protest of program managers (who were desperate to keep to the tight testing schedule) the site manager refused to approve the aircraft movement, so everybody went home for the evening. When everyone returned to work the next day, the Belfast Prototype had mysteriously moved to the other side of the bridge during the night!

[@donaldstanfield8862]

🙉🤣

[@timgosling6189]

Nice to see something on the old 'Bel-slow'. If you look at the props and the spacing of the engines you can see they were designed for a much more powerful engine but it never came to pass. They didn't operate into the war zone during the Op Corporate Falklands campaign though, just delivering materiel to Ascension. However, despite their lack of speed, around 30 kts slower than a C-130 in the cruise, they did have one advantage. C-130 flights, being military, weren't cleared to overfly Africa. They were allowed to stage through Dakar and Banjul but otherwise had to go the whole way round to Ascension over water. The Belfasts, being civvy, just went direct so the overall flight time from the UK was about the same.

[@CEDARRISE]

The father of a college friend of mine in the 1970s, was a transport pilot with the RAF, flying C130s. He recalled the Belfast with great affection and sadness, describing it as a much more refined beast than the rattly noisy relatively crude Hercules. He enjoyed flying the Belfast far more.

[@philiptaylor8790]

Having flown in both I think there are too little likenesses to make. For distance the Belfast with the passenger shelf was much more comfortable and easily carried our equipment with minimum disassembly and all our people. Not in any way tactical, flew with one very relaxed crew where the captain actually wore slippers. Longest trip was 3 sectors in a lot of hours. Best comfort feature after 2 months on scheme was a proper toilet . The Herc was uncomfortable, smelly and noisy. If you know you know! As for the Beverly, character building. Enjoying the vids.

[@andrewwmacfadyen6958]

The Belfast was a lot bigger and longer ranged than the original unstretched Hercs

[@michaelevans205]

Correct. The Belfast was a long range strategic transport, distance and heavy loads. The Hercules was a medium range tactical transport, rather different job and equating the two is not a valid exercise.

[@Pesmog]

It was much closer to an A400m than a Herc in terms of capability. If they had invested in it and sorted out a few shortcomings it might have been more successful.

[@rayjames6096]

The Hercules was first flown 10 years before the Belfast and is still in production.

[@Sacto1654]

@@rayjames6096 Mostly because of many upgrades done the Hercules since the original C-130A model. The current C-130J is actually quite a capable plane.

[@rayjames6096]

There are also over 40 variants of the C-130.

[@stevethompson4410]

I worked on the Belfast in the 70's at Abingdon and Brize. Managed to get a trip to Malta and back which took four days, and I spent most of the time on the flight deck! Great days.

[@CaliforniaFly]

A Belfast used to bring BAE 146 wings to the Vultee plant in Nashville TN (KBNA) back in the late 80's. They carried at least three wing sets. I toured the plane while the crew was getting their gear together. It was impressive. I heard that it was the last flying Belfast.

[@triman500]

My father worked for Rolls Royce as a technical rep for Tyne engines and was involved with the Belfast. I remember him telling me when they were scrapped, the flight simulator was also scrapped. They had to take down the building to get it out. He spent a lot of time at shorts.

[@Sarge084]

The RAF Movements School had a Belfast mock for training, it remained there for many years after the aircraft left service with red and yellow tape markings on the floor to represent the load area of the smaller C130 mk1 and mk3. The last time I saw a Belfast was an unserviceable Heavylift aircraft at Cairns Airport in Queensland, Australia.

[@adamrudling1339]

Probably because they where still having to rent them every now and then into the 90's. I used to live next to Brize Norton and saw them quite often.

[@jaydee3046]

A Belfast hired by Boeing delivered some cargo at the Everett WA when I worked there in 1989. I knew what it was, and it looked an odd duck amongst the 747 and 767 aircraft on the ramp. One coworker asked me what it was. I decided to have some fun. I told him it was a Chinese airplane, and we might be partnering up to build it here.

[@donaldstanfield8862]

It kinda looks like a knock-off designed by a committee! 😲

[@joelkipling2587]

​@@donaldstanfield8862, I'm sure Shorts would be delighted to hear that . The Belfast was far ahead of its time , fantastic aircraft

[@SimonEkendahl]

Just wanted to let you knwo that I really appreciate your channel, the work you put into it and the documentation you're doing here. Absolutely love it!

