Short SC.5 Belfast - Part One

[@tempusfugit9796]

I remember going to RAF battle of Britain days at RAF Abingdon when I was a kid in the 70's and seeing one of these up close in the big maintenance hanger.

[@charlieindigo]

In 1956 I was a ten-year-old schoolboy when I heard on the BBC Radio lunchtime news that Shorts was going to build a new cargo plane that would be the largest of its kind anywhere in the world. Production was to begin that year, with completion by 1962. My understanding then and now was that Shorts met the completion date more-or-less within the time frame, which differs from the claim in this video. Of course, I could be wrong. In any case, I lived about two miles from the Shorts factory situated in what was then Belfast Harbour Airport - now Belfast City Airport (EGAC). For quite a long time, almost daily, we could hear the engines being tested, and the roar must have been heard all over the city - certainly it was darned loud in Holywood! The SC5 - or "Belfast" as it was known was quite a marvel of its day, but unfortunately by the mid-60's its technology had become superceded; after all, the Second World War had only ended eleven years earlier, and the Belfast was using little better technology than the Lancaster Bombers with analogue equipment. Nevertheless, the Belfast did sterling work, and performed well. However, even before the Belfast production had been completed, Shorts had begun designing a small cargo aircraft which was called The Shorts Skyvan. This was basically a shoe-box with wings, but it could carry a payload of 9,000 pounds - more than any other aircraft of its kind. Remarkably, there are still Skyvans (locally known as "Breadvans" due to their resemblance to batter-powered mobile bread van floats that toured the city and its surrounds) in service, both as cargo and Pax aircraft. Of course, when Shorts was taken over by Bombardier, the Skyvan was updated to what is now known as the S3-30/3-60 - and still a very popular plane for ferrying around the islands all over the world. A little plane with muscles! Still, sad to see the Belfast long-retired, but good to see that some videos of it are still around. Thanks for this.

[@robinpinnock2678]

Thanks for your interesting memories, Charles. The timeline reference I used for Belfast development and construction came from the book 'Belfast. The story of Short's Big Lifter' by Molly O'Loughlin White. This states that the initial design was offered to Transport Command in August 1957 (so plans might have been announced before that), with the go-ahead for production in late 1958. The design was finished by early 1959, with construction beginning in October, and the first flight on 5 January 1964.

[@nodrognaols8862]

My job in aircraft (Shorts) was as a radio spark ( electrician). Had flights in these on delivery to RAF Brise norton.

[@markrankin4214]

Great video. My dad was an RAF pilot and flew the Belfast out of Brize Norton in the early 70s. I remember the silky whistle of the engines.

[@tomnorcross824]

Are you Ron Rankin's son ?

[@patriciaduncan2146]

My Dad probably knew your Dad. My Dad was Sqn Ldr ‘Rip’ Kerbey. He was a Captain on them there then too.

[@chrisw1018]

Robin, you are a godsend! Love this old beast and those Tynes sound wonderful at full power.

[@scopex2749]

I joined the RAF just in time to work on the last remaining Belfast XR366 ATLAS as a fitter. She was kept for civilian crew training and I flew on her several times.

[@mohsen703]

I from Iran. Your videos are amazing and lovely I say it again (Sir). Robin Pinnock YOU ARE NUMBER ONE

[@robinpinnock2678]

Thank you!

[@carlosballesteros4670]

What a fantastic airplane.

[@curtiss1000]

Nice memories Robin and good times for photos. Well done.

[@xfire7]

My first flight ever in a Belfast from Conningsby June 1976 . Whish i noted the number .

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

My mom is going to pay for a type rating for me come Christmas. I can't wait!

[@jeromehoudeshell2666]

Looks very similar to the Douglas C-133 Cargomaster from the late 50s.

[@nacerkhamou3149]

beautiful shame only 10 were built...

[@joelkipling2587]

My father worked for Heavy Lift , as a loadmaster .

[@mrrolandlawrence]

& instead the raf bought a bunch of c130s :'( this plane was underrated. they should have made more of them.

[@gunner678]

Definately, a terrible waste of an opportunity to buy British. Jobs and company backup on the doorstep. A real shame.

[@pieterweatherall2826]

The RAF did not consider them a good Aircraft, They were somewhat under powered.

[@oxcart4172]

The nickname for the Hercules does not feature the word slow! (And they still sell like hot cakes) Oh, and nobody makes jokes about no signs of scurvy being on board!

[@MH-fb5kr]

A sad ending.

[@scopex2749]

I worked on the last of these at RAF Brize Norton! They were retired as they could not open the ramp in flight as it was too long, it shifted the CofG too far aft. Hence no use for air drops. Thats why the Hercules has equal length ramp and visor door. I worked on those later as well!

[@robertb.3651]

The same specs as the Airbus A400 but much earlier and cheaper !!!

[@jjmcrosbie]

Actually, compared with the A400, the Belfast was somewhat slower, somewhat shorter range and didn't have rough field performance. But given the 60+ year gap it was a great achievement. There was a projected rough field capable variant, but that wasn't pursued in light of the Wilson-Callaghan's government's final desperation IMF loan. The USA picked up this loan with the following conditions: 1 -Scrap TSR2 2 - Buy C130s and F111s 3 - Curb inflation with the £3/week pay freeze. Inflation 1974-5 had been 27%. That's 27% in 12 months. I was paying 17% mortgage interest at the time! Note that the early C130 only had about half the payload of the Belfast and I don't think it had the same runway performance as the Belfast. And the early F111 was rubbish. You may also know that the RAF had to sell off their Belfasts in 1976, only to hire some back from Heavy Lift for the Falklands war in 1982. C130 no good for that mission. But doesn't it make you love our wonderful governments through the years - Labour and Tory both!

