The Aviation Historian — Issue 21 (October 2017)

Issue No 21 THE AVIATION HISTORIAN 13

Before Eden’s ill-fated Suez venture in October
1956, British forces could use the “CENTO
route”. This took RAF aircraft and contracted
civilian trooping flights across the territories
of the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO)
that comprised Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey
and the UK. Post-Suez, there was a possibility
of overflight rights being withdrawn and so
alternative routings to the south, over central
and southern Africa and even around the Cape,
would need to be considered.
The Air Staff was faced with several choices
for this, but eventually it boiled down to the
VC10 Military Freighter, Handley Page HP.111 or
Short Bros Britannic 3. From the off, the Air Staff
wanted the thoroughly modern, jet-powered,
high-speed, capacious HP.111; or if that was off
the menu, the VC10 Military Freighter. The last
thing the Air Staff wanted parked on its ramps
was a Short product, as the company’s work
to date on the Seamew anti-submarine aircraft
and the Britannic had not inspired confidence.
Nor was a propeller-driven Britannic what the
Air Staff wanted, with Air Marshal Sir Geoffrey
Tuttle regarding an order for the Britannic as
comparable with “the War Office ordering
horses at this time”. However, the Strategic
Transport programme became something of a
political football, with the Air Staff, War Office,

Air Ministry and Ministry of Aviation all vying

to get what they wanted. Added to this was the

“Northern Ireland Question”. Her Majesty’s

Government owned 72 per cent of Short Bros,

and, since the company was one of the largest

employers in Belfast, the government view was

that Short should be kept in business.

Suffice to say, whichever company was

granted the Strategic Transport contract, much

of the work, such as fuselage construction,

would have to be done in Belfast. The Air Staff

took a dim view of all this and wondered what

delays would arise from shipping HP.111 or

VC10 fuselages from Radlett or Weybridge, or

their wings to Belfast. In the end, Short Bros

was granted a contract for ten SC.5 Britannic

3A strategic transports, the type entering RAF

service in 1966 as the Belfast C.1.

“‘UNDER THE COUNTER”

Sandys and his 1957 Defence White Paper

certainly laid the foundations for an effective

air defence of the UK — but not in the manner

he intended. Having cancelled the “ultimate

interceptor” designed to requirement F.155/

OR.329, there was nothing in the development

pipeline apart from the English Electric P.1B

Lightning. Long-range surface-to-air guided

weapons (SAGW) would defend the UK from

LEFT The three main contenders for the post-Sandys

military strategic freighter/transport role. Ultimately,

the Short Britannic 3 was chosen and entered service

as the Belfast. Artwork by CHRIS GIBSON © 2017

Short Bros

Britannic 3

ABOVE Admiral Sir Alexander Bingley, head of the

Military Transport Committee, had commanded aircraft

carrierscarrierscarriers HMS Slinger HMS Slinger and Biter during the Second

World War. After the war he was appointed Deputy

Director of Air Warfare, becoming Fifth Sea Lord in

1954, after a two-year spell commanding HMS Eagle.