[@scroggins100]

Great old kite. Spent many a week on one. Played five aside over the med!

[@breathtakingblue]

Another excellent video, Ruairidh. Many thanks, thoroughly enjoyed this. 👍

[@fredschriks8554]

You are producing some great video's lately. Keep up the great work.

[@battz99]

The UK aviation industry had a reputation for introducing innovations before their time. By the time the rest of the world - notably the USA - caught up we had scrapped our products due to lack of sales. Think Comet, TSR2 and this aircraft if you like.

[@GRHDA]

As with the TSR2 the availability of politico bungs to interested parties,

[@donaldstanfield8862]

@@GRHDA Such sad stories to see amazing innovations crash under political wrangling. Sad business!

[@owen368]

Our politicians are rubbish and have been going down hill since ww2 why is a good question that I can't answer.

[@EricIrl]

A couple of pronunciation points - Woomera in Australia has the emphasis on the "Woo" part of the word. RAF Squadrons are usually referred to by their proper numerical value e.g 53 Squadron would normally be referred to as "Fifty Three Squadron " rather than "Five - Three squadron".

[@Ttelmis]

I flew as aircrew on these in 1976 with 53 Sqn. Great aircraft and Squadron.

[@chrisw1018]

The one transport type that the RAF shouldn't have been denied in the 1970s defence cuts was this baby, as bourne out by the Falklands conflict, which kept Heavylift, the Belfast's next custodians, in business. 25 years passed until the C-17 came along to effectively replace it. And now of course the more direct replacement, the A400M Atlas, which has virtually the same dimensions. I've often thought that, due to the major drag problems, a front loading design, similar to the Douglas C-124, would have been a better idea, as the Belfast was never designed (or used) to air drop supplies. A final thought: Should have modelled the A-400M on it, as as it was a handsome looking beast!

[@andrewsmactips]

A very handsome airplane. Always had a soft spot for it. A pity it wasn't more successful.

[@theoccupier1652]

Yep it was definitly a looker

[@donaldstanfield8862]

It still looks modern, with all the computer tweaks available today, it could probably be made more aerodynamic and efficient, as is is with Hercules!

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

I was in the RAF and based at Abingdon where we operated Andovers and Beverleys. Ater the Beverleys were phased out, there was a plan to bring the Belfast there and F hangar was modified to allow their high fin to pass through the hangar doors. Several of us went to Brize Norton for a course on the Belfast and we were taken up in one on one occasion. It was fascinating to be sitting on the top deck with a HUGE cargo space stretching out below and beyond where we were sitting. While there we also got to do an emergency evacuation drill for the Concorde and I found that it was rather claustrophobic, especially after the Belfast.

[@petershepherd6889]

I was a civilian their between 1974 and 1977 and remember them well.

[@andrewhotston983]

After the success of the Vickers Viscount, the establishment (the government, BOAC & the RAF) basically pulled the plug on the British aviation industry. The Belfast is a classic example - the first ten were a bit slow, but the next batch could have been improved. But instead...

[@ziggurat-builder8755]

Thanks for the video. I love it!

[@SimonEkendahl]

To my eyes, it's like a mix of an An-124, Super Constellation, and a Hercules! What a lovely machine.

[@donaldstanfield8862]

The wings are quite stunning, I was unaware of this aircraft, the lift capacity was astounding! British aviation produced world-class engineering, wow! 🎯👊🏼

[@SimonEkendahl]

@@donaldstanfield8862 Oh I agree! And I hadn´t heard of it either. It's beautiful!

[@ianr]

Excellent video again. I remember seeing the Heavy Lift Belfast at Manchester Airport in the early-mid 1990's.

[@donaldstanfield8862]

Boy, she was well named, for sure!

[@adrianrutterford762]

Another interesting video. Thank you

[@dystopik32]

Another great video! Keep up your good work👍🏻👍🏻

[@AndrewG1989]

Awesome video and amazing history of the Belfast plane. Very good 👍

[@richardthornton3775]

That was great thank you 👍 that’s answered a lot of questions that always niggled me over the years 👍

[@michaelvandenbergh6882]

Thank you very much for this interesting video about a plane that deserved a better service life for cargo carriers, especially the jet-powered version. I am surprised Heavylift and other cargo carriers never seriously considered this great plane. Maybe I am naive. Keep up the good work.

