"Flight" photograph

ANDOVER C.1

Multi-purpose rear-loader now in service

decided in 1961 that they needed

a replacement for the RAF's ageing Valetta and Hastings
short-range transports which even then had another intensive campaign to serve. In that, the Malaysian-Indonesian
confrontation, the veterans were called upon to mount a ceaseless paradrop logistic-support operation, supplying troops in
virtually impenetrable jungle. They did it, and they did it well,
as Flight saw at first-hand, but the disadvantages of the old
side-loaders, with a strict limit in the size and weight of paradrop loads, and the slow delivery rate consequent upon loads
being manhandled down the fuselage and round through the
door, were really driven home. The immense operational
advantages of rear-end loading were obviously to be required
in any replacement but the same aircraft had not only to serve
as a tactical freighter and paratroop transport, while possessing
good STOL qualities, but be usable across the whole spectrum
of RAF short-range transport operations. This meant, among
other things, hauling dependant families from time to time, and
use on casualty evacuation flights. Pressurisation, a long ferry
range and quick convertibility of the interior were also prerequisites therefore.
For economic reasons it was decided that the transport must
be a derivation of an existing aircraft, rather than evolving
from a clean sheet of paper. Britain was in the fairly unusual
Position of having two directly competitive commercial transports, the twin-Dart HS.748 and Handley Page Herald, at that
time, both of which qualified for consideration as the base
aircraft for the project. In one of the most hotly contested
contract battles waged between two British airframe companies
for many years, and after a lot of politicking and front-page
column inches, the contract was awarded to Hawker Siddeley's
Avro Whitworth Division to go ahead with its 748MF (Military
Freighter) project, otherwise known around the group's Manchester area factories as the Type 780, which became the
Andover.
The civil 748 had made its first flight in June 1960 and the
first production aircraft was delivered in January 1962. After the
Andover go-ahead, work on the definitive programme began on

HE AIR STAFF'S PLANNERS

October 26, with delivery of the first aircraft required exactly

two years later, on October 26, 1964. Due to extensive changes
which were subsequently specified, this date was put back and
the aircraft received its CA release in February 1965. An interim contract had-been awarded in 1962 which ran until
April 23 and the main contract was signed on April 22, 1963.
On December 21 that year the maiden flight was made of the
rebuilt prototype 748 with the new, upswept ramp-equipped
rear-end, and the more powerful Dart 12 engines of the
Andover, but lacking other features of the definitive military
transport. Flight development of this aircraft was followed on
July 9, 1965, by the first flight of the first production aircraft.
Since then delivery has reached the rate of H aircraft a
month (on an assembly line at Woodford separate from that
of the commercial 748 airliners) and the last of 31 ordered
for RAF Air Support Command is about to be delivered. The
Andover is already hard at work adding a new dimension to
RAF short-range transport capabilities in the United Kingdom
and the Far East and within a few months a Middle East
squadron will be formed.
The Rolls-Royce Dart R.Da7-powered 748 Series 2 was taken
as the base aircraft from which the Andover was evolved. This
aircraft was fully described, with a cutaway drawing, in Flight
for June 3, 1960, and the changes made will be described in
this article, rather than a full description, including the common
parts, being given.
Extensive wind tunnel testing was run to evolve the Andover
rear fuselage. The conventional beaver-tail shape adopted for
such rear-loaders as the C-130 and the Belfast gave high drag
characteristics which threatened the long unrefuelled ferry range
requirement of 2,700 n.m. with the relatively high s.f.c. Dart
R.Dal2 engine, which was preferable on every other score.
Five basic designs of rear fuselage, with sub-variants, were
evolved before the final choice was made.
Low rear-end drag is achieved by retaining the rounded fuselage cross-section right through to the tail, with gently tapering
contours in both plan and side elevations. Relatively little upContinued on page 334, after cutaway drawing of the Andover

\t

- ^

e*

.ss
Iliffe/Transport Publications Ltd

The salient features of the Andover C.I tactical transport, which shares some common structure with the HS.748 commercial short-hauler but
is nevertheless much modified, are shown in this Frank Munger drawing. The fuselage has been extended both fore and aft, the tail surfaces
redesigned, the wing centre-section extended to accommodate the larger propellers of the more powerful Dart 12 engines, and the wingtips
cropped to leave the overall span unchanged. A radically new "kneeling" and long-stroke undercarriage (see far right) has been fitted

