Best value aircraft that's been in the RAF
I don't really care if this is true or not, but I recall hearing that the Saudi GR1 order had effectively paid for the RAF's GR1's, therefore there can be no argument...the best "value" (cos it cost us nothing) must be the Tornado GR1/4 - 20 years of continuous operations with an outstanding record! 
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Shame nobody has mentioned the Vickers Varsity 1951 to c.1975 a very good navigation trainer .
YS
Open it out a bit
This thread prompts me to ask this:
Can anyone name an RAF aircraft that was:
On time
On budget
Worked as advertised on arrival in service
Let me state here that
(a) I'm not a troll / reporter / other person of low repute;
(b) Altough I'm a civvie,I've done 35+ years as a VRT officer, gentleman, CI
I would really like to hear your views on this.
Regards
Can anyone name an RAF aircraft that was:
On time
On budget
Worked as advertised on arrival in service
Let me state here that
(a) I'm not a troll / reporter / other person of low repute;
(b) Altough I'm a civvie,I've done 35+ years as a VRT officer, gentleman, CI
I would really like to hear your views on this.
Regards
Last edited by bobward; 7th Jan 2011 at 10:40. Reason: Can't spill certain worms proparlie
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bobward.
We are back to the Chippie again!
Must have been lots of mid 30s expansion plan aircraft which met your criteria. Hampden, Wellington, Blemheim, Hurricane perhaps?
We are back to the Chippie again!
Must have been lots of mid 30s expansion plan aircraft which met your criteria. Hampden, Wellington, Blemheim, Hurricane perhaps?
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johnfairr. The AVRO 748 (Andover 1) and 780 (748MF and Andover 2) did indeed acquire the HS prefix after Hawker Siddeley took central control of all the Group's aircraft companies. The "rationalisation" that Sir Fred H-P became so animated over. The designs were most certainly AVRO, though, from the drawing boards of Chadderton and, to a lesser extent, Woodford.
Regarding value, the best reference to unit costs was;
avro | 1960 | 2661 | Flight Archive
Regarding value, the best reference to unit costs was;
avro | 1960 | 2661 | Flight Archive
three Avro 748 Series 2s have been ordered by Aden Airways. Basic price: Avro 748 Series 1, £176,000; Avro 748 Series 2, £196,000.
Last edited by GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU; 7th Jan 2011 at 12:15. Reason: Forgot the Value element
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That's funny, I could have sworn that the Varsity was used to train Flight Engineers and Air Electronics Operators too.
That said, I don't think that it was the best value aircraft. That probably is a transport as they have lasted SO long, I would reckon the Hercules in all its guises probably tops out. Not at all glamorous, but was worth its salt.
The VC10 must be up amongst the contenders as it's never really let the RAF down, going from 'cutting edge' to 'museum piece' without scaring anyone (too much) or a hull loss.
As a spin off - I think it's a tribute to all those who looked after them, both on the ground and in the air.
Interesting thread!
That said, I don't think that it was the best value aircraft. That probably is a transport as they have lasted SO long, I would reckon the Hercules in all its guises probably tops out. Not at all glamorous, but was worth its salt.
The VC10 must be up amongst the contenders as it's never really let the RAF down, going from 'cutting edge' to 'museum piece' without scaring anyone (too much) or a hull loss.
As a spin off - I think it's a tribute to all those who looked after them, both on the ground and in the air.
Interesting thread!
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GBZ
The Avro Andover was an Ambulance Transport version of the Avro Aldershot Bomber and it entered Service in 1924. Only 3 (J7261-7263) entered service with the RAF.
The Avro Andover was an Ambulance Transport version of the Avro Aldershot Bomber and it entered Service in 1924. Only 3 (J7261-7263) entered service with the RAF.
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In terms of value the number of flying hours per unit must be taken into the equation high timers must be the C-130K,VC-10,DH Chipmunk,EE Canberra,HSA Dominie and I would like to know the average Varsity total flying time 10,000 hours per airframe ??
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Economy ...
