Belfast of HeavyLift Cargo Airlines lands at Perth Airport (2004)
Role
Heavy airfreighter
Type of aircraft
Manufacturer
Short Brothers
First flight
5 January 1964
Introduction
20 January 1966
Retired
from RAF service 1976
Primary users
Royal Air Force HeavyLift Cargo Airlines[1]
Produced
1964–1968
Number built
10
The Short Belfast (or Shorts Belfast)[2] is a heavy lift turboprop freighter that was built by British manufacturer Short Brothers at Belfast. Only 10 aircraft were constructed, all of which entered service with the Royal Air Force (RAF), who operated it under the designation Short Belfast C.1.
Upon its entry into service, the Belfast was the largest aircraft that the British military had ever operated up to that time.[2] It was also notable for being the first aircraft to be designed from the onset to be equipped with full 'blind landing' automatic landing system equipment.[3] Following the formation of RAF Strike Command and a reorganisation of transport assets, the RAF decided to retire all of its Belfast transports by the end of 1976.
Shortly after the type had been retired by the RAF, five Belfasts were sold and placed into civilian service with the cargo airline TAC HeavyLift.[1] These civilian aircraft were used for the charter transport of various goods, including to the RAF. One Belfast is on display at the RAF Museum Cosford. A Belfast formerly operated by Heavylift Cargo is lying abandoned at Cairns Airport in Australia and was the subject of a legal dispute for fees between the airport and the owner of the aircraft, Flying Tigers.[citation needed]
In August 2023, this former Flying Tigers aircraft was re-registered on the FAA registry as N1819S, and local sources report work being done to return the aircraft to flight.[4] Little is known about the new owners or the future plans for the aircraft, however rumours online say that the aircraft will be operating a cargo contract "Local" to Queensland, Australia.
^ ab"HeavyLift Cargo Airlines." heavyliftcargo.com. Retrieved: 11 April 2010.
^ abMondey 1981, p. 228.
^Flight 9 January 1964, p. 41.
^"N1819S Bank of Utah Short SC.5 Belfast". www.planespotters.net. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
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