Hawker Siddeley Andover - Operational History

Operational History

The Andover C.1 was flown for the first time on 9 July 1965. The first four examples were flown to RAF Boscombe Down for acceptance trials that year. The full contract of 31 aircraft were delivered and deployed to squadrons in Transport Command. These were No. 46 Squadron RAF at RAF Abingdon and later RAF Thorney Island, 52 Squadron at RAF Seletar (Far East) and 84 Squadron at RAF Sharjah (Middle East).

There was a follow on order placed with Hawker Siddeley for six aircraft that were designated CC.2, being a version of the standard HS 748, and these went initially to 21 Squadron at RAF Khormaksar. The squadron had these for six months before being disbanded when the aircraft went to 32 Squadron at RAF Northolt, designated the Metropolitan Communications Squadron. The aircraft were with 32 Squadron for over 18 years including some time spent on detachment at RAF Bruggen (Germany).

Three of these RAF Andovers continue to fly, one C.1 with the Empire Test Pilots' School and one C.1 with the Heavy Aircraft Test Squadron of the Joint Test and Evaluation Group. The remaining aircraft is a modified C.1 converted for photo-reconnaissance, the Andover C.1(PR), serial number XS596. This is the UK-designated aircraft under the Treaty on Open Skies. All three are based at RAF Boscombe Down.

The Royal New Zealand Air Force operated 10 aircraft, acquired from the RAF while still relatively new, in 1976. These saw service with UN missions to Somalia and on the Iran-Iraq border, and in disaster relief work in the Pacific. The type was retired from service in 1998. The main difficulty with their service in New Zealand was their limited range – 1,000 nautical miles (1,900 km) of Pacific Ocean separate New Zealand from its nearest neighbours. New Zealand's Andovers were purchased to replace an even shorter-legged aircraft, the Bristol Freighter.