The AW 681 in development and service

[Rheged]

Your Excellencies, my lords, ladies, gentlemen and all others of any denomination....... I present for your delectation and amusement........

The Armstrong Whitworth Worcester: its development and service

By 1960, the RAF had failed to provide meaningful support for the Vickers V1000 , which was cancelled  and the Short Belfast, orders for which were seriously curtailed  .  Operational Requirement 351 was the only remaining  opportunity for British aircraft manufacturers   to provide a transport aircraft for the RAF.  This O/R called for a medium-range freighter to replace both the Beverley and Hastings  currently in service with the RAF.  The aircraft was to possess Short Takeoff and Landing  capabilities, whilst carrying a minimum payload of 35,000lbs.

BAC offered the BAC222,  which was effectively a development of the Lockheed Hercules  and also their own designed BAC208 which had deflected-thrust engines and a battery of lift fans. Armstrong Whitworth, a constituent of  the Hawker Siddeley Group, submitted their own design, designated AW.681. and powered by  the Rolls-Royce RB.142 Medway, a turbofan engine currently under development.    The O/R was repeatedly modified by politicians and civil servants, finally calling for  Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) capability. Armstrong Whitworth  revised   their AW.681 proposal, initially to incorporate both vectored thrust nozzles and boundary layer control (BLC)  and finally adopted the Rolls-Royce Pegasus engine.

On 5 March 1962, Julian Amery, the Aviation Minister, announced that the UK Government had authorised the go-ahead for the AW.681, with an  initial order for 2 prototype  airframes which it was anticipated would make their first flight in  late 1966. The RAF had a projected requirement for 50 aircraft which they hoped to have in squadron service by 1972.

In 1964 the newly elected Labour government  announced a review of all ongoing  military programmes.  The HS681  was under threat for some weeks, but given that the factories in which it was being produced were all in marginal constituencies and cancellation would result in an unacceptably high level of unemployment  the contract was confirmed.(1)17th December 1965 saw the roll-out of the first prototype.  Hawker Siddeley management  having pushed their staff hard in an effort  " to get the aircraft in the air before some politician changes their mind".(2)  The first test flight took place on 4th January 1966,  with the second aircraft taking to the air  on 3rd March 1966.  An order was confirmed by the Minister for Technology on 1st April  1966, who announced that  "the RAF would shortly be operating a four jet V/STOL aircraft with  a circular cross-section fuselage, featuring a swept shoulder-mounted wing and a high T-tail to permit the operation of rear  clamshell loading doors and a ramp "

Despite the novelty in design, the Pegasus Mk101 engined  AW681  proved to be a remarkably docile aeroplane to fly in conventional and STOL configuration.  A group of Harrier pilots were tasked to develop the RAF operating procedure for the aircraft in VTOL mode.  Once they had recovered from the apparent "demotion" from fast jet to transport pilot, they became very enthusiastic, and in some cases had to be discouraged by Hawker Siddeley pilots from over-stressing the airframes.

Delivery of the production aircraft began in September 1971.  Originally, Ministry of Defence civil servants suggested that the AW681  should be named after a Greek hero who had flown on Pegasus the flying horse but they concluded that the name Perseus was already in use for an aero engine and that Bellerophon would  " be  both vulgarised to Billy Ruffian by service personnel and incomprehensible in export markets" (3)  Eventually the name AW Worcester was allocated  and  70 Squadron RAF took 15 AW Worcester C1 aircraft on charge in March 1973. Eventually three squadrons flew the Worcester, with a common maintenance pool for all airframes.


With a range of 5000 miles using  conventional  take off and landing,3000 miles in STOL mode  and 1150 miles VTOL, the Worcester was a remarkably versatile aircraft. Its initial tasking was as part of the RAF  Khana Cascade relief flights in Nepal, where the Worcester's ability to land and take off from short runways greatly speeded up the distribution of aid.  The  Springheel Jack1976 and Jumping Jack 1978  exercises based at West Freugh and Carlisle (Crosby)  used disused airfields in north Cumbria and the south of Scotland  such as Great Orton, Kirkbride  and Heathall to develop forward supply procedures to support dispersed Harrier aircraft in the field. The pilots of 53 squadron, who had moved to  HS Worcester  aircraft in 1976 when the Short Belfast was withdrawn  took up  John Farley's slogan  "Why land and then stop, when you can stop and then land!" (4)

In 1979, orders for 20 further  HS Worcester C2s were placed, to take advantage of progress in technology, especially the Pegasus engine. These were all delivered by February 1982.