[@charliechisholm5961]

As always awesome video and topic

[@peterthorpe903]

This is yet another example of a superb British aircraft sold or neglected in favour of the the Hercules and other aircraft. There are recognizable characteristics between the two aircraft. But for how long has we failed our plane makers, and sacrified brilliant and original design and and technology so that our American cousins can benefit from manufacturing and marketing techniques ? The C130 is a lovely aeroplane. But I say that it owes its very existence to the Belfast.

[@darrensmith6999]

Very interesting thanks for sharing.

[@grahamariss2111]

The aircraft the RAF wanted for this role was the Handley Page offer of a Victor B2 wing mounted as a high wing over a transport plane fuselage (think faster longer range Starlifter). But Handley Page were not politically acceptable because it refused to merge into Hawker Siddley as the Government wanted so the Government would not give the business to Handley Page.

[@joelkipling2587]

My late father , worked from the start of Heavy Lift cargo airlines until the end . As a loadmaster / ground engineer. On the belfast

[@fletchertriclawgaming1486]

Love your vids dude. Chilled easy listening while im editing my own vids.

[@jamesstuart3346]

Another fine video...the historical film content is awesome

[@loiclaronche5675]

Nice aircraft, which deserved a longer life. Thanks for you quality video

[@johncone9516]

While flying to Eglin AFB courtesy of the Illinoi ANG we stopped of at Bangor Maine and that's where I spotted a Heavy Lift Belfast having an engine change that was in 1989.

[@user-yd9bj3bs8g]

Great memories of working on the two Belfasts G-BEPS and G-HLFT and CL44D4 EI-BND at Heavylift in Southend between february 1992 and Heavylift's demise in September 2002.

[@rachelcarre9468]

The RAF should have leased their aircraft to civilian companies as they have done with the A330 Voyagers as transport aircraft are worth their weight in gold during crisis but go under-utilised during normal ops. That would have given Shorts a larger production run and possibly turned into the Airbus A400 programme much sooner.

[@rachelcarre9468]

Oops, pressed submit before i had the chance to add thank you for another superb video! 😀

[@dogsnads5634]

Ironically the cost to lease them from Heavylift for use in the Falklands war between UK and Ascension, and other trips cost the Treasury more than it would have cost to have retained them in service up to that point....the same thing happened again in Gulf War 1....they could have remained in service, all 10 of them, until the early 90's at no greater cost to the UK taxpayer but got lots more use in the interim...

[@rf8640]

My intake at RAF Swinderby was distinctly underwhelmed to have a flypast by a Beverley at our passing out parade in 1975..

[@chrisw1018]

Can't have been a Bev, they retired in '67.

[@gordy4459]

I would say that your flypast was done by an Argosy....quite similar looking to the Beverley....but sadly, by '75 a lot of the Beverleys had already been scrapped...

[@gordy4459]

@@chrisw1018 Saw a few Beverleys parked at RAF Bicester in August 1970....they were waiting for a visit from the scrap-man....quite a sad end for an old work-horse....

[@philipplace9990]

You were lucky! I was January '74 intake, we got a passing glider....! No duff...! 😂

[@christians.8739]

Mine was a Britannia, it was a cold and windy day in Mrach, it felt like a lifetime standing to attention waithing for it to arrive!

[@louispetherbridge9754]

Spent 4 happy years at Brize Norton on 53 Sqd as ground crew , used to love watching them land short then reverse up to make the inter section , lovely beast , saw one loaded with 5 Pink Panther Land Rovers belonging to the SAS , remember one day she taxied out before I had chance to close the ground power panel , radioed the tower telling them to stop it , when I caught up with it gave the pilot a 2 fingered salute causing me to run after it , oh happy days

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

Great video...👍

[@johnjephcote7636]

The Britannic as a new manifestation of the Britannia reminds me of the York, having morphed from the Lancaster...and the Hastings also, from the Halifax.

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

There was a lot of reusing jigs and parts going on in Post war britain well into the late sixties and even seventies. Britain was heavily in debt and there was very little money for clean sheet designs and all new production equipment. The military was being cut and after problems like the Comet were sorted they lost a lot of ground.. not made up till the arrival of the VC 10 Concord and the other joint European projects. There were successes such as the Hunter the Gnat the Lightning and the Canberra. But it was also the age of very dodgy arms and aircraft deals world wide. If you ever get the chance listen to Robert Calvert...of Hawkwind fame brilliant satirical concept album Capt. Calvert and the Lockheed Starfighters .. dark but very entertaining to aerophiles and too close to the truth for comfort. 😂😎

[@propman3523]

Very informative.

