CAF Beluga - An Almost-Was

[apophenia]

Another GB non-entry ... 

Planned Canadian Armed Forces Boeing 737-200 Procurement

Beluga - The Big, White Whale - Part 1

In 1981, DND evaluated the Boeing 737-200 airliner as a potential new regional VIP aircraft and tactical transport. The aim of the Trudeau government was to rationalise and modernizing Canadian Armed Forces logistics and transport wings. This was to include replacing aging turboprop transports like the CC-109 Cosmopolitan and CC-115 Buffalo as well as remaining piston-engined types like the CC-123 Otter and the ancient CC-129 Dakota transports. [1]

The outcome ended up being rather more modest. No 737s were bought. Instead, to support Canadian aerospace, small numbers of domestically-made aircraft were bought to fill the requirements. In the VIP, this took the form of CC-144 Challengers (along with the prototype as the CX-144). As regional transport, the CC-132 Dash 7 was bought for use in Europe (later replaced by CC-142 Dash 8s).

But, what if things had gone the other way? Here, I postulate a quick purchase of former Canadian airline 737-200s (for those wishing to upgrade to 'big-fanned' 737-300 models). For DND, a key appeal of the 737-200 was the availability of a 'gravel kit' for operation from austere runways in Canada's Far North. [2] There was also a modification kit to install a forward fuselage Side Cargo Door (SCD) to transform the airliner into a 'Quick Change' combi freighter.

The 'Quick Change' package consisted of installing that port side 3.4m x 2.18m cargo door as well as floor rollers for freight and/or palletised seating. Up to 7 x LD7 containers could be loaded on the main deck. Any loose cargo  (and the long-range fuel tanks) and would be placed in the two underfloor cargo holds.

(To be continued ...)

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[1] DND had intended to retire that last CC-129 Dakota transports (and the sole radar trainer at CFB Cold Lake) by 1979. That plan failed and the RW CC-129 fleet would have to serve on until April of 1989. The CC-115 fleet was transferred to FWSAR duties beginning in 1970 and would not be replaced until 2022.

[2] This consisted of a protective plate attached to the nose gear; a screened nose gear bay; a 3-nozzle vortex generator mounted on the underside of each nacelle; and deflector plates added to the inboard flap ends.

[apophenia]

Beluga - The Big, White Whale - Part 2

In Canadian service, the 737-200A series would become known as the Boeing CC-143 Beluga. [3] While procurement planning was underway, the programme was expanded to include a third role - inflight refuelling over Canada's north. This would be reflected in sourcing the surplus 737s. To simplify fleet maintenance, 3 x ex-CP Air 737-217As would fill the transport roles; 2 x ex-PWA 737-2T7(Adv) became VIP types, and 3 x Nordair 737-242Cs were converted into IFR tanker-transports. [4]

All three Beluga variants were given role-specific sub-type designations. These were grouped as: VIP CC-143A; tactical transport CC-143B; and tanker-transports CC-143K.  Despite their disparate roles, all three variants served with 420 (Snowy Owl) Squadron based at CFB Gimli in northern Manitoba. However, for practical purposes, 420's CC-143Ks actually operated as a lodger unit from CFB Cold Lake most of the time.

BAMLU - The Beluga Aircraft Mid-Life Upgrade

The Beluga Aircraft Mid-Life Upgrade (BAMLU) was a rather drawn-out CC-143 modernisation programme. BAMLU was performed in 4 x 'Blocks'. Block I was a full, depot-level tear-down and inspection. In Block II, remaining 'legacy' airline equipment and obsolete military HF radios were replaced. Block III modernised the cockpit and upgraded nav kit and communication management system. Block IV upgraded the mission computer and added a NATO Link 16 tactical data link for enhanced NORAD compatibility.

Tacked on to those upgrades in the mid-1990s was a 'Block V' - properly known as BAERP or theBeluga Aircraft Engine Replacement Project. This programme replaced the CC-143 fleet's aging JT8D-17A low-bypass turbofans. A competition was run between a Boeing sponsored JT8D-219 proposal and Rolls-Royce Canada's more ambitious Tay re-engining scheme. The latter prevailed and twin 15,100 lbf Rolls-Royce Tay 650-21s became the new CC-143 powerplant. [5]

Once the BAMLU and BAERP programmes were completed, the Beluga fleet was redesignated. Former CC-143A VIP aircraft became CC-143V Belugas. Combi transport CC-143Bs became CC-143M Belugas. And modernised CC-143K tanker-transports became CC-143T Belugas.

