Damaged beyond repair in a gale on March 19, 1940 at Whitchurch Airport, Bristol, when it was blown together with HP42 G-AAUD,. Photo from: Mike Heeley

Operated by 53 Squadron.

Operated by 53 Squadron, RAF.

Impressed by the RAF on 3 March 1940, and then wrecked within weeks by a gale at Bristol - Whitchurch together with G-AAUD Hanno.

This really was bad timing! Ex USAAF 42-65408. Sister HP-379 (13920) suffered the same fate at Turin after the demise of the operator. Third Sister HP-385 (13915) crashed in 1963. All three were named 'Heracles' and were operated by Aeronaves de Panama.

Built in Jul-1946 and delivered 26-May-1948 as USAF 42-65404. Early 1956 it was flown into storage at Davis-Monthan AFB. In 1959 it became N3182G and end 1962 it was registered HP385. It was based in Copenhagen mainly to fly cattle to the Middle East. It crashed 09-Oct-1963 into high terrain 13km S of Marseille-Marignane airport in France after catastrophic propeller failure and an engine separating from the wing after it had taken off at night from the wrong runway.

Fly by at the Bentwaters Air Day which starred the Blue Angels

Another view of Belfast "Heracles" during her service career. Taken on charge in 1.66 and went on to become G-BFYU, scrapped in 2001

53 Sqdn's "Heracles" was one of the 10 Belfasts delivered to the RAF in 1965 and went on to become Heavylift's G-BFYU

"Heracles" of No. 53 Squadron Royal Air Force.