About This Aircraft
The Short Belfast C.1 was a British heavy-lift, long-range strategic transport aircraft. This example, XR371, was named "Enceladus" and is one of only ten ever built. The Belfast was, for a time, the largest aircraft ever built for the Royal Air Force. Its immense cargo hold, accessed via an upward-hinging nose and a rear loading ramp, could accommodate outsized military equipment like tanks and helicopters. It was powered by four powerful Rolls-Royce Tyne turboprop engines, which gave the aircraft its characteristic deep drone. The Belfast served with No. 53 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton, providing a vital strategic airlift capability for British forces worldwide until its retirement in the late 1970s. XR371 is the sole remaining complete example of its type.
Museums Featuring This Aircraft
Exhibits can change. To avoid disappointment, before visiting, please check the museum website for up-to-date exhibit listings.