Phileas Fogg's Post 22 reminded me of a good example of longevity and economy (of effort at least) - "THE" Avro wing, first seen on the Manchester and developed for the Lancaster, York, Lincoln, Tudor, Shackleton and Argosy, with respectively Vultures, Merlins, Hercules, (IIRC), Griffons and Darts for power ...
How's that for versatility?*
*Sorry for "slight" thread drift ...
How's that for versatility?*
*Sorry for "slight" thread drift ...
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Given my history and record on PPRuNe, it would be wrong of me not to promote the RAF's Buccaneers here.
Procured as a stop gap into service in 1969 and departed 25 years later in 1994: called up latterly to close the air campaign in Op GRANBY (1991); stole the show in Op PULSATOR (1983); and proved to the aggressor that to attempt to retake the FI post Op CORPORATE (1982) would be foolhardy! Also, waxed most of the US opposing players on many a RED FLAG!
Foldie
Procured as a stop gap into service in 1969 and departed 25 years later in 1994: called up latterly to close the air campaign in Op GRANBY (1991); stole the show in Op PULSATOR (1983); and proved to the aggressor that to attempt to retake the FI post Op CORPORATE (1982) would be foolhardy! Also, waxed most of the US opposing players on many a RED FLAG!
Foldie
Procured as a stop gap into service in 1969 and departed 25 years later in 1994: called up latterly to close the air campaign in Op GRANBY (1991); stole the show in Op PULSATOR (1983); and proved to the aggressor that to attempt to retake the FI post Op CORPORATE (1982) would be foolhardy! Also, waxed most of the US opposing players on many a RED FLAG!
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cazatou,
You mean you only flew the HS variant of Andover and not, as it subsequently became tagged, the BAe variant?
They can call a Harrier a BAe but it's still a Hawker Kestrel, they can call a Nimrod an HS, or BAe, but it's parents are De Havilland, in it's day the Gnat was HS tagged but is subsequently accepted as being a Folland aircraft and, likewise, the 748 is listed as being an Avro aircraft.
You mean you only flew the HS variant of Andover and not, as it subsequently became tagged, the BAe variant?
They can call a Harrier a BAe but it's still a Hawker Kestrel, they can call a Nimrod an HS, or BAe, but it's parents are De Havilland, in it's day the Gnat was HS tagged but is subsequently accepted as being a Folland aircraft and, likewise, the 748 is listed as being an Avro aircraft.
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I'm saying the C-130k, has multiple uses, can land anywhere with a half reasonable surface/strip, great shortfield performance, and even lets you go for a wee over France. Has served the RAF well since 1967, is still going today and looked after me for 11 years! I am biased though 
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I suspect that the answer to this question is obvious, really. I can name not only the type and mark, but the actual airframe number as well.
Put it this way, for the Lancaster (the last one built in 1946, I think) to be more worthy than my selection, it would have had to have been one of the RAF’s operational bomber aircraft in 1994. That would put it alongside the Tornado GR4, and it would have outlasted the Buccaneer by a couple of months.
Again, for the Spitfire to be chosen (as the last one was built in 1948), it would have had to have been in operational service as a fighter in 1996, therefore it would have outlasted the mighty Phantom. So in Red Flag exercises, the Spitfire could have been up against the F15s & F16s, for example.
So my selection is:
CANBERRA PR9 XH131
Built in 1958 and never out of operational service in 48 years and on operations in Afghanistan until a few weeks before its disposal by the RAF in the summer of 2006.
Put it this way, for the Lancaster (the last one built in 1946, I think) to be more worthy than my selection, it would have had to have been one of the RAF’s operational bomber aircraft in 1994. That would put it alongside the Tornado GR4, and it would have outlasted the Buccaneer by a couple of months.
Again, for the Spitfire to be chosen (as the last one was built in 1948), it would have had to have been in operational service as a fighter in 1996, therefore it would have outlasted the mighty Phantom. So in Red Flag exercises, the Spitfire could have been up against the F15s & F16s, for example.
So my selection is:
CANBERRA PR9 XH131
Built in 1958 and never out of operational service in 48 years and on operations in Afghanistan until a few weeks before its disposal by the RAF in the summer of 2006.