tommc wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 08, 2023 9:07 am

At the moment, these 5 H135s have NOT been allocated military registrations.

I wonder if that's to make the process of selling/disposing of them easier. No paperwork/cost to re-register/certify them as civilian.

DEA basically provide private sector ISTAR to Governments and other organisation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82yDx3LgPPU They had a couple of grey Diamonds, but all 'technically' Civil https://dea.aero/specialised-operations/four-planes-flying_hud3f971d6d39a629917eb0a810cae93a0_230824_1000x0_re...

I believe the CAA will not allow the Mirage, because it uses an afterburner. Not allowed in civilian hands. Not as simple as that, it depends on the level of complexity and what level of OEM/Design authority support is provided. Use of reheat within a turbine engine does not necessarily render the ...

Macrahannish also had a regular Loganair flight, There was often rumours about secret aircraft (Captured Mil 24 was one for a while) but no-one ever saw anything. I suspect most is down to the security of the special weapons that were stored there. On the other hand, not too far away, West Freugh WA...

Rik, makes a bit of sense, however is there a reason why they did not use the P-8 barrel or is it simply a production sequencing issue? P-8 is based on the -800 series 737 fuselage, E-7 on the -700, so Wedgetail is about 19 feet shorter. There was a rumour early on that the RAF had ordered a -800 b...

Latest sighting of the two being converted in Birmingham. has anyone seen any report of allocated RAF serials? They are usually allocated early in the program

https://twitter.com/AndrewTurnerRAF/sta ... 8574297088?

Remember seeing this Aircraft at Leuchars when it was with 228 OCU/ 64 Sqdn. But I can't remember wether it was one of the 2 with the blue tail? XT900/CO was one, can't recall the other off the top of my head. EDIT - a quick Google reveals XT895/CJ, but also mentions there were four blue tailed air...

Unknown74 wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 19, 2021 3:48 am

It was my first IAT as well Stellaproblem, unfortuately I've only been to one other and that was 1993.

That's the same as me. Must get back one day

What a waste. Why are those reasonably new Sentinels not deemed effective anymore? Their equipment is massively out of date - they have had no investment over the last 10 years as their OSD date was always just a few years away. (think about how your phone has changed since 2008!) It would take a h...

The RAF did test fly the P38 Lightning during WW". For some strange reason the version tried didn't have the superchargers fitted, and was thus not a sprightly performer. Not strange per se - The French ordered the version without superchargers so that the aircraft had the same engines as their Haw...

Think the F-35B Lightning is the first RAF type not to have a type mark, it should really be FA1 (fighter attack) like the Sea Harrier. I'd expect Lightning to have been FGR1 if anything. It's not the first however, you've got the C-17, which we call the Globemaster III, the RC-135 Rivet Joint, etc...

I may be wrong, but I beleive ASRAAM can't be carried internally on the F-35

And one of the crew flew one of those little RC helicopters from the deck before anything else!

From memory, the RAF want to maintain a mix of support types beyond the Puma 2025 OSD. What is likely to replace the Puma post OSD is interesting - AW149 might be one option, or what the US decides as it's UH60 replacement

Wildcat (x2), Merlin (x3), Osprey, Chinook, Lightning, and Stallion gets you up to the nine. Not seen photos of anything else so I'd say Steven and Bluetail are right in that different marks are counted as different types. Have more than one mark of Chinook land on board? I have seen pics of HC5s. ...

Pardon my ignorance. If we lose the Sentinel's in 2021.Can the Shadow's offer some kind of coverage. What Shadow does is obviously cloaked in secrecy, but I suspect it's more of a tactical asset, dealing with and controlling 'local' operations (it was a replacement for the Nimrod in that role, and ...

Soooo! I wanted somebody else to confirm that the RAF Voyagers should've had Refuelling Booms at the outset before we got into that ridiculously restraining Airtanker Contract. Now we're stuck with grey airliners fitted with underwing pods & unable to refuel an increasing number of recent purchases...

According to the company representatives at RIAT, they operate on the civilian register as they no longer just train MOD staff. Operating on the civilian register makes it easier for them to obtain business from the civilian market, which is what they intend to do. This is why you have a wider rang...

Via the US is not an uncommon routing for RAF aircraft to Australia, going back to the days of the Comet - avoids overflying potentially unwelcoming countries

When is the Sea King ASaC7 OOS date?