74 RAF CENTENARY CELEBRATION PATROLLERS AND AIRLIFTERS
HAWKER SIDDELEY
1918 2018ANDOVER
HAWKER SIDDELEY
1966 TO 2012
W
hen Duncan Sandys
consigned the future of
manned military aircraft
to the dustbin in his 1957 White
Paper, Avro – as a predominantly
military manufacturer – faced
a predicament.
Its future military projects were
now seriously in doubt and its
recent record as a provider of
civilian aeroplanes was not good; the
Lancastrian, York and Tudor enjoyed
only limited success.
However, necessity would force
a re-entry into the civil market, so
Avro researched potential openings- particularly in twin-engine designs
to replacement the ubiquitous
Douglas DC-3/C-47, which served
in significant numbers worldwide.
Avro wanted to produce an aircraft
that could echo the capabilities of
a DC-3, but with a higher payload
and less cost. Key requirements
included the ability to fly from
semi-prepared strips in hot/high
conditions, to operate from remote
airfields without support and be
loaded easily.
The design team, led by JR Ewans,
settled on an all-metal, low-wing
pressurised monoplane with a large
fin and tailplane. Its cylindrical
fuselage would allow 44 passengers
to be carried four-abreast, with
a central aisle. To provide good
ground clearance, the R.Da.6 Dart
engine was mounted high on each
wing with the jet pipes passing
over them.
In January 1959 the Hawker
Siddeley board (as the new owner
of Avro) gave the go-ahead for
the project to proceed; unusually
this was a private venture, with
no government money or advance
orders to soften the financial impact.
Work began on four prototypes in
February 1959, and although fires at
Avro’s Chadderton factory in 1959
and 1960 caused delays, the maiden
flight of the first prototype Avro 748
Series 1, G-APZV, took place from
the company’s airfield at Woodford
on June 24,^ 1960.CIVIL TO MILITARY
Although the aircraft achieved
limited sales with civilian operators
it also attracted the interest of the
RAF, which issued a requirement
in the early 1960s for a medium-
sized tactical transport with short
take-off and landing and rough
airstrip capabilities.
The Avro team set about turning
the 748 into a military machine and
trials were held at RAF Martlesham
Heath in early 1962 involving the
prototype Avro 748 Series 2 aircraft,
G-ARAY, and a HP Herald.
Handley Page’s failure to
amalgamate with either BAC or
Hawker Siddeley and the 748’s
rough field performance enhanced
its position; RAF commitment was
secured and a contract for 31 aircraft
was awarded in April 1963.
The resulting Avro 780 was 11ft
(3.35m) longer and 6ft (1.83m)taller than the 748. The basic design
of the 748 was retained, but the
rear fuselage was upswept to allow
for a loading ramp, which could be
opened in flight while the tailplane
was moved to the base of the fin.
More powerful Dart R.Da.12
engines were fitted, and the fuselage
centre section was widened and the
floor reinforced to allow the carriage
of vehicles. Larger wheels were
employed on a unique ‘kneeling’
undercarriage, which enabled the
angle of the fuselage to be raised
or lowered for easier loading/
unloading. It could carry 44 fully-
equipped troops, 26 paratroopers
or 15 sitting casualties and 18
stretcher cases.
Hawker Siddeley rebuilt the
original 748 prototype, G-APZV, as
the new 780 test bed and registered
it as G-ARRV ahead of its maiden
flight in December 1963. The type
had been christened Andover by the
time the first production aircraft
(XS594) completed its maiden flight
on July 9, 1965.RAF WORK
The Andover C.1 entered service
with the RAF in July 1966 with
the Andover Conversion Unit atAbove
Hawker Siddeley
Andover C.1 XS607
carried Far East Air
Force camoufl age while
based at RAF Seletar,
Singapore with 52
Squadron in early 1967.
ANDY HAY/
WWW.FLYINGART.CO.UKRight
The Andover had a
unique ‘kneeling’
ability to lower the rear
fuselage and improve
access for loading.
Following RAF service,
XS604 was sold to the
Royal New Zealand Air
Force as NZ7620, before
moving to Belgium and
being registered as
9Q-CDY. ALL KEY
UNLESS STATED