Hawker Siddeley Andover C.1
Hawker Siddeley · United Kingdom · first flew 1965 · transport aircraft
The Hawker Siddeley Andover C.1 is a purposely designed military transport derived from the Avro 748 airliner but substantially redesigned with a high wing, rear-loading ramp, and a kneeling undercarriage for vehicle loading onto unprepared strips. It provided the RAF with a capable short-field tactical airlifter.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 23.77 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High-wing twin turboprop tactical transport with rear-loading ramp
- Kneeling undercarriage to lower the cargo floor
- Designed for rough-field operations with large rear clamshell doors
The high wing, kneeling undercarriage stance when parked, and large rear clamshell loading doors immediately distinguish the Andover C.1 from the civil HS.748 and similar turboprop transports.
Specifications
- The Hawker Siddeley Andover C.1 has a length of 23.77 m (78 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 29.87 m (98 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 497 km/h (309 mph).
- Typical crew: 3 (2 pilots + loadmaster).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Though outwardly similar to the civil HS.748, the Andover C.1 was in fact a new design sharing only the wing and engines, optimised for military logistics. It entered RAF service in 1966 with No. 46 Squadron and No. 52 Squadron, serving on routes across the Far East, Middle East, and UK.
Variants
The Andover C.1 was the primary military transport version; the Andover CC.2 was a VIP communication transport based more closely on the civil HS.748 without the rear ramp.
Where you'll see it
Withdrawn from front-line RAF service by the mid-1970s as the Lockheed Hercules took over the tactical transport role; some aircraft subsequently served in the Queen's Flight and with the Empire Test Pilots' School into the 1990s.
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