SHADO Heavy Transport
Web site by: Phil Broad

Here we are treated to yet another excellent Mike Trim design for "UFO". This heavy-lift transporter very accurately mimicked the design proposals just beginning to circulate around 1970 for the new US "CX" contract which would eventually lead to the McDonnell Douglas C-17. The SHADO heavy lifter looks very similar to the C-17 in most respects and it is a credit to Mike's ability to understand and predict trends in aircraft design.

This heavy lifter was designed to move SHADO equipment to any part of the globe whenever needed and to be able to operate from the primitive air fields which might be found in forward combat areas. This means that it must have short field landing and take off abilities as well as a light foot print, meaning that the weight of the aircraft must be distributed over enough tires so that it can operate on compacted dirt runways without sinking into the ground. Its primary duty as seen in the show was to move the SHADO Mobiles to wherever they were needed. In this capacity they were capable of moving three Mobiles at a time. We never learn how many of these aircraft are at SHADO disposal but it would be safe to assume their numbers to be around ten, based on the size and type of operation shown in the series. They are most likely not custom built for SHADO but rather special variants of an existing military transport. Therefore it would also be safe to assume that we might see others of this same type of aircraft in the military markings of various nations.