H.P.67 Hastings test aircraft
Outside of squadron service, several Hastings aircraft were used for testing purposes.
To work through the disastrous tailplane problems of the Hermes, the prototype Hastings was used to test various modifications. The engines were experimentally angled up a few degrees, a Gurney flap (without even knowing of its existence) was added to the rudder, and variations tried with recontoured leading edges for the rudder end elevators - all changes invisible at FD scale. Experiments were also tried with anhedral (downsloped) and dihedral (upsloped) horizontal stabilisers. In the end these experiments lead to the extended, lower tailplane of the C.2.
One of the early test aircraft was fitted with Sapphire jet engines. This aircraft was also modified to text the H.P.80 Victor crew escape doors. It is very interesting to think that the prototype H.P.67, as the last gasp of piston engined transports, was being engineered at exactly the same time as the prototype H.P.80 Victor advanced jet bomber.
The C.1 aircraft that was used to revised lowered tailplane subsequently used for the C.2 retained its tail and was subsequently upgraded to C.1A standard, becoming the only aircraft with both the lowered tail and wing tanks. This aircraft was retained for testing, being the first aircraft fitted with an extended radar nose.
Painted in a very garish high visibility scheme, one aircraft was modified for parachute testing at the RAE.
While not converted to become a Met.1, a standard C.1 was used by the Meteorological Research Flight, fitted with a unique underslung weather radar. This aircraft was eventually retired when replaced by the Hercules W.2 "Snoopy".
WD480 was modified to carry a ventral pannier for top secret maritime trials. The pannier included a retractable ASV radome and sonobuoy stowage. Still retaining the now empty pannier this aircraft was used as a camera ship for air-to-air photography at the SBAC Farnborough airshows in the mid-1970's.
Another aircraft fitted with an avionics pod and nose sensor was used for radio and navigation aid testing until the early 1970's.