Comparing Types.
Currently N.A.T.O. and most of the western world uses the Lockheed C-130 is one form or another, it has become the most flexible workhorse for medium military transportation over the years. Now the Europeans have introduced the A400M, which some countries have returned because it has not come up to the C-130H/J capability.
Meanwhile depending on what happen with Antonov in the Ukraine, their An-70 will be a third contender. One likes to think that the C-130 is the ultimate transport, but the British had the Shorts Belfast which was probably better.
The United States wanted no competition to its version and so the world has been bullied into accepting the type. With no alternative, military activity in the transport area has been very limited.
Many countries just converted civil aircraft types to transport troops under the United Nations, aircraft such as the BAC 1-11, DC-10-30 and Boeing 747 became limited carriers.
Showing posts with label Shorts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shorts. Show all posts
Thursday, 4 February 2016
Thursday, 29 November 2012
Flying Boats. Part-Two.
The days of the flying boats are not over yet?
This is perhaps one of the greatest feats in the aviation world to take-off and land from water. Many early aircraft in the 1920/30's were adapted to have floats, but it was the Shorts Sunderland that became the flagship carrier of the British BOAC.
World-war-II (1939-45) saw a increased demand on all sides for dedicated flying boats, such as the U.S. Catalina, and British Walrus, while several Italian and German types were also deployed. The flying boats were of great use at Sea to attack submarines and proved to be an invaluable tool.
After the war several nations went on to develop their own types of boats. The U.S. the UH-1 Albatross, Japan, the Kawasaki PS-1 and Russia their Beriev family BE-12/15, 606.
Today Canada builds the CL-215/415, while the Russians have developed the first jet powered flying boat, the Beriev A-40 and a civil version the BE-200. Many nations continue to use their world war-II boats and 1950's developments are still flying, such as the Mongoose.
This is perhaps one of the greatest feats in the aviation world to take-off and land from water. Many early aircraft in the 1920/30's were adapted to have floats, but it was the Shorts Sunderland that became the flagship carrier of the British BOAC.
World-war-II (1939-45) saw a increased demand on all sides for dedicated flying boats, such as the U.S. Catalina, and British Walrus, while several Italian and German types were also deployed. The flying boats were of great use at Sea to attack submarines and proved to be an invaluable tool.
After the war several nations went on to develop their own types of boats. The U.S. the UH-1 Albatross, Japan, the Kawasaki PS-1 and Russia their Beriev family BE-12/15, 606.
Today Canada builds the CL-215/415, while the Russians have developed the first jet powered flying boat, the Beriev A-40 and a civil version the BE-200. Many nations continue to use their world war-II boats and 1950's developments are still flying, such as the Mongoose.
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