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Suggest pagesHawker Siddeley Andover
| HS 780 Andover | |
|---|---|
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| Andover C1 | |
| Role | Transport aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Hawker Siddeley |
| First flight | July 1965 |
| Primary users | Royal Air Force Royal New Zealand Air Force 748 Air Services |
| Number built | 37 |
| Developed from | Hawker Siddeley HS 748 |
The Hawker Siddeley Andover (HS 780) is a twin engined turboprop military transport aircraft produced by Hawker Siddeley for the Royal Air Force developed from the Avro-designed HS 748 airliner. The Andover was named after the Avro Andover, a Royal Air Force (RAF) biplane transport used for medical evacuation between the wars, and RAF Andover, where trials of the aircraft were partially carried out. The Andover had a curious kneeling undercarriage to make ramp loading easier. Reputedly, the air-portable Land Rover was developed to allow carriage in Andover aircraft.
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[edit] Design and development
The HS Andover has good short field performance. It was expected to deliver cargo and evacuate casualties intra-theatre in a European-war scenario. The Royal Air Force ordered 31 aircraft and these were delivered as the Andover C.1. Subsequent RAF types are the Andover CC.2 VIP transport and Andover E.3 electronic calibration aircraft.
[edit] Operational history
The Andover C.1 was flown for the first time on 9 July 1965. The first four examples were flown to RAF Boscombe Down for acceptance trials that year. The full contract of 31 aircraft were delivered and deployed to squadrons in Transport Command. These were No. 46 Squadron RAF at RAF Abingdon, 52 Squadron at RAF Seletar (Far East) and 84 Squadron at RAF Sharjah (Middle East).[1]
There was a follow on order for six aircraft that were designated C.C.2, being a version of the standard HS 748, and these went initially to 21 Squadron at RAF Khormaksar. The squadron had these for six months before being disbanded when the aircraft went to 32 Squadron at RAF Northolt, designated the Metropolitan Communications Squadron. The aircraft were with 32 Squadron for over 18 years including some time spent on detachment at RAF Bruggen (Germany).[1]
Three of these RAF Andovers continue to fly, one C.1 with the Empire Test Pilots' School and one C.1 with the Heavy Aircraft Test Squadron of the Joint Test and Evaluation Group. The remaining aircraft is a modified C.1 converted for photo-reconnaissance, the Andover C.1(PR), serial number XS596. This is the UK-designated aircraft under the Treaty on Open Skies. All three are based at RAF Boscombe Down.
The Royal New Zealand Air Force operated 10 aircraft, acquired from the RAF while still relatively new, in 1976. These saw service with UN missions to Somalia and on the Iran-Iraq border, and in disaster relief work in the Pacific. The type was retired from service in 1998. The main difficulty with their service in New Zealand was their limited range – 1,000 nautical miles (1,900 km) of Pacific Ocean separate New Zealand from its nearest neighbours. New Zealand's Andovers were purchased to replace an even shorter-legged aircraft, the Bristol Freighter.
[edit] Variants
- Andover C.1
- First production series for RAF, 31 aircraft built.
- Andover C.1(PR)
- Two C1 aircraft was converted for Photographic Reconnaissance duties.
- Andover CC.2
- Not a variant of the cargo/transport Andover but a VIP transport version of the HS 748.
- Andover E.3 / E.3A
- Seven C.1 aircraft were converted for radio and airport nav aid calibration. Four aircraft were equipped with an inertial referenced flight inspection system (IRFIS) and were designated E3. The other three aircraft didn’t have this equipment installed, and were designated E3A.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Military operators
- UK
- Hunting Aviation
- Military Flight Checking Unit
[edit] Civil operators
Both former RAF and RNZAF[2] aircraft were later sold to civil operators, mainly in Africa. As of July 2010 a total of six ex-military Andovers remain in airline service. Current operators are:[3]
- 748 Air Services (2)
[edit] Survivors
As well as the small number of Andovers which are still flying, the following aircraft are on public display:
- XS639 Andover E.3A
- Former navigation aid calibration Andover, exhibited in the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford.
- NZ7621 Andover CC.1
- Former Royal Air Force XS600, sold to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, on display at the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum in Christchurch.
[edit] Specifications (Andover C.1)
General characteristics
- Crew: 2–3
- Capacity: 44 troops or 14,000 lb (6,350 kg) of cargo
- Length: 78 ft (23.77 m)
- Wingspan: 98 ft 6 in (30.02 m)
- Height: 30 ft 1 in (9.15 m)
- Wing area: 811 ft² (75.4 m²)
- Empty weight: 25,524 lb (11,577 kg)
- Loaded weight: 40,000 lb (18,000 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 51,000 lb (23,100 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce Dart 12 Mk 201 turboprop, 3,245 shp (2,420 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 320 mph (512 km/h)
- Range: 1,624 miles (2,613 km)
- Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,600 m)
[edit] See also
- Related development
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Convair CV-240 family
- Douglas C-124 Globemaster II
- Douglas C-133 Cargomaster
- Fairchild C-82 Packet
- Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
- Fairchild Metro
- Handley Page Herald
- Lockheed C-130 Hercules
- Lockheed L-188 Electra
- Lockheed L-1249 Super Constellation (R7V-2/YC-121F)
- NAMC YS-11
[edit] References
- ^ a b Jefford
- ^ New Zealand Military Aircraft Serial Numbers Hawker Siddeley HS.748MF Andover C.1
- ^ Flight International 2010 World Airliner census retrieved 3 September 2010
3 ^JEFFORD, RAF Squadrons 2nd edition, 2001
[edit] External links
- RAF Museum Andover page
- Various RAF Andover photos, including the unique and still-serving Andover C1 (PR)
- RNZAF Museum Andover page
- New Zealand Military Aircraft Serial Numbers Hawker Siddeley HS.748MF Andover C.1
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