It was recently suggested to me that two of Britain’s 1960s large aircraft projects for the RAF were heavily politically influenced. The two in question are,
1)The program that lead to the Shorts Belfast, apparently the RAF preffered the Handley Page submission of the HP.111?
2)The Nimrod, apparently a proposal was made using either the Trident or the BAC. 111 was made that would have provided a superior operational solution?
I do not know how true this is but if anyone has any thoughts or answers please let me know.
Thankyou in advance sealordlawrence.
By: sealordlawrence - 22nd July 2007 at 22:07
The Handley Page HP111 was a transport based on the Victor which the Air Staff wanted but the government cancelled it two weeks before a general election and ordered the Belfast. Northern Ireland had high unemployment!
The HP111 had a double deck was capable of carrying 200 troops using both decks and cargo of to 24 tons could be carried on the lower deck which could be lowered to the ground for loading. It was 200 MPH faster than the Belfast and had a range of 3300 miles and the ability to land on 1000 yard grass strips! This undoubtably was another factor that caused Handley Page to collapse. These facts are from “Handley Page A History” by Alan Dowsett
printed by Tempus.
Ray
Thankyou very much super sioux, that is exactly what I was looking for! The HP.111 was, to the best of my knowledge a new fuselage with a highly modified wing, the ling with the Victor seems tenuous, probably to the same extent that humans and monkeys are related???:confused:
By: bazv - 22nd July 2007 at 21:43
One always has to be careful with manufacturers claims!!Grass strip for a Victor based aircraft ?? mmmm
Most aircraft aquisitions are politically driven..even small a/c like Tucano(PC9 preferred by RAF ?)or Bulldog(SF260 ?) were political.
Was the dear old BELSLOW really that bad or was it just short term money ‘saving’ by HMG.It was basically a Britannia wing(and tail?) ,or were the engines a bit problematical??I don’t know but I am sure some forum members will.
By: super sioux - 22nd July 2007 at 20:50
Political choice!
The Handley Page HP111 was a transport based on the Victor which the Air Staff wanted but the government cancelled it two weeks before a general election and ordered the Belfast. Northern Ireland had high unemployment!
The HP111 had a double deck was capable of carrying 200 troops using both decks and cargo of to 24 tons could be carried on the lower deck which could be lowered to the ground for loading. It was 200 MPH faster than the Belfast and had a range of 3300 miles and the ability to land on 1000 yard grass strips! This undoubtably was another factor that caused Handley Page to collapse. These facts are from “Handley Page A History” by Alan Dowsett
printed by Tempus.
Ray
Sign In
July 22, 2007 at 8:03 pm