Short Belfast C.1

Short Brothers · United Kingdom · first flew 1964 · transport aircraft

The Short Belfast C.1 was a large British four-turboprop strategic freighter operated exclusively by the RAF, serving as the UK's primary heavy airlifter in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	4 × turboprop, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	T-tail with upswept rear fuselage and rear ramp
T — Tail	T-tail

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Spot it by:

Large British four-turboprop strategic freighter
T-tail with upswept rear fuselage and rear ramp
Only ten aircraft built for RAF

Four Rolls-Royce Tyne turboprops, high straight wing, large upswept fuselage with rear ramp, and a T-tail distinguish it from other large transports of the era.

Specifications

The Short Belfast C.1 has a length of 41.58 m (136 ft).
It has a wingspan of 48.41 m (159 ft).
Its maximum speed is 566 km/h (352 mph).
Typical crew: 5.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Designed by Short Brothers of Belfast, the Belfast first flew in January 1964 and entered RAF service in 1966. Only ten aircraft were built, and their high operating costs led to premature withdrawal in 1976, after which some were acquired by HeavyLift Cargo Airlines for commercial operations.

Variants

All ten aircraft were built to the single C.1 standard; no significant sub-variants were produced.

Where you'll see it

The RAF operated all ten Belfasts with No. 53 Squadron from 1966 to 1976; some subsequently flew with civil cargo operators until the early 2000s.

Related aircraft

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