Merlin? OTT

[beefsteak]

Bad shot I know , but it went over that quick I was still on last nights Moon Shot settings
Questions being, A is it a Merlin, and B, Why Lime green ?

Merlin? by Beefsteak44, on Flickr

[Flyingmonster]

Deffo a Merlin and it looks like its in Primer. I think Mr Gaylard bagged one a year or so back. He might know something mate

[Yammer]

Beefsteak - where are you ?

I saw a primer Merlin wihh nose ball turret this morning - over Somerset heading EAST.

"Cessna" got him on the SBS as ZR353 - the second Italian example.

Wonder it its en route a weapons range up for weapons trials

[Malcolm]

A is it a Merlin

Pedantic answer - No - its a HH-101 Ceasar.
Real world answer - Yes - its a Merlin / EH-101 / AW-101 whatever

B, Why Lime green ?

Coz it's not been painted yet. The lime green is the undercoat/primer and many Merlins have flown as such before final topcoat paint is applied. All the US merlins were supplied in primer, as was the Japanese one. The bloke on the Westland stand at last years Yeovilton show said it was because the primer is quite tough, whereas the topcoat isn't. Therefore testflights are often done in primer, and the topcoat only applied shortly before delivery to the customer. That way they don't have to clean/re-paint the aircraft for delivery - apparantly customers like clean aircraft rather than ones covered with 6 months of flight test muck all over them.

[Dan Kemsley]

It's 1 of a pair at Valley for the exercise, Danish AF

[Malcolm]

It's 1 of a pair at Valley for the exercise, Danish AF

No it's not. Danish ones are Dark green.

[Yammer]

""It's 1 of a pair at Valley for the exercise, Danish AF""


This is incorrect - this photo is not one of those machines

[beefsteak]

It was heading (more or less ) due north , over Winsford Cheshire.

[dubmasteruk]

I heard an u/d type working London Information (124.75) yesterday afternoon/evening heading to Carlisle as 'Westland02'. Assume this was taken today (tuesday), possibly support for this machine.