The replacement for the Royal Air Force C-130J's

[McColm]

Yes folks the powers that be have once again decided to retire the whole of the Royal Air Force's C-130J  Hercules fleet and replace them with the larger Airbus A400M Atlas. This will cause a gap in Transport Command as they are bound to want something smaller than the Atlas,  along with STOL capabilities.
To a Whiffer this means something commercial although it could be turboprop or turbofaned or even a combination of the two. So something smaller than the Atlas but bigger than the BAe -146.
The thought of a four engined C-160 has been on my mind for quite a while and the Roden An-12 Cub kit although not the best model in 1/72 scale does have potential to be whiffed.
I'm sure more ideas will follow.

[Spey_Phantom]

if they are looking for something smaller then an A400M, inthe same league as the BAe146, then the RAF should either go with the Airbus C295M or the Lockheed/Leonardo C-27J Spartan.

[PR19_Kit]

Bring back the 'kneeling' Andovers I say!

[Leading Observer]

Bring back the 'kneeling' Andovers I say!

[Rheged]

Would the venerable Beverley fill the bill?  Take off 750 yards, landing 300 yards (both approx)  max load 22 tons, ferry range 4000miles

For comparison  Andover T/O 650 yards, Landing 350 yards    max load  7 tons, ferry range 1500 miles

[PR19_Kit]

Of COURSE a Bev would fit the bill, but you'd re-generate the 'Crew Generation' problem.

That's the one where you have to sing on a complete family (or three...) for each crew to ensure there are enough qualified pilots still alive to land the thing at the end of any long range flight............

[Scotaidh]

Of COURSE a Bev would fit the bill, but you'd re-generate the 'Crew Generation' problem.

That's the one where you have to sing on a complete family (or three...) for each crew to ensure there are enough qualified pilots still alive to land the thing at the end of any long range flight............

Oh, I dunno - seems to me a turboprop upgrade should speed things along quite well.  And, they could use all those suddenly surplus C-130J engines - RR engines, IIRC. 

Specifications (C-130J)
General characteristics

    Crew: 3 (two pilots, and one loadmaster are minimum crew)
    Capacity:
        92 passengers or
        64 airborne troops or
        6 pallets or
        74 litter patients with 5 medical personnel
        2–3 Humvees, or 1 LAV III (with turret removed) or an M113 armored personnel carrier

    Cargo bay length: 41 ft (12.50 m)
    Cargo bay width: 10 ft (3.05 m)
    Cargo bay height: 9 ft (2.74 m)
    Payload main: 42,000 lb (19,051 kg)
    Length: 97 ft 9 in (29.79 m)
    Wingspan: 132 ft 7 in (40.41 m)
    Height: 38 ft 10 in (11.84 m)
    Wing area: 1,745 sq ft (162.1 m2)
    Airfoil: root: NACA 64A318; tip: NACA 64A412[130]
    Empty weight: 75,562 lb (34,274 kg)
    Max takeoff weight: 155,000 lb (70,307 kg)
    Powerplant: 4 × Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines, 4,637 shp (3,458 kW) each
    Propellers: 6-bladed Dowty R391 composite constant-speed fully-feathering reversible-pitch propellers

Performance
    Maximum speed: 362 kn (417 mph, 670 km/h)
    Cruise speed: 348 kn (400 mph, 644 km/h)
    Range: 1,800 nmi (2,100 mi, 3,300 km) at max normal payload (34,000 lb (15,422 kg))
    Service ceiling: 28,000 ft (8,500 m) with 42,000 lb (19,051 kg) payload
    Absolute ceiling: 40,386 ft (12,310 m)[131]

Blackburn Beverly
Specifications (B-101)
General characteristics

    Crew: 4 (2 pilots, radio operator and navigator)[8]

    Capacity: [8]
        94 troops or
        70 paratroopers
    Length: 99 ft 5 in (30.30 m)
    Wingspan: 162 ft 0 in (49.38 m)
    Height: 38 ft 9 in (11.81 m)
    Wing area: 2,916 sq ft (270.9 m2)
    Aspect ratio: 9:1[8]
    Airfoil: RAF 34 (modified)[8]
    Empty weight: 79,230 lb (35,938 kg)
    Max takeoff weight: 135,000 lb (61,235 kg)
    Fuel capacity: 6,880 imp gal (8,260 US gal; 31,300 L)[8]
    Powerplant: 4 × Bristol Centaurus 173 18-cylinder air-cooled radial engines, 2,850 hp (2,130 kW) each
    Propellers: 4-bladed de Havilland reversible-pitch propellers, 16 ft 6 in (5.03 m) diameter [8]

Performance
    Maximum speed: 238 mph (383 km/h, 207 kn)
    Cruise speed: 173 mph (278 km/h, 150 kn) (recommended cruise)
    Range: 1,300 mi (2,100 km, 1,100 nmi) at 8,000 feet (2,400 m) with 29,000 lb (13,000 kg) payload; 160 mi (140 nmi; 260 km) with 50,000 lb (23,000 kg) payload
    Ferry range: 3,960 mi (6,370 km, 3,440 nmi) at 8,000 lb (3,600 kg) (with 1,000 lb (450 kg) payload)
    Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,900 m)
    Rate of climb: 760 ft/min (3.9 m/s)
    Take-off distance to 50 ft (15 m): 1,340 ft (408 m)
    Landing distance from 50 ft (15 m): 910 ft (277 m)

[PR19_Kit]

Oh, I dunno - seems to me a turboprop upgrade should speed things along quite well.  And, they could use all those suddenly surplus C-130J engines - RR engines, IIRC. 

They could, but then the more than doubled speed might yank the landing gear off, and then they'd need to make them retract and then you've got a whole 'new' aeroplane.......

[McColm]

I would have thought that a re-engined Argosy would be more appropriate.  I suppose that the C-27 could be lengthened if needed or the Kawasaki C1 which has been offered to Australia. Then there's the An-72/74 which could find its way to replace the BAe 146 or the C-390 another twin turbofaned,  Hercules size aircraft.

[Nick]

Isn't it time to rebuild the Short Belfast? Or a smaller version called the Shorts Derry?

[PR19_Kit]

Isn't it time to rebuild the Short Belfast? Or a smaller version called the Shorts Derry?