On 23rd September 1981, a fire aboard the aircraft carrier  USS America, which was then operating in the Indian Ocean knocked out the steam mains from the engine room to the catapults. Over 50 seriously burned casualties required  urgent evacuation but the carrier was 500 miles from southern India.   An HS Worcester C1 aircraft, which was being demonstrated to the Indian air force  flew from  Trivandrum in Southern India,  landed vertically on the carrier deck,  took on all the casualties  and returned to  Trivandrum where  USAF medivac aircraft took the casualties on to hospitals in Western USA. As a result of this flight, the USAF took an interest in the Worcester.

The Falklands crisis of 1982 resulted in conversion of 12 Worcesters to C (K) 3 p status, with much uprated Pegasus engines, extra fuel tanks and refuelling probes. Operating  as tankers, they supported the Black Buck Avro Vulcan operations.

1987 saw an order for 40 Worcester C4(US) airframes for the US Navy, who planned to operate them on behalf of the US Marines. A State Department official privately informed the British ambassador to Washington that the order should have been placed 4 years previously, but for a "turf war" of considerable ferocity between the USN and USAF over who was to operate this aircraft (5) Lockheed undertook licence production of a further 120 aircraft between  1992 and 2006.  Designated the C143  it is still in use by the US Navy.

Unusually, the RAF chose to keep improving the HS Worcester instead of discarding it and replacing it with a (foreign made) replacement. Both Gulf wars, the Balkans and Afghanistan  saw the continued use of HS Worcesters.  The current situation is that 38 HS Worcester C7 and C7p aircraft are in use, with a further 22 in storage at St Athan. Earlier marks of the aircraft may be seen at Staverton (Gloucester) airport, the Scottish Museum of Flight at East Fortune  and the RAF Museum Hendon, whilst museum reserve stocks held at Wroughton, Cosford and Duxford  account for 5 more early airframes.

In addition to the USN aircraft, they were also supplied to the RAAF, RNZAF, RCAF, Indian, Norwegian, Swiss, Swedish and Kenyan air forces.    I have not yet been able to research these aircraft, and invite fellow whiffers to contribute the fruits of their own studies

(1)   This is based on a true story when Prime Minister Harold Wilson was told by George Tomas MP "You can't close that railway, Prime Minister, it goes through several marginal constituencies!"

(2)   Personal communication from Jeremy Anderson: Hawker Siddeley finance department  1954 to 1983

(3)   Sir Crispin Walton-Hargrave, recorded in the Minutes of the MoD Aircraft nomenclature sub-committee  8th July 1970

(4)   Quoted in RAF yearbook  1983

(5)   Autobiography of Sir Antony Acland Ambassador to Washington 1986 to 1991

That's what I have been able to discover so far about this under-researched aircraft.  Please add the results of your own studies, model making etc in order that Whiffworld might have a fuller knowledge of this unusual aircraft.  Amended  on 30.01.22 to incorporate Kit's comment (below)

[PR19_Kit]

How I wish! 

An excellent history indeed. 

Your  "Why land and then stop, when you can stop and then land!" quote was actually said by the late John Farley, Harrier test pilot extraordinaire.

[Gondor]

I know that Thorvic has built at least one, probably two models of this aircraft and I beleive that somewhere out there there is a brochure for the aircraft.

Gondor

[Pellson]

Now, THAT's how a backstory should be done. I'm in awe. But it feels strangely good, still. 

[NARSES2]

Terrific story sir 

[Rheged]

Thank you for your supportive comments.    This study is NOT complete.  I invite anyone and everyone to take it further by reporting the AW Worcester's service in other air forces and (something that has just occurred to me)   as a civilian aircraft operated by the International Committee of the Red Cross tasked with getting aid into sites devastated by natural disaster or man-made catastrophes.

The more the merrier, please join in!! 

[kitnut617]

I know that Thorvic has built at least one, probably two models of this aircraft and I believe that somewhere out there there is a brochure for the aircraft.

Gondor

Yes there is, I have a copy of it.

[rickshaw]

The Worcester Downunder

The C1 Worcester was adopted by the RAAF in 1969 in response to a need during the Vietnam War to resupply with flights directly from Australia to Vietnam, landing at Nui Dat.  Adopted by 35 Squadron RAAF it provided sterling service during the Vietnam War flying direct from Australia.   After Vietnam it was considered so valuable that it was retained in service for over 30 years, only to be replaced by a later version of itself!  It saw service particularly in Papua-New Guinea where it's ability to land vertically on the tiny airstrips which were in existence in the Owen Stanley ranges was particularly appreciated.   It also pioneered the first flights directly from Australia to Antarctica and back, something particularly appreciated by the Antarctic Division particularly when medical evacuation was occassionally required by injured scientists.   The RAAF were to adopt over 20 versions of the C1 and then another 20 of the C7.