(To be continued ...)

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[3] The presentation of Boeing sub-type modifiers jump around a bit in records. As shown, the more powerful 'Advanced' variants of the 737-200 series could be indicated by a simple 'A' suffix on the sub-type number, or with an '(Adv)' suffix, or, least imaginatively of all, by appending the entire word 'Advanced'.

[4] Other roles briefly studied were for an 'Arctic Surveillance' type (based on Boeing's MP Surveiller) and a navigation trainer akin to the USAF's T-43A. That T-43 purchase had acted as a bail-out for Boeing when 737 sales unexpectedly lagged in the early 1970s. Following a similar pattern, the GoC eventually chose to fill CAF 'Arctic Surveillance' and nav trainer roles with Canadian-made aircraft types - specifically, the CP-144S Surv Challenger and CT-142 'Gonzo'.

[5] The Tay 650-21 was a variation on the Tay 650-15 being installed on Fokker 100s from 1988. The key difference was the 650-21's externals and gearboxes being modified to suit the 737-200's underslung engine nacelles. It was hoped that the quieter 'Tay 737-200' might spark a widespread civilian re-engining market but less expensive hush-kits for JT8Ds would continue to dominate.

[apophenia]

Beluga - The Big, White Whale - Part 3

Image captions ...

Top: A Boeing CC-143K Beluga tanker-transport of B Flight, 420 (Snowy Owl) Squadron detached to CFB Cold Lake in February 1985. Note the underwing Marshall hose-and-drogue pods used to in-flight refuel CAF CF-116 fighters (and, later, CF-188 'Hornets').

As the designation prefix shows, the tankers were still primarily regarded as transport aircraft - hence the then-standard CAF transport scheme of white with a red-and-white cheatline forming a zig-zag at the forward-fuselage roundel. On the port side was the title 'Canadian Armed Forces'; to starboard, 'Forces armées canadiennes'. This aircraft (c/n 20455) had been CF-NAQ, originally delivered to Nordair in May 1970.

Bottom: A Boeing CC-143B Beluga tactical transport of C Flight, 420 (Snowy Owl) Squadron based at CFB Gimli, MB in 1991. This aircraft has been through BAMLU mods to Phase III but has yet to be re-engined (as a full CC-143M). As part of BAMLU, all CC-143Bs were refinished in the so-called 'European Camouflage' scheme. This tactical scheme consisted of large patches of Green 503-321 and dark Grey 501-302 with smaller patches of the pale version of Grey 101-327. Beluga 143008 displays all markings in flat black - including its 'lo-viz' national markings and 'outline' squadron crest.

Once fully upgraded to CC-143M standards, the Beluga tactical transports received the all-grey scheme of 501-322 over 36118 similar to that first applied to the CC-143Vs. (The difference was that CC-143Ms got their scheme in semi-gloss with all markings in FS16175. The VIP Belugas received a gloss finish and CC-143V tail fin flag markings were in full colour.)

Beluga that had completed the full BAMLU and BAERP programmes could be readily distinguished by the additional of a dielectric ventral fin (which covering their new VHF antenna). A subtler change was the new Tay engine cowlings (although these were hard to distinguish at a glance from the old JT8D cowls).

A after B - Another Arcturus replaces Beluga

The re-engined and mid-lifed Belugas soldiered on until the second decade of the 21st Century - giving an impressive 40 years of CAF service. They were replaced by a re-engined variant of the Bombardier CS100 - the BD-500-1A12 (or '1A12M in militarised form). This variant adopted the 21,430 lbf BR700-715C1-30 engine in lieu of the then-troublesome geared PW1521G. Ironically, the CSeries would be the subject of a 'dumping' suit by Boeing. In response, Bombardier was force to sell all CSeries production to Airbus. [6] As a result, the BD-500-1A12M would enter CAF service under Airbus auspices as the CP-220 Arcturus.

(Fin)

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[6] An irony here being that Boeing's 2017 'dumping' petition served neither firm. Smaller Bombardier was pushed out of the airliner business. But, now, Boeing faced stronger competition for entry-level airliners from rival Airbus (which also set up a second A220 production line in Mobile, AL, to directly answer Boeing's charges).