H P Hastings T.5 TG517 NAHR – Significant
Always such an eye catcher, TG517 is one of only three Handley Page Hastings preserved in the UK, the others being at Cosford and Duxford. As a quirky tail dragger, TG517 was the choice of Peter McEntee for his Aircraft of the Week. By Jan McGeachie
During recent work to replace its cockpit floor, museum volunteer Alan Hall explained, how its initial RAF service was participating in the Berlin Airlift in 1948. Such was the urgent need, personnel manually loaded goods including sacks of coal aboard during the Soviet blockade that cut off supplies to Berlin's population.
TG517 later took part in the Third Icelandic Cod War, a dispute over fishing rights between Iceland and the UK from 1975-1976, operating along with Hawker Siddeley Nimrod aircraft. TG517 dropped mail to Royal Navy vessels as part of Operation Heliotrope.
Hastings aircraft were designed and manufactured by Handley Page as the RAF’s standard long-range transport aircraft and its release into service was granted in June 1948. With their large size they held a crew of five (pilot, co-pilot, radio-operator, navigator and flight engineer) as well as 50 troops or 35 paratroopers or stretchers and space for 60 wounded military personnel. Length 82 feet 1 inch, and a wingspan of 113 feet. Its four Bristol Hercules 106, 14 cylinder two row air cooled radial engines it had a maximum speed of 348 mph to a height of 26,500 feet.
The H P Hastings flew for the first time on 7th May 1946 from RAF Wittering, TG517 being the 19th C.1 to be produced and initially delivered to 5 MU Kemble on 13th July 1948 and served with both 47 and 53 squadrons (the former squadron it participated in “Operation Plainfare”, the Berlin Airlift)
The RAF operated the Hastings as its standard long range transport going onto take part in the Suez crisis having initially placed an order for 100 with six referred to as the Hastings MET.1. standard for weather reconnaissance. They were stripped of their standard interior, and this was replaced with metrological equipment, plus a galley and wardroom for crew comfort for long flights of up to nine hours. Such was TG517’s fate on 13th October 1950 when it returned to Radlett to be converted to the MET.1 standard. TG517 served in the MET.1 standard with 202 Squadron at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland until 1958.
TG517 was one of eight Hastings converted to T.5 standard in 1959, the large ventral dome fitted containing radar bomb sight equipment, and operated from RAF Lindholme until 1968. TG517’s last operations were from RAF Scampton with 230 OCU (Operational Conversion Unit) also nick-named “1066 Squadron”. With this unit TG517 saw active service in the Third Icelandic “Cod War”, flying four fishery protection sorties.
TG517 was purchased by Stuart Stephenson and with only four hours’ notice, TG517 was flown to Winthorpe on 22nd June 1977 by Squadron Leader “Jack” Jackson. The aircraft was eventually gifted to the museum.
More recently Alan Hall was pleased to identify, thanks to markings on the underside of one of the Hastings crew seats, that they were the originals dating back to 29th July 1947 - what a discovery? The leather’s reasonable condition was aided by former conservation work by previous museum volunteers David and Jenny Roberts, who helped to look after the aircraft for many years. The process of seat conservation, is now being undertaken by museum Trustee, Sam Maxwell who is lovingly revitalising these objects.
All of this great work will be seen in the future, once this aircraft is added back onto the list of museum exhibits that are open for viewing. Eventually, when volunteers are available visitors will be able to look inside TG517, for a small additional charge of £2 per adult/£1 per child (under 16); they will see the former flying backwards seat configuration used on RAF transport aircraft.
Photo credit: Jan McGeachie