The Short Belfast was a long range heavy lift cargo aircraft designed and built in Northern Ireland. They served with Britain’s Royal Air Force for about a decade before being withdrawn from service due to changed defence policy.

The Short Belfast was designed to meet a Royal Air Force requirement for a long range heavy strategic transport aircraft.

Design begin in 1957, conceived at first as a militarised Bristol Britannia with a wider fuselage, it quickly evolved into a quite different aircraft.

The prototype first flew on 5 January 1964 and entered service in January 1966. Only 10 were made.

They were a capable aircraft but changed RAF operational planning saw then taken out of service in 1976. Five were sold to private companies for civil air transport services

This model represents XR370 in service with No 53 Squadron, Royal Air Force, in the late 1960s.

Anigrand 1/144 kit completed by Leigh Edmonds in October 2024.