picture 184987

Designed to replace the Avro York, the Handley Page Hastings was rushed into service in September 1948 to boost the RAF’s airlift capacity, there were a few operational teething problems, but the airlift proved to be its baptism of fire. Like the C-47/Dakota, the Hastings had a side loading door, which limited its flexibility and one of the key learnings of the airlift was to design transport aircraft with rear or front access to maximise load size and/or accessibility. After an illustrious career, the Hastings was finally retired in 1977. The aircraft shown is Hastings Mk. C1 TG575 ’G’ of RAF Transport Command, which was written off in a crash at El Adem RAF Station in Libya in 1966. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)