Author Topic: Hastings is a Seaside Town ...  (Read 1069 times)

Offline apophenia

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Hastings is a Seaside Town ...
« on: May 09, 2022, 11:22:27 AM »
A quickie based on Greg's suggestion: https://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=367.msg196858#msg196858

New Zealand had purchased four Handley Page HP.95 Hastings C.3 (NZ5801 to NZ5804) to equip No. 41 Squadron in 1952-53. The fleet was reduced in September 1955 when NZ5804 was lost due to birdstrikes at Darwin, NT. And by the end of the decade the remaining trio were showing the strains of carrying the entire strategic transport burden. A mid-life refurbishment was called for.

As part of that refurbishment programme, it was decided to take advantage of RAF Transport Command reducing its numbers of HP.67 Hastings (due to the arrival of the turboprop Bristol Britannias). Accordingly, the Government of New Zealand arranged to purchase seven HP.67 Hastings C.2 airframes from RAF stocks. These aircraft were returned to Handley Page for rebuilding to meet New Zealand's requirements.

The top priority was NZ5805, rebuilt to Hastings C.3A transport standards as a replacement for NZ5804. This former C.2's 1,980 hp Hercules 106 engines were replaced with 1,980 hp Hercules 735 radials - now the new RNZAF standard for that Bristol engine. [1]

The fate of the remaining six Hastings C.2 airframes was more interesting. Completely gutted, these C.2s were rebuilt for the maritime reconnaissance role - complete with Shackleton MR.2 ASW gear. [2] In theory, these Hastings MR.6s would still be capable of performing a limited transport role. But their raison d'être was maritime patrol and strategic reconnaissance. While work progressed at Radlett, No. 9 Squadron RNZAF was being reformed at Whenuapai to operate the 'new' Hastings MR.6 patrol planes.

Image Handley Page Hastings MR.6, No. 9 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force, RNZAF Base Whenuapai, 1962. NZ5806 retains her former RAF paint scheme with 'Silver Fern' additions to all roundels. In 1962, all Hastings MR.6s had special markings applied to their tails to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the RNZAF.

_________________________________

[1] The Hercules 735 powered Kiwi Bristol Freighter 31 transports. On surviving Hastings C.3, the old Hercules 737 engines were all to be converted to 735s for commonality.

[2] The Hastings MR.6 was also fitted with AN/ASQ-8 magnetic anomaly detector in a tail 'stinger'. This was the same MAD used on RAAF P2V-7 Neptunes.

BTW: Before being so rudely interfered with, this sideview was minding its own business as an innocent Hastings Met.1 profile on the cover of Tim Senior's book Hastings: Including a Brief History of the Hermes.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Hastings is a Seaside Town ...
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2022, 08:37:13 PM »
Nice!  any chance of seeing the Met 1 profile Stephen, I was planning on building the Hastings vacuform I have as one after reading a very good article about them in Air-Britain's Aviation World a few issues ago.

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Hastings is a Seaside Town ...
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2022, 10:19:50 PM »
 :smiley:
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

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Re: Hastings is a Seaside Town ...
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2022, 02:49:29 AM »
 :smiley:
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline apophenia

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Re: Hastings is a Seaside Town ...
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2022, 05:06:54 AM »
Thanks folks!

Robert: I hadn't save the original, so I went off to look for it again. Last time I was lazy and just used Google Image Search.

This time, I searched for links to the actual book. And, wouldn't you know it, I found a bigger and much better quality image of the cover of Tim Senior's book than the one I based by sideview on! Hi ho, always the way ...

This version is courtesy of a review by Stella & Rose's Books of Tintern in the Wye Valley.
-- https://www.stellabooks.com/stock/1819388?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=november

I don't own the book so, alas, I have no idea who is responsible for the artwork  :(
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: Hastings is a Seaside Town ...
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2022, 05:59:54 AM »
 :smiley:

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Hastings is a Seaside Town ...
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2022, 10:22:52 PM »
Interesting scheme Stephen, I had another look at the article as I didn't recognize it. But I see now what the difference is, who operated it. Met 1 was RAF and the scheme for early ones was grey on top with white undersides, which changed to overall grey with white highlights. Then later to having a white top which came down to the tops of the cabin windows. So pretty bland so that scheme does look a little more colourful.