ANDOVER C.1\ . .
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26

Front pressure bulkhead

Electrically heated windscreen
Forged windscreen frame
DV panel
Pull-in slide window
Heavy frames, terminate at pressure
floor
Pressure floor
Flight deck floor
Heavy structure supporting pressure
floor and nose gear
Continuous Z-section stringers
Uncut frames
Frame/skin segment plates
Single-pressing door frames
Freight/crew door 48in x 54in
Spring balance link
Doubler plates
Stringers doubled up in this area
Window retaining clamps (windows
I9in x I3in)
Fabricated fuselage/wing main frames
Wing/fuselage joint (forging and
plate, multi-bolt fixing)
Frames bolted to main ribs
Stringer carry-through fitting
Fuselage inter-spar skin support at
ribs
Spars form pressure boundary
Top skin forms pressure boundary
Floor support structure

27 Diagonals brace seat rails for axial

loads
28 6,7001b lashing point
29 Paratroop door 69m x 30in (pull-in
and slide)
30 Two-stage ramp jack
31 Ramp latch
32 Ramp latch cylinder
33 Door linkage
34 Door linkage torque tube
35 Emergency jettison handle
36 Door release lock handle
37 Ramp in pressurised area
38 Clamshell doors in unpressurised
tail cone
39 Troop static-line
40 Load drop static-line
41 External door-release
42 Hinged rear pressure bulkhead
43 Interchangeable tailplanes (15
dihedral)
44 Built-up fail-safe braces
45 Crack-I imit joint at 67 per cent depth
46 Double-L-section bottom boom
47 Boom stabilising brackets
48 Web stiffeners
49 Single-L-section boom
50 Tank end ribs
51 Tank baffle ribs
52 Stringer carry-through
53 Rib safe with any tie broken

54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
#o
79
80

Stringer/rib tie
Extruded Z-section
Extruded T-section
Skin in crack-limiting panels
Skin butt joint
Tip NACA 4412; I8SWG bottom
skin, I6SWG top
Main root rib NACA 23018: I4SWG
bottom skin, I0SWG top
Stringer joint plates
Stringer carry-through
Inspection-hole doubler plate
Doublers at flap tracks
Fail-safe hinge brackets
Detachable leading edge
Hinged leading edge
Wing-to-centre-section butt-strap
Flap track
Flap/rib bridge-piece
Ribs take load oh track failure
Back-to-back channel section over
skin
Back-to-back L-section
Built-up fail-safe bracing
Hatch for flap-gear access
Hinged radome
Hinged fairing
Removable
top and side panels
isemtn
Outboard cowling panels only
"I Ou
shown
V she
nterchangeable port and stbd
J Int,

81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93

Cowling stays
Inspection, cabin-air
Inspection, electrics bay
Inspection, tank and wing
Emergency door 48in x 30in
Tail prop strut socket
Folding trooping seats
Static point
A i r mileage recorder
Stall warning
Compass detector unit
Galley
Toilet

A
Al
A2
A3
A4
A5
A6
A7
A8
A9
AI0
All
AI2
AI3

Cabin Air System

Cooling-air intake
To cabin via non-return valve
Heat exchanger (normal system)
Heat exchanger (cold air system)
Cold-air unit
Water separator on deliver, to
riser
Cooling-air outlet
Pressure dump-valve (manual!
Temperature control valve
Ground conditioning
Flight deck riser, radio eoolmr
Compressor to heat exchange" a"
temperature control
Heat exchanger to temperature
control

FLIGHT International. 31 August 1967

334-335

I3

fULLY

KNELT

HORMAL STATIC

*J4
AI5
At
AI7
Aio
AIV
*M
A21

Compressor delivery silencer

Non-return valve
Godfrey cabin-air blower
Spill
valve and outlet
^ e n s l n 8 an<* control unit
Compressor intake
Discharge valve (4.4lb/sq in)
Discharge valve and inward
- AAnting
nting
Duct relief valve
Control*
Aileron controls
Elevator controls
Throttle

C4
C5
C6
C7
C8
C9
CIO
Cl I
CI2
CI3
CM
CIS
Cl*
CI7
CI8

HP cock and feathering

Control rods under floor
Cable tensioners
Control lock
Mass balance
Trim screw-jack
Duplicated control rods
Torsion bars
Tab torsion bar
Main torsion bar
Control input
Output to tab
Trim tab
Spring tab
Duplicated torque tubes

CI9 Interconnecting chain and

sprockets
C20 Flap-operating cable
C2I Tab-operating linkage
C22 Electric flap motor (manual
emergency)
E Emergency Syitemi
El Compressor bleed to pneumatic
de-icing
E2 De-icing air filter
E3 De-icing suction
E4 De-icing pressure
E5 Discharge from venturi
E4 Solenoid distributor valve