[@ronnieince4568]

@@jjmcrosbie yes but the risk of scurvy to the crew was high on a flight to the Falklands -the early versions were incredibly slow -they altered the tail to reduce drag and increase speed .

[@jjmcrosbie]

@@ronnieince4568 Thank you for that, Ronnie. 1 - Extract from wiki: "TAC HeavyLift purchased five Belfasts for commercial use in 1977 and operated three of them from 1980 after being reworked to receive commercial certification. Ironically, some of them were later chartered during the Falklands war, with some sources suggesting that this cost more than keeping all the aircraft in RAF service until the 1990s.[19] HeavyLift's Belfasts were again contracted to support the RAF during the first Gulf War, transporting vehicles and helicopters too large to be carried by the Hercules fleet." 2 - Cruising speed 336mph. More risk of thirst than scurvy I would think. Stay well. Regards. Clive.

[@ronnieince4568]

@@jjmcrosbie yes but the first of the batch were much slower -Shorts modified the tail to reduce drag and increase speed .It was RAF aircrew who joked about the risk of scurvy due to slowness of the aircraft just as BEA pilots claimed that only the curvature of the earth got their Tridents finally airborne -they called it the Gripper !!

[@craigpennington1251]

A very sad sight to see for a majestic aircraft.

[@MARTINA-gc3tq]

I believe the RAF's first order of Lockheed C-130 was for 66 ....what could have been if the Uk government has backed the Short Belfast....

[@All_Noing]

But they didn't. They know the C-130 is a superior aircraft. Ten Belfasts vs 2,500+ C-130s? No contest.

[@scotty6346]

Wasn't nicknamed the Belslow for nothing!

[@robinpinnock2678]

It's a shame that the jet version was not developed.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

And yet it was as fast as the C-130.

[@kierans1159]

As one famous radio call given while flogging across the Atlantic,, 'crew in good heart, no sign of scurvy onboard'. Fabulous aeroplane though.

[@TuffBurnOutTeam]

HECTOR still lives in Australia 🌏

[@robinpinnock2678]

See part 3

[@nodrognaols8862]

Where please?

[@TuffBurnOutTeam]

It's nilly airworthy and Hector will be out of where it is Bravo ❤❤❤❤❤

[@apogaeum4313]

Lobe the whine of the Tyne...(former Loadmaster Merchantman).

[@robinpinnock2678]

I know what you mean!

[@geoffreypowell9220]

Wonderful Aircraft , The modern ones today are so Boreing...

[@georgebarnes8163]

Just like the big Short Sirtling, restricted in wing and engine size yet others like the Lancaster got through the political net, the Brits then bought into the light transport C-130 but ended up having to hire back the big Short during the falklands and Gulf wars because the little c-130 could not do the job.

[@LOGISTICS1987]

Looks like the c 130s British cousin

[@RalphEllis]

But three times the size....

[@acrobaticcripple8176]

A possible competitor with Antonov? I'm no expert, but in another dimension? Boofull aeroplane.

[@jasons44]

Uk destroyed there self kill plane production but now after e.u think who knows

[@javamann1000]

...to be replaced by American planes?

[@robinpinnock2678]

javamann1000. Heavylift continued using Belfast G-HLFT until the company closed in 2002, it later went to Heavylift Pty in Australia. In the late 1990s Russian aircraft became available, HL operated Ilyushin Il-76 as well as Antonov An-124s An-12, and An-22 in association with other companies.

[@joelkipling2587]

Robin Pinnock , you probably new my father then . Alan Kipling , he worked for Heavy Lift as a loadmaster

[@robertheywood5523]

Sorry - Beverley 😁😁

[@robertheywood5523]

Bloody ridiculous that we have built so many really good post war aircraft but just let the manufacturers wither on the vine. This is what happens when politicians put the welfare state above the wealth generating private sector. Absolutely fantastic aircraft along with the Blackburn Belfast

[@All_Noing]

Yeah, the UK built so many "really good" aircraft that nobody bought them. I guess they weren't "really good" after all.

[@jeremyfine1464]

The logic of the DoD/RAF makes no sense or Shorts agreement to a production order for 10 planes with options on 20 more. Why didn't the gov't just buy C-130's and be done with it.? Gotta buy British Must buy British. Even the Saudis don't attempt to build their own planes.

[@stewartellinson8846]

@flip inheck apparently the Belfast wasn't able to air drop supplies, according to a poster above

[@joelkipling2587]

The Belfast was a intended to move heavy cargo , ie armoured vehicles and helicopters . It could carry much bigger loads than the Hercules. It was not intended to drop paratroopers

[@joelkipling2587]

Flip inheck , my dad was a loadmaster on many of them flights down to the ascension islands. While working for Heavy Lift cargo airlines

[@johne7100]

It was part of a cunning government plan to bankrupt Shorts and increase unemployment in Belfast.

[@andyb.1026]

Jeremy fine.. Are you serious!! There isn't one Arab nation capable of maintaining Aircraft, much less manufacturing..

[@SPak-rt2gb]

C-133 copy

[@nodrognaols8862]

This is the origin of heavy cargo flight!