[@blackboardbloke]

I was stationed at RAF Brize Norton in the late '70s and saw Belfast's regularly, but as an armourer I didn't work on them. One of my duties was to go to Safety Equipment to replace life expired flare cartridges. C130s were based at RAF Lyneham where they transported personnel, equipment, vehicles etc. The Belfast's were mostly fitted out with proper comfortable individual seating like civilian aircraft (all facing the rear to offer the most protection in the event of a crash) with space at the rear left by the ramp/rear door for gear and equipment etc. Good aircraft, but I was told that it lost out to the C130 because the rear door formed part of the structure when closed and locked in, and couldn't be opened in flight for drops, parachuted equipment, personnel etc.

[@michaeloreilly657]

Nice to see your own work represented again in the video.

[@philipplace9990]

Really nice video. Nostalgic too; I was in the Air Movements sqdn at Brize Norton 74 to 78, so worked on all 10. I loved it and loaded some pretty interesting stuff, especially equipment that was going to BATUS for cold weather trials. Don't think you mentioned the refuelling probe? It was never used or any training to use it. A pilot told me it would run out of oil before it ran out of fuel. It also had a decent sized galley pluses bunk beds for double-crewing. There's a quite rare photo of all ten flying in formation, I think it's the only photo of every plane manufactured, in one squadron, all in the Air at the same time! If anyone can find it can you let us all know please? Once again, great video, thanks.

[@christians.8739]

I was at BZZ at the time of the fly past, I can't recall exactly but I'm sure the fly past was canx a few times because of servicabilty issues

[@scopex2749]

I was lucky enough to work on the LAST RAF Belfast! XR366 'ATLAS', serving with No. 53 Squadron. We used to play football inside it during tea breaks is was so big! I never forget her final flight, as she was leaving RAF service to be used as a pilot training aircraft for TAC (Transmeridian Air Cargo) then sold to Heavy lift Cargo. She put on an air display for us at RAF Brize Norton. As the aircraft was stripped out and light she was very fast. Sadly I didnt have a camera in those days so could not record this.

[@davidowen6977]

Interesting, particularly the later civil use and survival 👍

[@dave8599]

super documentary on a cool aeroplane, thanks!

[@exb.r.buckeyeman845]

Just like our TSR2, in favour of the F111.

[@markcrowley65]

Very interesting, cheers

[@davidbarnsley8486]

It is so disappointing that other commonwealth countries didn’t take this plane on instead of the Hercules

[@tectorama]

The AN-225 showed that there will always be a place for an aircraft to fly oversized cargos, which won't even fit in the Dreamliner.

[@AtheistOrphan]

AN-225 - RIP.

[@raypitts4880]

During my 44 years at Brize EGVN. i see these come a go. i have a picture of all of them above the clouds it took 3 hours to get them all airborne for the photo. i treasure that for ever

[@patriciaduncan2146]

You saw my Dad come and go a lot then!

[@Road38910]

I saw these lined up at Brize, a majestic sight. Unmistakable engine note.

[@gordy4459]

Watching a Belfast do a tactical approach, then "kiss" the runway with its nose wheel, and lift back off for another go-round was always something to see!...and don't forget the fourteen Vickers VC10's and the twenty two Bristol Brittania's that were at Brize as well....

[@donaldstanfield8862]

@@gordy4459 That would be awesome to see all of that!

[@gordy4459]

@@donaldstanfield8862 That feels like a thousand years ago that those three types were at Brize together!!...sure been some changes over the past fifty years...

[@obentophaut8693]

Great stuff.

[@charlesmoss8119]

A great video - really informative and especially how an aircraft that seemed derided then did great service into this century - maybe a better aircraft than was given credit?

[@donaldstanfield8862]

Agree, I was not aware of it, it's quite an impressive and capable aircraft. I was amazed that it served so long as well, if given the attention the US Hercules, it would likely still be in use!

