Fly Past

HANDLEY PAGE HASTINGS 100 YEARS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE

PATROLLERS AND AIRLIFTERS RAF CENTENARY CELEBRATION 53

tailplane, fitted lower on the
fuselage to improve its aerodynamic
efficiency. The new aircraft also had
more powerful Hercules engines and
increased fuel capacity.
Four C.4 versions were delivered
to 24 (Communications) Squadron,
with special VIP interiors and an
extended range of 4,250 miles
(6,840km). In addition to these
aircraft a total of 16 C.1s were
adapted for weather reconnaissance
duties (named Met Mk.1) and eight
more were converted to T Mk.5s to
train bomb aimers for V-Bombers.
The first Hastings C.1s to enter
RAF service joined 47 Squadron
at Dishforth, North Yorkshire,
in September 1948 and the type
was also soon employed by 297
Squadron. In 1949 these two
units employed their Hastings on
the Berlin Airlift and on October
6, 1949, the type performed the
operation’s very last sortie.

Type: Five-crew long-range transport aircraft

First fl ight: May 7, 1946, entered service September 1948

Powerplant: Four 1,675hp (1,249kW) Bristol Hercules 106 radials

Dimensions: Span 113ft (34.44m), length 82ft 8in (25.20m)

Weights: Empty 48,427lb (21,966kg), all-up 80,000lb (36,288kg)

Max speed: 348mph (560km/h) at 22,200ft (6,767m)

Range: 1,690 miles (2,720km)

Capacity: 50 troops, 35 paratroopers, 32 stretchers and 29 sitting wounded

or 20,300lb (9,213kg) of cargo

Replaced: Avro York

Taken on charge: 94 C Mk.1, 43 C Mk.2, four C Mk.4

Replaced by: Bristol Britannia and Lockheed Hercules

HANDLEY PAGE HASTINGS C MK.2 provide transport support to British

military operations around the

globe, including dropping supplies

to troops in Malaysia during the

Indonesian Confrontation.

Even after the arrival of the

turboprop-powered Bristol

Britannia, the Hastings continued

in Transport Command until 1968

when it was eventually replaced by

the Lockheed Hercules.

The Met Flight Hastings had

retired in 1964, after being made

redundant by weather satellites but

the T Mk.5 remained in service as

trainers with the Radar Flight of

230 OCU at Scampton until June

30, 1977 when the Hastings finally

retired from RAF service.

tailplane, fitted lower on the
fuselage to improve its aerodynamic

TRANSPORT AT WAR

The Hastings would go on to

equip the RAF’s 24, 36, 47, 48, 53,

70, 99, 114, 116, 202, 297 and

511 Squadrons in the UK, Egypt,

Cyprus, Gibraltar and Singapore.

During the Suez Crisis, Hastings

of 70, 99 and 511 Squadrons were

used to drop paratroopers on El

Gamil airfield.

Throughout the 1950s-60s

the Hastings fleet continued to

Above

The RAF Museum’s

Hastings T.5 TG511

was built as a C Mk.1

in 1948 and joined 47

Squadron. It was later

converted to Met.1

standard for weather

reconnaissance duties

and then became a

T.5 in 1959 to train

V-Bomber crews.

In 1977 it was the

last Hastings to be

retired when it fl ew

to Cosford for the

RAF Museum. STEVE

BRIDGEWATER

Above

Hastings C.2 WJ340 in

the markings it wore

with 24 Squadron at

RAF Abingdon. ANDY

HAY/WWW.FLYINGART.

CO.UK

Left

Hastings C.2 WD493

while in service with

114 Squadron at

Colerne. This aircraft

was struck off charge

in 1968 and scrapped.

“Throughout the 1950s-60s the Hastings

fl eet continued to provide transport support to

British military operations around the globe,

including dropping supplies to troops

in Malaysia...”