The C1 was to at the end of it's life serve in another role, that of the centre of the Band Aid controversy.  When they lay abandoned and near forgotten, Bob Geldorf asked publicly of the Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke why they were being ignored when there was a need for aircraft in Africa during the Ethiopian Famine.  Embarrassed Hawke was forced to ask questions of the RAAF who then started work to refurbish them for use in the crisis.   The work was found to be difficult with many spares needed to be sourced from the UK and too many months, too long, so long in fact that the rains finally arrived and their need was not longer as urgent.  The planes ended up being broken up, in situ and were largely forgotten.

Overall the Worcester was to serve long and well, seeing action in many theatres, such  as Vietnam, PNG, Indonesia and East Timor.  The pilots of the Worcester were considered an elite bunch and many a mess hosted them when they flew in.  They served with the RAF and the USN on occasion. 

[zenrat]

Saucy!  I love a backstory with footnotes.

What name did the US Navy give the C143?  I have heard Americans pronounce "Worcester" and presume it would have been something different.

[Rheged]

Thank you for your support, gentlemen.   

Zenrat,  I have not been able to identify the USN name for the Worcester......perhaps you could look into this problem and report back.

Rickshaw,  I am delighted that you have been able to throw further light on the RAAF Worcesters

Is anyone else  able to add further information to this cooperative work?

[jcf]

The US version wouldn't be C-143, the numbering started over with the adoption of the Tri-Service
Designation System in 1962. The Vought XC-142 was the last aircraft to receive a "C" designation
before the new system kicked in.

US "C" designations from 1911 to 2004:
http://www.driko.org/usdes_c.html

Based on a late 1980s order you could make a case for C-33 or C-36, the former was briefly assigned
to a possible 747 transport the latter is unassigned although it was briefly reserved by the USAF and
it's possible it was the original number for what was later designated the YAL-1 Airborne Laser.

Then there is this:
"C-39. Initial designation for Navy Unique Fleet Essential Aircraft. Designation changed to C-40
for reasons that remain unclear. Perhaps the Navy never noticed that C-40 was not next in the
sequence."
Perhaps there was a different reason.

Naming would depend on the manufacturer, and in this case being Lockheed the name would most
likely be related to stars in some way, a tradition for Lockheed aircraft that goes back to the original
Vega.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Lockheed_aircraft

As it's a VTOL aircraft perhaps C-39 Starhopper.

Here's a list of official IAU names for constellations for more formal naming:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAU_designated_constellations#List

[The Rat]

In 1970 the Canadian government looked into procuring the Avro Worcester C1 for use by the Canadian Armed Forces.

As of 2022, the government is still deliberating over the economics of such a purchase, and negotiations are ongoing.

[PR19_Kit]

In 1970 the Canadian government looked into procuring the Avro Worcester C1 for use by the Canadian Armed Forces.

As of 2022, the government is still deliberating over the economics of such a purchase, and negotiations are ongoing.

Yes, that sounds about right. 

[rickshaw]

"Better not to rush things.  Remember it is the public's money, not our own to spend and we must be sure to get value for it," suggested the Minister during deliberations...

[zenrat]

The US version wouldn't be C-143, the numbering started over with the adoption of the Tri-Service
Designation System in 1962. The Vought XC-142 was the last aircraft to receive a "C" designation
before the new system kicked in.

US "C" designations from 1911 to 2004:
http://www.driko.org/usdes_c.html

Based on a late 1980s order you could make a case for C-33 or C-36, the former was briefly assigned
to a possible 747 transport the latter is unassigned although it was briefly reserved by the USAF and
it's possible it was the original number for what was later designated the YAL-1 Airborne Laser.

Then there is this:
"C-39. Initial designation for Navy Unique Fleet Essential Aircraft. Designation changed to C-40
for reasons that remain unclear. Perhaps the Navy never noticed that C-40 was not next in the
sequence."
Perhaps there was a different reason.

Naming would depend on the manufacturer, and in this case being Lockheed the name would most
likely be related to stars in some way, a tradition for Lockheed aircraft that goes back to the original
Vega.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Lockheed_aircraft

As it's a VTOL aircraft perhaps C-39 Starhopper.

Here's a list of official IAU names for constellations for more formal naming:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAU_designated_constellations#List

Cygnus would be my choice.