[@pauljanicki6267]

I had 3 hours in one of these XR367 from Brize in 1971 whilst on ATC camp at nearby Bicester. The whole flight was a series of circuit bashing .manoeuvres

[@johnangelico667]

Thank you for an interesting video, with some surprising Australian connections. Only one correction: the pronunciation of Woomera is Woo'mera, not Woomer'a (emphasis on the first syllable).

[@TheHylianBatman]

What a shame they weren't used much for their intended purpose. They seem like innovative and durable planes. It's always get what you need after you need it. If only, I suppose.

[@GARDENER42]

I flew out of Waddington in a Belfast in 1976 - one of their last flights with the RAF.

[@neth77]

The last one that exists and could potentially fly is in my home city of Cairns and it's called Hector! They fire it up every now and then. Unlike the museum ones.

[@donaldstanfield8862]

Would love to see!

[@petershepherd6889]

I worked for the Department of the Environment at RAF Abingdon from 1974-1978 and in the early seventies the Belfast Servicing Flight was located their in F hanger they had to put in dormer windows on the top of the hanger so they could get the tailplane in to the hanger and when the planes were being put in the hanger the nose was lifted so the tailplane could get through the hanger doors.

[@greghavers821]

nice video!! thanks!!!! any chance of covering the Armstrong Whitworth AW660 Argosy, it was my favourite plane when i was a kid!!!!! nobody has yet done a history video on it yet.

[@bigdmac33]

Used to watch these flying in and out of Harbour Airport at Shorts.

[@melvyncox3361]

Actually flew on one of these when l was in the RAF in 1975,near to the close of the aircraft's career in the force.Shame really that it was retired so early. Great piece mate👍

[@dogsnads5634]

It wasn't just a shame. It was madness. When the Falklands happened the RAF had to hire recently retired Shorts Belfast from HeavyLift. Apparently the cost to do so would have paid the aircraft to have been retained in RAF service for all of the preceding years and upgraded...

[@melvyncox3361]

Yes mate.A typical government decision,which still goes on to this day!Talk about wasting money...

[@macjim]

I’d completely forgotten about the Belfast… very interesting.

[@cpt_bill366]

I love how engineers were forced to put jet engines on a plane that was never intended to be a jet, and then people were disappointed that it didn't perform well. Do these same geniuses expect JATO rockets to make it orbital? Sad when big ideas come from people with no understanding of engineering

[@TheWyvern70]

In 1983 I remember seeing a HeavyLift Belfast parked on the other side of the airfield when we arrived at RAF Aldergrove in of all things - a civilian Britannia. I'd just been posted to Northern Ireland and a guy sitting next to me commented that during the 70s he'd had a few flights in RAF Belfasts. He said he and a few others were none too keen on it because they thought the engines looked far too small for a plane that size. Just as a side note, the Britannia we were on had an all female crew. Pretty novel for that time....

[@christians.8739]

When I was at Aldergrove in the 80'S, the Bank of Ireland's 10 pound had a drawing of a Belfast on with jet engines.

[@donaldstanfield8862]

That's awesome!

[@donaldstanfield8862]

@@christians.8739 Wow, that's cool!

[@kitbag9033]

Really novel I should think; Julie Gibson didn't get her wings until 1991. She is widely acknowledged as the RAFs first female pilot.

[@TheWyvern70]

@@kitbag9033 The Brittania I was on was flown by a civillian carrier and as such, wasn't crewed by RAF personnel. I can't remember which airline it was. I want to say Brittania airways as they flew trooping flights from Luton to Hannover. Might have been them or Monarch or some such...

[@sandgrownun66]

✈That certainly was some tough load.🛫

[@rbrooks2007]

Molly White, the author of the book Belfast: The Story of Short's Big Lifter, was preparing to do an update on her book but sadly she died too soon. I wonder who have taken up her draughts?

[@donaldstanfield8862]

Peace to Molly

[@calanmacleod3948]

There’s one sitting on the pad in Cairns Australia, ex heavy lift.

[@huudielbo728]

Not only slow, it could carry large volume but minimal weight. When sold to TMAC for ccivilian use, they were shocked to find that the CAA gave it a max load of 20 tons for safety. Rules required that it could maintain height on 3 engines when loaded, as the RAF did not have to comply with the CAA this was conveniently 'forgotten'. Buyer beware.

