I FLIGHT International, 2 5 April 1968
617
I TRANSALL C-160 . . .
financial troubles and partly because of a desire to re-equip
with more helicopters. After French protestations that this
would result in an increased cost, the German Government
decided not to press for any reduction in its planned Transall
purchase.
Considerable interest was shown at one time in British
participation and the adoption of the Transall by the RAF, and
talks were held between the Transall consortium, the British
Aircraft Corporation and the British Government. The RAF
need, defined by OR.351, was for a Hastings/Beverley replacement. In March 1963 Britain placed an order for a STOL
transport—the Whitworth Gloster 681. This project was cancelled in February 1965, but the simultaneous placing of an
order for the Hercules set the seal against any possibility of
adopting the Transall.
The main reason for passing over the Transall in favour of
the Hercules was the RAF's pressing need to get the new aircraft into service as soon as possible, coupled with the incompatibility of OR.351 with the Transall range/payload
performance (although in many other respects—notably in
tactical operation—the Transall offers advantages over the
Hercules).
One export order—nine Transalls for South Africa—was
secured last year. This country already operates a small Hercules fleet, but the purchase of further Hercules was ruled out
by the refusal of America, dn compliance with a United
Nations' resolution, to supply military equipment to South
Africa. France, however, is not so bound and thus the nine
aircraft, designated C-160Z, will be supplied by Nord.
The aeroplane is of conservative design, using a conventional
light alloy structure and very little machining. The cargo compartment, designed for compatibility with the international
railway loading gauge, is actually larger than that of the
Hercules. The need for freighting dictated the layout, which
has become accepted for an aircraft of this class. The Transall
is thus characterised by a high wing, fuselage-mounted undercarriage assembly and upswept rear fuselage. The requirement
for low-level operation (to minimise the effect of enemy interference) common to both countries has led to an unusually
strong structure.
The wing comprises three major components: a parallelchord centre section to which are bolted two tapered outer
Panels. The primary structure is a two-spar wing box to which
are attached the leading and trailing edge sub-assemblies. Good
airfield performance is due in part to the use of double-slotted
flaps which extend out to the inboard ends of the rather shorts
Pan ailerons. Rolling action is assisted by spoilers inset into
the upper wing surfaces adjacent to the ailerons. Spoilers and
ailerons are mechanically interconnected so that the downi n g aileron on one wing is assisted by the up-going spoiler
°i the other wing.
Details of the wing/fuselage join, showing the attachment to the wing
JiiJ
' t h e method of bolting and the pressure seal between fuse'fl8e and wing skin
1 Port blind-flying panel
2 Engine flowmeters
3 Fuel, oil temperature and pressure
gauges
4 Master warning panel
5 Cabin air control panel
6 Loading ramp and cargo door
controls
7 Ramp and door latch indicator
8 Fire-suppression panel
9 Electrics and de-icing panel
10 Fuel control
11 Fuel cocks
12 Water/methanol contents
13 Engine vibration indicators
14 Electrics master switches
15 Radar scope
16 Radar controls
17 IFF
18 Autopilot
19 Radio
20 Fuel trim
21 Throttles
22 Airbrakes
23 Emergency airbrake
24 Flap
25 Emergency flap
26 Propeller pitch
27 Undercarriage selector
28 Parking brake
29 Sun blinds
30 Oxygen panel
The Transall flight deck, which is both roomy and has good forward and
sideways visibility
To steepen the descent gradient and to provide lift dumping
after touchdown, airbrakes are mounted on the upper and
lower surfaces of the outer wing panels.
Power is supplied, by two Rolls-Royce Tyne R.Ty.20 Mk 22
mounted in underslung nacelles from the centre section. This
engine delivers 5,665 s.h.p. I.S.A. for take-off and it is built
by the European consortium which also builds the Mk 21
Tynes for the Breguet Atlantic. The four members of the
consortium comprise MAN in Germany, Rolls-Royce in
Britain, Hispano-Suiza in France and Fabrique Nationale in
Belgium. Each firm manufactures certain components and final
assembly takes place in France and Germany. Each Tyne drives
an 18ft diameter, four-blade propeller by Hawker-Siddeley
Dynamics and Ratier-Figeac. The engines are started by means
of high-pressure air supplied either from a ground-power unit
or from the APU.
In order to maintain engine performance at high ambient
temperatures, a water-methanol system is employed. A single
tank of 86 US gal in the starboard undercarriage fairing
supplies both engines.
Further to enhance the performance of the C-160 in the
tactical role, provision has been made at Germany's request
to install two auxiliary turbojets—Bristol Engines Division
Orpheus, probably—in pods under the wings, giving a total
thrust increment of over 8,0001b.
Concluded on page 620, after cutaway drawing of C-160