Boeing Waddington AEW.3.with photos

[McColm]

 After World War II Britain found itself lacking in cargo aircraft, most of the bombers had been converted into freighters but the Air Ministry wanted something bigger but at a cheaper price.
The Americans offered the Marshall Plan ,the original quoter was 50 B-29As for Bomber Command as a stopgap until the V Bombers entered service. This caused a rift in Coastal Command and Transport Command resulting in the loan of the Boeing Stratoliner/Stratofreighter with the option of keeping the bomb bays for Bomber & Coastal Command. Transport Command insisted of a front loader and the name Waddington was chosen. SJMcColm Engineering Ltd was given the contract for all the conversions. A total of 75 Boeing Waddingtons were supplied to the Air Ministry.
Pilots had to cope with the nose wheel layout but with a spate of crashes the nose wheel landing gear was moved to the rear. On the bombers and maritime surveillance Waddingtons the tail gun was kept with a forward gun turret and one in the middle of the roof. Rubberised inflatable fuel tanks were plumbed in the upper deck as in-flight refuelling was still primitive however on the Transport Command Waddingtons these got a raised cockpit similar to the Aviation Traders Carvair ATL98 for a front-loading version for lightweight military vehicles as the rear ramp had limited the headroom.  It was also thought that forward opening doors would be easier  for plates to be loaded and unloaded,  stretchers and  other equipment  such as engines. A dispute about who came up with the idea erupted but a deal was struck between the two companies who would share the work in the commercial sector should any orders be placed.
25 Boeing Waddington B.1s were supplied to Bomber Command, 25 Waddington MR.1s to Coastal Command and the rest to Transport Command as the C.1 and C.1A with a rear cargo door on the left hand side with fuel tanks fitted at the end of the wings.
The Boeing Waddington had it's rounded edges on the wings and tail clipped with a access hatch at the rear which could be used for paratroop drops .
With the V bombers entering service the Waddington B.1s were withdrawn, 15 were converted into AEW aircraft with the APS/ANS-20 radar fitted in the nose, aft, bomb bay and above the fuselage  which would be replaced by the rotodome used by the Grumman E-2 Hawkeye. 5 went to Coastal Command for spares or replacement aircraft the MR.2 was fitted with a rear M.A.D. boom and ECM radome on top of the vertical tail fin.  The guns were removed and a large radome fitted on top of the forward fuselage to detect submarines these were kept in service until the Avro Shackleton MR.3.
Spare parts was beginning to effect the service life of the remaining Transport aircraft, with the decision to re-engine the Waddingtons with the American T-56 turboprop as the Waddingtons were being used by Britain's Commonwealth Countries as an alternative to the Lockheed C-130.
The C-130 had been cancelled due to budget issues and the BAC Sphinx wouldn't enter service until April 1974,so the Waddington C.2 and C2.As would soldier on. A further 15 aircraft taken from Coastal Command were converted to K.2 standard with a pair of hose & drogue in-flight refuelling pods carried under each wing.
Surplus airframes were bought and converted into Air-Car-Ferries with the option of the Allison T56 turboprop engines which in turn became freighters. A few would end their days as water bombers or restaurants.
With the BAC Sphinx entering service with Transport Command the remaining airworthy  C.2 Waddingtons were converted into AEW &C aircraft now designated  Waddington AEW.3s (with 9 being put into long-term storage) and fitted with in-flight refuelling probes to extend the range.The K.2s were kept in service up until the mid 1990s these also had in-flight refuelling probes fitted.

[Tophe]

Thanks for this backstory, sounding so serious, like Wikipedia...
Uh, I have not found the "reason" there for the bulbous hump made by the raised up cockpit, probably for front door giving access to the full fuselage section, not for civilian cars maybe but for military jeeps? or else.

[McColm]

Thanks for this backstory, sounding so serious, like Wikipedia...
Uh, I have not found the "reason" there for the bulbous hump made by the raised up cockpit, probably for front door giving access to the full fuselage section, not for civilian cars maybe but for military jeeps? or else.

I'll make that point clearer in the edit.

[Tophe]

 

[McColm]

The finner putty has been applied, PSR.

[Tophe]

Yes, Go McColm go! (Have courage for this hard work)

[McColm]

The Waddington C.2 now has turboprop engines with four-blade Hamilton  propellers, just waiting on the putty to arrive sometime next week.

[Tophe]

Good advancement, we hope to see that with a picture. Someday (no urgency of course)

[McColm]

I have filled in the air intakes and added the exhaust pipes from a C-130

[Tophe]

Thanks!

[McColm]

Got the idea from the Turbine Guppy

[Captain Canada]

She's a big ol' bird eh ? Looking good !

[McColm]

Not as big as this

[Tophe]

  

[Captain Canada]

That's pretty wild !