[@davidlindburg1921]

That was a smart move derisking by utilising much of the existing technologies from the Brittania. A good design just eclipsed by the C130 (the world's longest continuously produced military aircraft).

[@flyop312]

monster aircraft powerful design

[@sakkra93]

Yet another sorrowful episode of "What could have been..."

[@chrisweeks6973]

Had one of these lob into Labuan to take away our Whirlwinds at the ending of the Borneo Confrontation in 1966. Took three at a time, from memory. Still have the colour slides (remember them?) but they're very faded now so I can't read either the serial or the name. Most of the station turned out to watch it depart, after which it did a flypast. Gee, that's 56 years ago; I must be getting old! :))

[@keithlivingstone2525]

My mum worked in the Design Office at the time of the Belfast.

[@gusgone4527]

Had the airframe been utilised as the basis for a maritime patrol aircraft, we would likely still see them flying today.

[@andrewwmacfadyen6958]

Look up the Canadair Argus

[@kevanhubbard9673]

A double deck passenger configuration would be similar to the Airbus A380 but slower! The Belfast doesn't look as long as a A380 nor as high but hard to tell without seeing the two aircraft types together.

[@wesguemmer4181]

It's interesting to hear about post war England's areo industry. Didn't know of this aircraft

[@MRMK24]

If it has Belfast in the name, it was built to work. And work it did.

[@willjeffery2661]

I used to see a Belfast at East Midlands airport when I was learning to fly there.

[@douglasspencer745]

Is this another example of our politicians having dumping on UK industry in favour of foreign equipment because of questionable relationships

[@johnosbourn4312]

Hey Ruairdiah, the JT3D, is a Turbofan engine, not a turbojet engine, and the military designation is TF33.

[@eottoe2001]

I like where the wings are mounted. It would have been a cool airliner.

[@zenzen9131]

I was involved in moving the flight simulator from Brize Norton to Southend when Transmeridian purchased the plane. Also, co-incidentally I was on board the aircraft when the demo Belfast made it's last RAF flight from Brize to Kemble.

[@dreamdiction]

0:16 "the Belfast rivaled the cargo capacity of the C-130"? The Belfast was almost twice the size. Lockheed C-130 payload = 19,000 kgs. Short Belfast payload = 35,000 kgs.

[@BrianWMay]

It was VOLUME that was the clincher, not mass.

[@dreamdiction]

@@BrianWMay The Shorts Belfast Cargo dimensions are over three times bigger than the C-130. The C-130J's cargo compartment is 41 feet (12.5 m) long, 9 feet (2.74 m) high, and 10 feet (3.05 m) wide = volume of 3,300 cubic feet. Loading is from the rear of the fuselage. The Shorts Belfast cargo deck is 63 ft long (19.2 m) in a circular-section pressurized fuselage over 16 ft in diameter (4.9 m) which = 11,000 cubic feet, space enough for two single-deck buses, loading was through a "beaver tail" with rear loading doors and integral ramp. It was large enough that forklift trucks could work within the cargo hold. If built in the civil role it would have carried 250 passengers on two decks with full pressurisation and air conditioning.

[@BrianWMay]

@@dreamdiction Your point? I know nothing about C130J as I flew K models.

[@dreamdiction]

@@BrianWMay My first comment states that at 0:16 the video commentary wrongly states: "despite the aircraft having cargo capacity which rivaled the far more successful C-130". The Belfast did not "rival" the Hercules, the Belfast far exceeded the Hercules in both cargo weight and volume.

[@EdmundAcuto]

Trained on both the Belfast and the Britannia as a RAF Transport Aircraft Servicing Specialist prior to spending a year (1969/70 ) at RAF Gan in the Maldives where I worked on both types as when they staged through between RAF bases in Bahrain and Singapore.

[@petermclelland278]

Britain's post war aircraft were the experimental & prototype models for American aviations future development projects.

[@georginahallett8716]

Some interesting comments about the mighty Belfast, and yes, it was known in the early 70's generally as the Belslow. My abiding memory when a Mover at Brize circa 1973, was on night shift, full flat floor load, bloody hard work, all done, Trim Sheet signed, then the fcuking crew snagged the ba$tard and we had to off load onto another airframe☹....happy days😉

[@robertchautardjensen6846]

There is one of these in apparently good condition on the apron at Cairns Airport, Queensland, Australia. It is just sitting there, which is a bit sad.