E7
E8
E9
EIO
Ell
EI2
EI3
EI4
EI5
EH
EI7
E18

Connectors to boot
Fire wall, zone I
Fire wall, zone 2
Double-headed 121b fire bottle
(each nacelle)
Fire suppression to zones I and 2
Electric de-icing
Pressure-locked outward-opening
emergency hatch
External handle
Fire access panels
De-icing boot (chardwise tubes)
De-icing boot (spanwise tubes)
Door-jettison hinge shear pin
Key continued overleaf

FLIGHT International,

336

31 August

KEY TO CUTAWAY DRAWING

(Continued from previous page)
F Fuel System
Fl Integral tanks (1,440 Imp gal,
additional 860 Imp gal optional,
see F5)
F2 Pressure refuelling point
F3 Vent
F4 Contents unit
F5 Alternative tank-end rib for extended tankage
F6 Collector tank
F7 Booster pumps
F8 Ground service cock
F Water-methanol feed
FIO LP filter
F l l Water-methanol tanks (291-gal
port, 32gal stbd)
FI2 Fuel heater
FI3 Cross feed
F14 Fuel heater air exhaust

PIO
PI I
PI2
PI3
PI4
PI5
PI6

H
HI
H2
H3
H4
HS
H6
H7
HS
H9
HIO
HII
HI2
HIS

R9
RIO
Rl 1
RI2
RI3
RI4
RI5

Hydraulic and Electric power

Electrical control panel
Circuit breakers
Hydraulics duct
Alternator (30kVA)
Generator (9kW)
Generator cooling air
Batteries (4x28V 23Ah)
Retractable landing lamps
Hydraulic pump
Header tank
Hydraulic equipment bay
Hydraulic accumulator
Pressure gauges and charging
points
H I 4 Hydraulic service bay
H I S Ramp and undercarriage ground
control panel
P
PI
P2
P3
P4
P5
P6
PT
P8
P9

Power Plant
Rolls-Royce Dart (R.Dal2) Mk 201C
Rotol 14ft 6in propellers
Rotol 120 h.p. accessory gearbox
Jetpipe shroud (British Refrasil
blankets)
Jetpipe-shroud cooling air
Stainless-steel accessory drip tray
Oil-tank filler
Filler drain
Oil-cooler airflow

R
Rl
R2
R3
R4
R5
R6
R7
R8

U
UI
U2
U3
U4
US
U6
U7
U8
U9
UIO
U11
UI2
II13
UI4
UIS
UI4
UI7

Oil filler and dipstick access

Cowling drain
Turbine drain
Pressure relief doors
Engine breather
Combustion chamber drain
Bay venting air
Radio
Radio control panel
Radio racks
Static discharge wicks
HF wire aerial
IFF aerial
Glide slope aerial
Marker aerial
ADF loop, VHF, VHF2 VOR/LOC,
UHF, Violet Picture, on fuselage
top
ADF sense aerial
Doppler
Decca
UHF aerial
Ekco M22I0 search radar
Rebecca transmitting
Rebecca homing
Undercarriage
Nose leg pivot
Nose leg ram pickup
Up-lock
Up-lock pin
Down lock
Steering linkage
Externally stowed drag strut
Liquid Spring unit
Door operating linkage
Pre-closing-door operating camtrack (fixed)
Main ram
Leg-operated door mechanism
Dunlop ceramic multi-disc antiskid brakes
Dunlop tyres 34 x 11.75-14 71/77
Ib/sq in (tubeless)
Dunlop tyre 8.5x IO.5Slb/sq in
(tubed)
Nitrogen
Hydraulic kneeling facility

Paratroop seats and restrainer

fully equipped troops) and, at
rear pressure bulkhead. In the
door is a wheel-packed 26-man

ANDOVER C.1 . . .
sweep of the fuselage centre line was necessary if drag was to
be kept low but this in turn made the design of the rear door
and ramp more complicated.
The solution to the difficult design problem was to have the
fuselage rear opening closed by three sections, an upwardhingeing ramp door forward of two outward-hingeing clamshell
doors which' themselves are divided, each into two longitudinal
sections, the inner sections folding inward to reduce the
excrescence in the airstream when in the open position. These
doors continue virtually to the tail extremity, to give maximum
loading headroom. To overcome problems of complexity and
weight in pressure sealing the clamshell doors, an ingenious
rear pressure bulkhead, hingeing down from the roof to join the
rear end of the ramp, was designed. To fit the round fuselage
contours in the raised position, it was necessary to make this
component sectional, too, with two side "wings" which droop
close to the fuselage roof in the retracted position and which
are in plane with the middle section in the lowered, pressurised
position. The central section has a vertical slot to accommodate the para-dropping static line which, at its rear end, is
anchored beyond the limits of the pressure cabin. This slot,
and the periphery of the rear pressure bulkhead, are sealed by
self-inflating servo seals of silicon* rubber with teryknc net
reinforcement. These are tubular with an attachment strip inside
and holes are simply cut in the outer tubing for the attachment
screws.
The lightweight two-section clamshell doors thus need no
pressure seals, neither do they have aerodynamic seals. They
are geometrically locked in both open and closed positions; if
there is a loss of hydraulic pressure when the doors are open
they are not closed by air loads in the path of departing loads.
Knowing that rear-loaders, and particularly ramps, come in
for plenty of physical abuse in hard service, the design team
aimed to make the back end very robust. Very big extrusions

