Sole flying survivor worlds second biggest warbird

Belfast Sunset

Here is Heavylift’s G-BEPS( formerly XR368) which I took during one my creative moods at RAF Lyneham on 24th Sept.1990.

BUMP . any more photos of her Setter ???

Does anybody have any recent photos of the Southend Belfast ?? , thanks.

Dan, that’s what I thought when I saw it, which is why I’m asking. Still can’t quite see it happening…

later heard that she was being readied for a ferry flight to join the one in Oz

That’d be one hell of a job to get airworthy again!

I believe that the Cosford one is the ONLY preserved one.

Talk of the Southend Belfast reminds me – I saw it there in December, without props (and possibly without engines too, but couldn’t really see), and later heard that she was being readied for a ferry flight to join the one in Oz. Pretty sure I heard that on here, does anyone know if that’s till the case?

Sad to see the other ex-Heavylift Belfast slowly rotting away at Southend at the weekend. Is the Cosford example the only museum-kept Belfast in the world?

Now I know why the dear old Belslow doesn’t lumber into Stansted anymore! Used to be able to spot it rolling in on finals in the distance, nip indoors, put the kettle on, make a cuppa and be back outside the back door just in time to see it go over. I’m sure if they’d flown flags, the flag would have blown forwards!

It’s a big baby – take good care of her!

Adrian

I would imagine C5 retirements might also be due to fatigue lives on the airframes.

Hi all

I suppose the C-17 is starting to fill the C141/C5A role but surely the USAF needs all the airlift capacity it can muster at present..

Kindest regards
John Parker

The C-17 will never fill the C141/C5 role as cargo capacity/range are too small, thats why a lot of military forces are using the AN124/225 spare capacities to support their missions abroad…

MYRIA

What’s the Max AUW of the Belfast, please?

G’day 😉

104,780kgs if memory serves me well

MYRIA

Ahem – where did the Belfast earn their battle honours?
Aden? Oman? Northern Ireland?;) (And don’t say the Falklands since those were: a/ civilian; and b/ they never went further south than Ascension Is.)
Or is it merely that it took the Queens 5p and that makes it a warbird…?

Flood.™

I remember from my Royal Flying Club days the BELSLOW flying many missions into Cyprus during the last crisis there…..could these be classed as war missions as it was certainly very tense there!!!

MYRIA

What’s the Max AUW of the Belfast, please?

G’day 😉

Hi all

JDK

Thanks for that. I think it’s a great looking thing and I’m pleased it’s seeing out it’s days here so i get to appreciate it!!!!!

Flood

I think I am arguing the Queens 5p – but then again a lot of “Warbirds” fit in under that category – I also think as it did actually take part in a very small abeit civillian way I would qualify it as an additional peramater as a Warbird.

John B

I never understand the USAF retirement policy – some types seem to soldier on long past their effective time whilst other highly effective types get the chop. Why for instance did the F111 get retired when strike aircraft are such a necessity – Fighters seem to be the dream machine when there is nothing at present to fight whereas bombers/ strike categories are in short supply.
I suppose the C-17 is starting to fill the C141/C5A role but surely the USAF needs all the airlift capacity it can muster at present..

Kindest regards
John Parker

C-5s Available soon!!!

The USAF has announced that it will retire some early C-5As to the AMARC at Davis-Monthan soon…either the end of this year or next.

Ahem – where did the Belfast earn their battle honours?
Aden? Oman? Northern Ireland?;) (And don’t say the Falklands since those were: a/ civilian; and b/ they never went further south than Ascension Is.)
Or is it merely that it took the Queens 5p and that makes it a warbird…?

Flood.™

Agreed, John

Hi James
“Gee. Even so, I think I can trump myself here. As the Hughes HK-1 Hercules was built as a wartime trans-atlantic freighter, you COULD classify it is a Warbird, and it’s bigger than just about anything!”

Well if you are going to resort to that sort of Trivia!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously I suppose you are correct although there are those unkind enough to suggest that C141 and C5A would also qualify as well as the An124 etc so I guess that buggers up that thread – Lets just say that there is just a bloody big pommie thing sitting here in Brisbane and we are looking after.

Kindest regards
john

Yes – they transported helicopters and supplies to Ascension Island.
G-BEPE transported Wessex V XT451 to Wideawake Airfield on 8/4/82, and G-BEPS transported XS491 on 9/5/82, for example.

Flood.™