This aircraft, a Hawker Siddeley HS.780MF Andover C1, was an attempt to develop a small tactical transport aircraft for military use. It was equipped with Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop engines and a tail section with a ramp, allowing small vehicles to be driven into the cargo hold. It also had special landing gear, allowing the fuselage to be lowered to the ground. The prototype first flew on July 9, 1965. Ultimately, only 31 examples were built, all for the Royal Air Force. When the aircraft was withdrawn from service in the mid-1970s, about twenty ended up in Africa with small regional airlines. Here we see one of the survivors, built in 1966. It was in service for 30 years, after which it was sold for parts. After a long relocation, it finally ended up in Belgium, where it is still used today for training various emergency services.
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