"Flight" copyright drawing

nets (which replace seat belts for

rear, the upward-hingeing sectional
casing by the starboard emergency
dinghy

"FLIGHT International,

31 August

1967

form the longerons on either side of the fuselage cut-out and

the ramp itself contains no mechanisms at all. Simple shoot
bolts lock it into the closed position. Order of back-end
operation is for the ramp to close first, then the clamshell
doors to close and the pressure bulkhead, if being lowered at
all, to descend as the shoot bolts slide into place. Bulkhead
actuation is by means of one jack, which was simply spliced
off the existing hydraulic system; ramp actuation by means of
a tandem jack on each side, shrouded behind zip-up panels
of neoprene/glass fibre cloth, since they are within the cabin
area. In the roof, aft of the pressure bulkhead, is stowed the
extractor parachute for mass "daisy-chaining" drops of pallets.
Although the basic 748 empennage was dictated by the
financial limits inside which the Andover was conceived, considerable modification was needed in practice. The fin has
laminated mass booms and is not stepped into the fuselage, as
is the case with the civil aircraft, but bolted to heavy frames
which are laterally angled. This is to offset the fin 2\ to starboard, to balance out the critical single-engine case. Since the
removal outboard of the engine nacelles by 18in (to accommodate greater diameter props) partially took the tailplane out of
the direct prop wash this, too, was changed. While retaining
748 tailplane sections, these have been dihedralled. A fix necessary in flight development was to put extended leading edge
root fillets with a small-radius leading edge. These throw off a
vortex to increase elevator power and overcome the low elevator power resulting from very high negative incidence air on
the root of the tailplane, which, in breaking away, rendered
the inboard ends of the elevators ineffective. The tailplane and
elevator assemblies are non-handed.
Substantial reinforcement of the wing rear spar was necessary
to take the STOL landing loadsvertical speeds are 13ft/sec
in the STOL mode and 10ft/sec normally. This beefing-up makes
the installation of the R.Dal2 an uncomplicated affair, despite
its 2,970 s.h.p. "wet" take-off power against the 2,030 s.h.p.
take-off "wet" power of the R.Da7 in the 748 Series 2.
Main complication came from the larger, 14ft 6in-dia propellers necessary to handle the increased power. They were
accommodated by an increase in centre section span of 36in,

Right: Weother radar and provision for a Decca flight log

immediately in front of the power
and propeller pitch levers are
evident in this flight-deck view.
The rear door and ramp control,
and switches for the paratroop
corning lights, are immediately
to the right of the co-pilot's
instrument " T "

'eft: RAF Andovers have this well

equipped navigator's station on
we starboard side, opposite the
forvvord crew door. Details:
' folding supernumerary seat
i * s t r o navigation window

i j P " supply and mask stowage

\ Electrics
"oppler

f a s t e r co m p i s s
Decca
Rebecca
'
box
, j [ eri ope sextant
t-up Periscope sextant platform

337
to give the necessary prop/fuselage clearance. The tips were
cropped by 18in each side, to leave the total span unchanged
at 98ft 3in. Despite the beefing of the wing which was necessary, opportunities were taken in the light of experience on
the civil aircraft to save weight on the wing structure. The
outboard tank end rib was moved farther out, to increase fuel
capacity each side from 550gal to 720gal. Spring-tab ailerons
were substituted for the servo-tab controls on the civil 748
and the Fowler flaps were modified. Maximum leading-section
extension angle is 30 (instead of 27^) and that of the trailing
section another 80, to produce a re-entrant effect and the 6
approach angle necessary for STOL landings.
Low-pressure tyres of 34in-dia (instead of the original 32in)
demanded minor nacelle changes while the greater gross-weight,
STOL landing loads and the need for greater ground clearance
for the bigger props all demanded a new undercarriage, designed by Dowty-Rotol. The main feature of this, the "kneeling" facility to permit adjustment of ramp-end height to suit
various lorry-bed heights, is already well known. To prevent
accidents in kneeling on to ground obstructions the kneeling
undercarriage, together with the ramp, can be controlled only
from outside the aircraft, at an external panel on the port side
near the ramp, once the pilot has selected a master switch.
Kneeling can. however, be cancelled from the cockpit, the
pilots being able to unkneel, clean up the aircraft by closing
all doors, and getting away. There is lateral adjustment of the
kneeling facility, for sloping ground. A safety device prevents
kneeling without sufficient system pressure to unkneel being
available.
Though the aircraft is cleared for two-pilot operation and
the flight deck bears a close resemblance to that of the civil
airliner, the RAF specified a full navigator's position and seating for a supernumerary crew member. Installation of the sidemounted navigation console (the nav's seat turns forward for
take-off and landing) was off-set, in terms of volumetric
capacity, by the extension of the forward fuselage by 3ft to
balance the increased length of the rear fuselage.
In keeping with its multi-purpose rolewhich means transporting passengers in reasonable airliner-like comfort on

Left: This 3,500lb-pull freight winch, weighing 1801b, which anchors to freight lashing points, is part of the role equipment and is driven
from the aircraft electrics. Pull is adequate to draw a disabled Ferret scout car up the ramp. Right: the general-arrangement drawing
shows a normal side elevation and another with the undercarriage "knelt" and the ramp and clamshell doors open

ANDOVER C.1 . . .
scheduled military services as well as fuly equipped paratroops
on urgent operational occasions, the Andover has a fully hardtrimmed cabin interior, and two carry-on toilet units can be
installed, one forward by the navigator's station and one aft
by the starboard emergency door. Inside the forward door
is an emergency equipment cabin, which houses parachutes and
a 26-man wheel-packed dinghywhich can easily be rolled aft,
or forward to the forward door. A galley unit can be installed
in the forward area. There are folding hat-racks and four
aeromedical station boxes in the cabin walls. The cabin floor
has seat/lashing fittings on a standard 20in grid and HSA Mk 2
roller conveyors, with side guidance, can be swiftly installed.
A light-weight winch, which plugs into a heavy power socket in
the cabin roof, has been developed as part of the comprehensive range of role equipment, to haul heavy goods into the
aircraftthe hauling cable passing beneath loads already
embarked. This is sufficiently powerful to pull an inert Ferret
scout car into the aircraft. Lightweight ramp extensionsonly
1051b the pairare carried as standard and these, too, are
stressed for weights up to that of the Ferret Up to 1,2001b
can be carried on the ramp in flight. For the important longrange ferry case two 850gal cabin tanks are carried, these
gravity feeding the ordinary fuel system through two connector
panels in the cabin walls.
The aircraft is considered too narrow for double stick
dropping of paratroopers (the Andover's cabin cross section,
dictated by 748 dimensions, is certainly on the slim side for
the military transport role); thus, only the port rear side door

is used for paratrooping, this being a plug-type door moving

on parallel link hinges, with the completely smooth sill
which was an operational requirement. Twenty-six paratroops
and two dispatchers can be carried in this role on sidewaysfacing seats which fold up against the cabin sides. Other items
in the range of role equipment designed by Hawker Siddeley
are stretchers and associated fittings, which can be stowed near
floor level beneath the seats when the aircraft is used in the
trooping role. As an aeromedical transport the Andover can
carry up to 18 stretcher cases and a further eight sitting passengers, who might include ambulatory patients as well as
nursing personnel. In the ordinary trooping and passenger
transport role, standard Shorts-built Air Support Command
rearward-facing seats are installed in pairs, up to a maximum
of 44, with the passengers' kitbags or other luggage restrained
behind nets on the rear-loading ramp.
HAWKER SIDDELEY ANDOVER C.I DATA
Powerplant Two Rolls-Royce R.Dal2 Mk 20IC turboprops of 2,970 s.h.p. minimum " w e t " power take-off rating.
Dimensions Length 78ft; span 98ft 3in; height 30ft l i n ; wing area 83lsq ft; aspect
ratio 11.61; max fuselage dia 8ft 9in; max internal width 8.1ft; gross usable volume
2,200cu ft.
Weights Manufacturer's empty w t 26,6151b; basic operational w t 27.9141b; APS
w t 28,6421b, max payload (inc role equipment and water/methanol) 'jji'-jS?'
max zero fuel wt 44,0001b; design gross w t 50,0001b; max landing wt 47,6001b;
STOL landing wt 42,0001b.
Performance (ISA conditions) Take-off to 35ft, 50,0001b, s.l. 2.400ftbalanced
field length 3,420ft; rate-of-climb, 50,0001b, max climb power, s.l. t,l60ft/min:
service ceiling, at max climb power 23,8001b; cruising speed (TAS) at max crujs*
power, 45,0001b, 20,000ft 224kt; landing field length from 50ft, 47,6001b, s.l. 3,850ft.
stalling speed (EAS), 50,0001b, no flap IO9kt, 10 flap 99Jkt, 22* flap 88kt;
46,700 Ib, 10 flap 97kt, 221 flap 86kt; 30 main flap, flap tab 110" 77kt. Payload;
Range Performance (ISA, 30min hold, 200 n.m. diversion plus 5 per cent stage tuei
reserves): maximum payload 250 n.m.; I2,000lb payload 700 n.m.; 4,0001b payloao
1 1 5 0 n m
Andover in Action: page 3

Left: Rear-end view, showing the external hydraulic support strut, with an 8,0001b proof load, which stows in the clip on the rear of the ramp;
the two-section clamshell doors in the fully open position; the anchorage of the static line; the rearward-shining ramp light one/ the
external mesh guard to prevent flailing parachute lines from whipping upward and jamming in the elevator and rudder root slots.
a Dart R.Dal2 Mk 20IC engine, with 2,970 s.h.p. "wet" take-off power, goes in. It drives a 14ft bin Dowty-Rotol prop
"Flight" photograph

FLIGHT International,

3/ August 1967

339

AN DOVER C.1 . . .

Andover in Action
where 46 Sqn, the UKbased Andover squadron, and the Andover OCU are
based: "It's in a class of its ownthe RAF has never
had a tactical aircraft as good as this before"; "A very good
operatorwe're all very pleased with it"; "Delightful to fly,
and pretty good to look at"; "Wonderful little beasteasy to
look after and exceptionally reliable for the early days." One
does not have to think far back to recollect aircraft which, on
introduction, have not been welcomed with such repeatable
hymns of praise.
No 46 Sqn started operating with three crews on November 28 last year, and has since built up to a full crew
complement, and has eight aircraft. Andover OCU training
began in September last year and 46 Sqn's build-up has run in
parallel with that of 52 Sqn, at RAF Seletar, which is introducing the new multi-purpose short-hauler to the Far East
theatre. Within the next few months formation of a third
squadron, for the Middle East, is due to take place. These
three squadrons, and the OCU, will then account for all the
RAF's force of 31 Andovers, one of which was recently
written off in a training accident at Abingdon.
First operational flight with passengers for 46 Sqn took
place on February 14 after an intensive work-up period. This
was an aeromedical evacuation flight from Wildenrath in
Germany; the squadron has done several more since and the
intention is that the comfortable pressurised Andover should
replace the unpressurised Pembrokes which are still operating
the medical run on a scheduled basis. Training had taken
squadron aircraft as far afield as Gibraltar, Norway and
Cyprus when Flight visited the unit recently. The squadron's
main commitment is transport support for the Army, and it
is an organic part of the Strategic Reserve; there is, therefore,
a policy to keep it untrammelled by commitments to fly any
regularly scheduled runs, save the aeromedical service.
AMPLE COMMENTS FROM ABINGDON,

Intensive work-up
Most Andover captains are Transport Command men
straight from captaincies or co-pilotships on Beverleys and
Hastings though the CO, Sqn Ldr M. J. Rayson, had been
flying a desk after tours on Beverleys and RCAF North Stars.
Co-pilots are largely first-tour men straight from training; while
the initial navigators on the squadron had previous transport
tours, the newest are mainly first-tour men, too.
Very intensive work-up flying is taking place at the present
timethe day we were at Abingdon 17 sorties were listed on
the squadron's notice board, with 25 planned for the following
day. The aircraft has earned all its clearances; the crews,
rapidly, are earning all theirs. A minor modification to the
paratroop doora larger radius aft jamb to prevent static line
chafinghad delayed training in this role; three of the squadron's aircraft had been modified; and modification of the
Temainder was in hand.
Aircrew work-up and role training naturally involves the
Army dispatch teams who will be closely involved with the
squadron in operationthey, too, must become fully familiar
with the new aircraft and the procedures it involves. Smooth
inter-Service working and confident familiarity with the aircraft were evident on a load-dropping training mission over
Watchfield, an Army DZ in Wiltshire, on which Flight flew.
Sqi Ldr Rayson was checking out a young captain in this role,
a
"d took the co-pilot's place; additional to the remaining crew
complement of navigator and AQM was a check AQM too.
Tk' ^ c o u r s e > there was the Army dispatch team of four.
Three one-ton loads were already lashed in place (the maximum is sixlimited by volume rather than by weight) and
these were to be dropped individually, being released manually
Ta
ther than automatically as "daisy chain" all-in-one dropping

"Flight" photograph
Above: a one-ton load goes over the sill of an Abingdonbased 46 Sqn Andover during training drops at Watchfield, Wilts, from a height of SOOft. The second
operational Andover squadron at the present time is
52 Sqn at RAF Seletar, Singapore, one of whose aircraft (below) disgorges a well manned and armed
Land-Rover. Bottom, a one-ton container goes into
an Andover for practice
dropping from
Abingdon

"Flight" photograph

340-341
FLIGHT lnurnmmo,
31 August (967

ANDOVER IN ACTION . . .
involves. Take-off weight was 44,8001b. When the DZ was
sighted and the run in had begun, for the drop from 500ft, the
dispatchers already had the first load unlashed, but chocked
to prevent rearward movement. "Action stationschocks away."
Now all that restrained the load was a small nylon cord at
the forward end. By it a dispatcher stood, knife in hand. The
dispatch commander stood on the starboard side, hand over
the load, watching the "Go" light and ready to give the
thumbs-up which would signal the away.
Forward, the navigator was standing up behind the pilots,
ready with the correction factors to apply for wind drift and
the time lag between giving the drop order and the load going
over the sill. "Forty yards right, 370yd early," he said. Aft, the
check AQM was ready to time the lag"sill time"the aim
in training being to reduce it. Ten degrees of flap was giving
the gentle nose-up floorline which would help the load get
awaya rearward slope of about 5. IAS was 105kt. The red
readiness light was on; then came the imperative "Green on."
The dispatch commander both saw it and, through his headset, heard it. Up went his thumb, down went the knife and
the suddenly severed nylon tether snaked away from the
blade. The dispatchers shoved. "Load moving, load gone," said
the AQM, and there was both an audible and physical thump
as it went over the sill. Then it reappeared as our distance
from it grew, swinging very gently beneath its red canopy, a
bright splash of colour against a grey-green, overcast countryside. "Five seconds sill time," said the senior AQM.
We flew very wide and untypical circuits for our second
and third drops, to clear the Royal Military College of Science
at Shrivenham"the College of Knowledge" said the captain
which gets angry should modern science and technology actually
manifest itself audibly through any open window. After all
three loads had gone, with satisfactory results, the dispatchers
moved their forward seats aft to restore trim for the landing,
made at a runway target threshold speed, Vat, of 91kt, with
27 of flap for a normal landing. STOL touchdowns require
30, with propeller reverse pitch selected in the air a few
seconds before touchdown. Reverse is used only for STOL.
Dropping speeds vary between 105 and 120kt IAS according to stores, and are around 110-115kt for troops, who are
dropped with 22 flap selected from a height of 800ft AGL.
All 46 Squadron's maintenance is done in the open, under
portable floodlights if necessary, and the aircraft only see the
inside of the Tech Wing's hangars when they go in for
scheduled servicing after 240hr flying. This check takes five
days. The squadron engineering officer reports a very good
mean time between defects with the Andover"the aircraft
operated straight away without snags." Even such a smooth
and trouble-free introduction into service has its drawbacks,
however"the lack of troubles to rectify gives little technical
feedback to the maintenance trades and probably slows up
their familiarity with all parts of the aeroplane," he said. "There

John Marsden's drawing shows an RAF Andover in

typical freighting configuration, with the forward
toilet unit installed, and a Ferret scout car and
Land-Rover quarter-ton truck comprising the load.
Also shown is one of the two 8S0gal cabin-fitted
ferry tanks, which give the Andover a 2,700 n.m.
unrefuelled ferry range
~-l.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
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14
15
16
17
18
19
20
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23
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25
26
27
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34

Pilot
Co-pilot
Supernumerary folding seat
Navigator's position
Rebecca aerial
Periscopic sextant
Astro-navigation window
Very pistol
Radio racks
Freight/crew door, 48in X 54in
Removable toilet
HF aerial
VHF aerial
ADF loop
VOR aerial
UHF aerial
Upper formation-keeping lights '
Freight lashing points
Freight floor, reinforced uniformly
to carry load of 2001 b/sq ft
Ferry-tank connecting panel (two)
Protected lights
Overwing emergency exits (one
each side)
Emergency door 48in x 30in
Paratroop door 69in x 30in
Tail ramp
Clamshell doors
Ramp extensions (stowed both sides)
Hinted rear pressure bulkhead
Dinghy stowage
Vortex generators
Auxiliary ferry tanks (two may be
carried in fuselage)
Main undercarriage unit, fully kneeling (lower wheels shown in normal
static position)
Rolls-Royce Dart 12 engines
Rotol 14ft 6in-dia reversible-pitch
propeller
Aircraft shown in freighter configuration carrying Ferret Mk 2/3
scout car and
Land-Rover Mk 5 |-ton truck

A team of Army dispatchers,

with RAF air quartermasters,
during load-dropping
operations.
Left, a dispatcher slashes the one remaining nylon tether after all other restraints have been
removed. Centre, the load begins to move over the roller track, assisted by a downward 5
floor slope trimmed in for the purpose and, right, it's smack on the DZ. Manually
discharged
loads leave the ramp at an approximate relative speed of 10 m.p.h.; parachute-extracted
"daisy
chain" loads of up to six one-ton pallets reach 40 m.p.h. over the sill

Hiffe Transport Publicitions Ltd 1967

342
FLIGHT International,

31 August 1967

ANDOVER IN
ACTION . . .

Sqn Ldr M. J. Ray son, CO of 46 Sqn

at Abingdon, noses up close under
the open ramp of another squadron
aircraft for "Flight" photographer
Tom Hamill to get this picture

were the usual crop of radio troubles; any snags we got with
the hydraulics have now disappeared; the electrics are very
good indeed, and we haven't had a snag with the kneeling
undercarriage. Likewise the engineswe went six months
before we got our first engine change. It takes seven hours,
with a team of four men. Prop changes take two."
The Dart 12s are being run to 600hr t.b.o. for the first
sampling, with 800hr targeted for the second sampling. "Things
are reasonably accessible on this aeroplane and we can
normally turn it round inside the hour. There have been very
few defects at the rear end, save one rather bad snag on a
ramp when the sequencing went wrong and the ramp jammed
down."
Man who's lived longest with the Andover at Abingdon is
Sqn Ldr H. Ogilvie, CO of the OCU and formerly RAF project
officer on the type with HSA. Sqn Ldr Ogilvie, a South
African with 24 years' unbroken RAF flying, is as keen an
Andover enthusiast as one can find and very recently took
great pleasure in demonstrating it to senior US officers during
a series of demonstration flights in Washington. "STOL is a

new concept on aircraft of this type in the RAF and there is

also, of course, a new concept in crewing, with no signaller or
flight engineer. The pilots are kept very busy, but they find
the aircraft delightful."
Courses at the OCU last 19 weeks, for both pilots and navigators, and 90 per cent of the trainee captains are from other
Air Support Command squadrons. The OCU has 18 instructorspilots, navigators, AEOs (to supervise pilots' radio
procedures) and AQMs. No manufacturers' courses are involved for RAF trainees, all ground instruction being given
at Abingdon by RAF personnel. The first six weeks are
devoted to ground instruction; 13 weeks' flying training
follows. The Andover OCU is also responsible for the training of crews for the RAFs few Andover CC.2 VIP transports
"The Shiny Boys"whose aircraft are geometrically identical to the civil 748 but installationally identical to the C.I.
Co-pilots for the Queen's Flight Andovers are also trained at
the OCU, but the captains' training is done by the Queen's
Flight itself at Benson.
ROBERT R. RODWEIX

THE BACK-STAGE PLAN

Four hundred aircraft will take part in Battle of Britain
commemoration displays at nine RAF stations on September 16.
RAF Fighter Command, responsible for overall planning of
the event, has revealed details of the planning.
The calculation of split-second timing, so that aircraft flying
from station to station to give displays arrive exactly on time,
while doing so safely and without disruption of civil traffic, has
resulted in an immense 150-page operation order. In general,
aircraft will fly routes and altitude chosen to avoid controlled
air spaces and prohibited areas. Where faster formations overtake slower ones, or where there is conflicting traffic, a height
separation is given and each pilot has notes warning him of
proximity of other aircraft. For example, a Shackleton performing at Leuchars, Acklington, Finningley and Coltishall
will fly between stations at 180 m.p.h. and 3,500ft and is
warned that on the first leg he will be overtaken, on the same
route, by a Britannia flying at 280 m.p.h. and 5,500ft; at
different times on the second leg he will be passed by a Sea

Vixen at 340 m.p.h. and 5,500ft and by four Phantoms and

four Super Sabres at 400 m.p.h. and 5,500ft. The Shackleton
crew will know just where and when the other aircraft wili
come into view, similarly, pilots of the faster aircraft will
know they will pass the Shackleton at a given point and
time.
The time-table cannot be flexible and if, for some reason,
a pilot cannot meet his ETA at a given station, he will inform
the station by radio and be instructed to by-pass outside the
display area, or cleared to do his turn at an amended time, he
will go on to his next scheduled station, adjusting his speeti to
arrive at the right ETA. All pilots' watches are synchronised
and meteorological reports will be issued giving significant
weather changes. All weather contingency plans have been pre'
pared. Touring formations will fly between 1,700ft and 5,500tt.
descending to 500ft and 1,000ft to cross airfield boundariesThese formations alone will fly some 1,500 miles in three hours
on September 16.