On Atlas' Shoulders: RAF Transport Aircraft Projects Since 1945

Interestingfor the history,the politics and monetary constraints.

I had the chance to skim through this book and I am amazed at how Chris Gibson tells the history of transport aircraft in the UK since 1945, with crucial emphasis on unbuilt projects.The first two chapters of this book, titled "The Tausendfüßler and a Logistics Revolution" and "Fetch and Carry: Holds, Wheels and Engines", give an appropriate introduction to the development of British transport aircraft after WW2 by discussing how experience with operating transport aircraft in WW2 for the Allies prompted the RAF to concoct a sea change in aerial transport, but also the methods of loading troops and war machines into transport aircraft and releasing them at altitude or unloading them on the ground, and the powerplants and undercarriage developing from RAF airlifters. For example, as Gibson clearly points out in Chapter 1, the Germans were way ahead of the Allies in using transport planes to carry weaponry to war zones, developing the Arado Ar232 and Messerschmitt Gigants to haul artillery pieces and troops to faraway battlefields, given that the Douglas C-74 Globemaster I and General Aircraft GAL.58 Hamilcar Mk.10 came too late for the war.Gibson then moves on discuss in-depth the UK's first dedicated military airlifter, the Blackburn Beverley, and transport derivatives of WW2-era RAF bombers, namely the Vickers Valetta, Avro York, and Handley Page Hastings, in Chapter 3, and talks about the Armstrong Whitworth Argosy and unbuilt competitors to the Argosy in Chapter 4. The next two chapters discuss RAF efforts to develop strategic airlifters during the 1950s and 1960s, starting with the cancelled Vickers V.1000 and other paper projects for strategic transports based on the V-bombers, and climaxing with the Short Belfast strategic airlifter and Vickers VC-10 military versions as well as far-fetched proposals from strategic transports to fly to Singapore at Mach 4. Chapter 7 describes British designs for transport planes able to fly to Singapore without having to fly over Africa and the Middle East following African independence, while Chapter 8 talks about the OR.351 competition for a tactical airlifter that was won by the Hawker Siddeley HS.681, which was unfortunately killed by political machinations in 1965 before it could reach the hardware phase. In Chapter 9, Gibson talks about light cargo aircraft for the RAF that were designed to rival the Chinook helicopter in carrying capacity, namely the Andover, Fairey Rotodyne, and a few unbuilt Chinook-grade projects. Chapter 10 describes how the RAF opted for the C-130 Hercules as its chief tactical airlifter for the remainder of the late 20th century, while Chapter 11 discusses the RAF purchase of the C-17 Globemaster III for its strategic airlifting needs, the development of the Voyager tanker version of the Airbus A330, the use of L-1011s and VC-10s as tanker aircraft by the RAF, and finally the development of the RAF's first tactical airlift to be built in Europe, the Airbus A400M, called the Atlas by the RAF.Although the C-124, C-130, C-133, C-5, C-141, C-17, An-22, An-124, and An-225 loom large in aviation gurus' minds when they talk about military airlifters, Chris Gibson's book is a splendid insight into the history of military airlifter development in the UK after WW2.

As soon as the book arrived I found it hard to put down because it contained masses of information about the history of this vital part of the RAF, who whilst I served on an island off the coast of Oman not only flew out the letters from our loved ones, but also ferried from Cyprus all of the fresh food and special items of equipment we needed that the RFA's hadn't brought out on their long trip from the UK around the Cape of Good Hope, to our small but vital island base whose runway was part of the chain of airfields, all of which provided the vital fuel plus a place for the aircrews to rest, during their flight that led from the UK out as far as Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.Unlike happens now there was no way to talk to your loved ones, as the only telephone link was reserved for military matters, so with no Satellite TV, and only the BBC World Radio Service to keep us informed of what was going on in the rest of the world, meant that mail, both in and outward, only reached its destination by the cargo and passenger flights that passed through, that also brought out new men and flew back home those who had usually spent 9 months away from their loved ones.

Good background of Military transport projects of the past note Not a book on the Airbus A400M Atlas. It covers many projects that were cancelled with the changes in politics and funds some of which were very promising, it does come up to the present in the last chapter.

Well written, very informative. A lot of information that I had been unaware of. Well worth reading.

Gives a detailed insight to the many and varied projects, also how the different. Ministeries could often not agree on what was required

A very enjoyable book, great photos and a very interesting subject.