A quickie based on Greg's suggestion:
https://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=367.msg196858#msg196858New 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.
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[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.