Last airworthy Shorts Belfast

It would be good if at the end of it’s life it could be ferried back to Belfast Sydenham/ George Best/City Airport, the place of it’s birth.

That would be great.
Just a pity Belfast doesn’t have a proper aviation museum to put it in :apologetic:

Maybe even next to the big shiny building that’s all about a certain the ship that sank.

I have an old photo somewhere of a Red Arrows Gnat with a row of Belfasts behind. I think it was taken at Kemble. I often wondered if all 10 were there.

Phill

It would be good if at the end of it’s life it could be ferried back to Belfast Sydenham/ George Best/City Airport, the place of it’s birth.

Bringing some life into an old thread.
I was in Cairns last week and had a look at the white Belfast.
The cargo ramp was down on my day of arrival, Wednesday and there was a workstand up against an engine on the Thursday…panels were open and there were folks on the stand.

For those interested there’s an excellent thread on the PPRuNe forum discussing the Belfast, including a lovely pic of when they managed to get all ten aircraft, the entire production run, in the air at once in staggered formation (how many other aircraft types can claim such a feat i wonder?).
Also has an explanation for the Belfast’s early “Belslow” nickname and how modifications helped resolve its lack of performance.

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/483264-short-belfast-why-3.html#post7448878

Rob

For those interested there’s an excellent thread on the PPRuNe forum discussing the Belfast, including a lovely pic of when they managed to get all ten aircraft, the entire production run, in the air at once in staggered formation (how many other aircraft types can claim such a feat i wonder?).
Also has an explanation for the Belfast’s early “Belslow” nickname and how modifications helped resolve its lack of performance.

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/483264-short-belfast-why-3.html#post7448878

Rob

Arm Waver, thanks for the correction, I should have known better, Snoopy (W MK 2) was a familiar sight while serving at Thorney Island (early 70s), just put it down to some finger trouble:D.

Gerry R

Gerry, the plug made them C Mk.3’s. The Mk.2 Herc was “Snoopy” as the W. Mk.2.

I notice on the photo thread there is pictures of VH-ZFC arriving at Norwich from Oz. The last commercial flight of the Belfast was to carry VH-ZFC to Oz from Dubai.

Hercules stretch

WyvernFan (post 6),
I remember too the great expense in stretching the fuselages of the C-130s with plugs fore and aft of the wing, to increase capacity and become C MK 2s, just afew years after the inept decision to withdraw the Belfasts.:mad:

regards Gerry R.:)

Thanks for posting the link – great memories of past Southend.

Found this film on another forum. Heavylift Belfasts training at Southend

http://www.flightlevel350.com/Aircraft_Short_Belfast-Airline_Heavylift_Cargo_Airlines_Aviation_Video-16852.html

Rob

Shhhhhhh 😉

Think one of the probs with keeping her airworthy is spares and engines in particular.

Am I alone in thinking there are similarities between the Belfast and the A400M? (waits for hail of bullets to shoot him down)

Roger Smith.

Interesting anecdote Resmoroh, thanks.

In hindsight i do wonder if the MOD actually saved money and made the right decision by retiring the Belfast fleet early, then using the exact same aircraft again but paying Heavylift to tackle loads or logistics beyond the capabilities of the C-130?!

Also here’s a very interesting Belfast film about 9 mins long. Impressive load going inside one too. Don’t worry about the music at the begining, it soon stops.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiI0LhFiCaQ

.

During Op CORPORATE Heavy Lift Belfasts were used to shift a lot of ‘stuff’ from UK to Ascension (including, if scuttlebutt is correct, barrels of beer manifested as ‘mines’). These barrels were found to have the wrong ‘tops’. The beer machinery in The Exiles Club wouldn’t fit. Some Engineering Officer off one of the RFAs borrowed a barrell and within a few hours had got his junior Engs to turn up a set of beer clamps that fitted!! Don’t let anybody kid you that we won the Falklands War. ‘They’ lost it ‘cos ‘They’ couldn’t do things like that!!
The Belfasts were under MoD contract. They were always interested in the weather in the Canaries on the way back to UK. When we (on Ascension) asked why they said “Well MoD are paying for the fuel. If we can lob in to the Canaries then we can pick up tons of tomatoes and flog them when we get back to UK!”. There’s always wheels within wheels!!!!!!!!!!!
HTH
Resmoroh

Thanks for the extra info VX927. Here’s hoping her flying career can continue for a bit longer.!

I was looking on the web site of the company that sold this aircraft just a few weeks ago. It says that the aircraft is sold so one can assume that she still has a future? If she was sold for scrap or spares then I think things would have moved a lot faster. There was a substantial spares package with the aircraft.

The demise of a giant. 🙁

The photo says ‘airworthy’, is it? :confused: