Short Belfast

The Short Belfast (or Shorts Belfast) is a retired heavy lift turboprop freighter that was built by British manufacturer Short Brothers at Belfast. Only 10 aircraft were constructed, all of which entered service with the Royal Air Force (RAF), who operated it under the designation Short Belfast C.1. Upon its entry into service, the Belfast was the largest aircraft that the British military had ever operated up to that time. It was also notable for being the first aircraft to be designed from the outset to be equipped with full 'blind landing' automatic landing system equipment. Following the formation of RAF Strike Command and a reorganisation of transport assets, the RAF decided to retire all of its Belfast transports by the end of 1976. Shortly after the type had been retired by the RAF, five Belfasts were sold and entered civilian service with the cargo airline HeavyLift. HeavyLift used the aircraft for charter transport, including flights for the RAF. One Belfast is on display at the Royal Air Force Museum Midlands. The Belfast has its origins in studies conducted by aircraft manufacturer Short Brothers into the possibility for matching an arrangement of four Bristol Orion turboprop engines with an airframe that had been optimised for the purpose of transporting various military stores during the mid-1950s. It was decided to continue these studies as part of the firm's management believed that it was highly likely that there would likely be an Operational Requirement issued for the Royal Air Force (RAF) seeking such an aircraft in the near future, although Sir Matthew Slattery, chairman of Shorts, expressed his doubt of the practicality of such an aircraft.