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Search found 162 matches

by turmo
Sun Jan 28, 2024 10:09 pm
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: Tanker Trouble - Analysing the RAF's Tanker capability
Replies: 15
Views: 2206

Re: Tanker Trouble - Analysing the RAF's Tanker capability

As an historical aside, the F-105D had both probe and receptacle receiving equipment, the only tactical aircraft I can think of that had both. Very handy over Vietnam as it could receive from USAF or USN tankers. Both were mounted in the port nose so that they shared much of the same plumbing, savin...
by turmo
Wed Sep 21, 2022 3:29 pm
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: USAF B-21 Stealth Bomber Thread
Replies: 44
Views: 12823

Re: USAF to Unveil B-21 Stealth Bomber in December

Aviation Week will be hiring a Cessna again, I presume, for the embargo-busting overhead shots!

Image
by turmo
Wed Sep 14, 2022 10:44 am
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: Queen's Funeral visitors thread.
Replies: 292
Views: 38805

Re: Queen's Funeral visitors thread.

Considering half the countries spotters and a fair few I know from Europe will be descending on STN, and knowing there is room for about 20 cars where they prefer you to go to, is there any parking anywhere near ?? Stansted is connected by rail directly to Birmingham New Street, Norwich and London ...
by turmo
Thu Aug 04, 2022 11:11 am
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: Why go from f22 to f35
Replies: 21
Views: 2834

Re: Why go from f22 to f35

It's the other way round. F-4 was always the Navy designation; the USAF were originally going to use F-110 for their version, but common sense (pun intended! :P ) eventually prevailed. No so much common sense as the harmonisation of tri-service designations in September 1962. Both the USN and USAF ...
by turmo
Thu Aug 04, 2022 10:53 am
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: Why go from f22 to f35
Replies: 21
Views: 2834

Re: Why go from f22 to f35

When the X-35 was announced as the winner for JSF, a journalist asked the Under Secretary if it would become the F-35 in service. He said yes. And that was that, designation sequence over-ruled.

Similar to the EHI-01 gaffe, or the RS-71
by turmo
Sat Jul 23, 2022 1:02 pm
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: Falcon 900s will be BAe 146 replacements...
Replies: 76
Views: 11665

Re: Falcon 900s will be BAe 146 replacements...

The name reflects the role of the aircraft in defence diplomacy and relationship building. The original Envoy aircraft in RAF service was known as the Envoy III. It was a twin-engine light transport aircraft, used by the RAF before and during World War 2 in the communications role; one of which ser...
by turmo
Mon May 10, 2021 8:37 am
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: RAF Chinook 40 Years Service
Replies: 14
Views: 2435

Re: RAF Chinook 40 Years Service

We should really have been at 52 years service! The very first RAF Chinook order was placed in March 1967, for 15 CH-47B models, after competition with the Super Frelon. The squadron was intended to be based at Singapore from 1969 to replace Belvederes, so presumably 66 Sqn was earmarked. But that o...
by turmo
Thu Apr 22, 2021 10:06 am
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: Quick question
Replies: 6
Views: 1429

Re: Quick question

Pedantically, they're always visible on primary radar . ADS-B sites, though, are not radar.
by turmo
Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:55 pm
Forum: RIAT
Topic: Air Tattoo 50
Replies: 10
Views: 4339

Re: Air Tattoo 50

Quick question, does include lists of attendees or is it more high level?

My biggest disappointment with the 25th Anniversary book was that it only mentioned 'highlight' visitors of each show.
by turmo
Mon Mar 22, 2021 4:33 pm
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: UK AAR Provision into the future?
Replies: 42
Views: 6712

Re: UK AAR Provision into the future?

How can it cost extra to remove? They were built as standard A330s in France then flown Spain to be converted to tankers.. at no point would a boom have been fitted that then needed removing.. The UK's configuration had to be separately certificated by Spanish certification agency INTA because it v...
by turmo
Sun Mar 21, 2021 12:23 pm
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: New "RAF" A321NEO (G-XATW)
Replies: 31
Views: 6979

Re: New "RAF" A321NEO (G-XATW)

Seems a lot more useful than the A330, plenty of range and decent capacity without being huge in size or op costs. I can see this being used for 95% of flights including trans-Atlantic.

Maybe a couple of A220 ACJs would be a good replacement for the 146s.. ? Throw a bit of wing work to Belfast too!
by turmo
Tue Mar 09, 2021 6:47 pm
Forum: RAF Cranwell & Barkston Heath
Topic: Phenom ZM334
Replies: 13
Views: 3466

Re: Phenom ZM334

Heading to EMBRAER facility at Fort Lauderdale for servicing. Civvie reg for ease of transit since it's not technically a state aircraft.
by turmo
Wed May 20, 2020 6:35 am
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: Red Arrows New Base?
Replies: 157
Views: 40691

Re: Red Arrows New Base?

So all this palaver to move to Waddington, and then in 2030 the Hawk T.Mk.1 goes out of service.

Would have been a perfect opportunity now to just disband RAFAT and be done with it.
by turmo
Sun Dec 15, 2019 8:43 pm
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: P-8 Delivery Schedule
Replies: 20
Views: 7382

Re: P-8 Delivery Schedule

is it official that the official designation for the P8 will be the MRA1 or will it also retain the A designation as used my the US Navy and its other operators? I''m not sure what you're asking but yes the official MoD designation is Poseidon MRA1. Pedantically it should be MRA.1 or MRA.Mk.1 The P...
by turmo
Thu Aug 15, 2019 10:08 am
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: what happens to old/obsolete missiles?
Replies: 8
Views: 3886

Re: what happens to old/obsolete missiles?

The airframe and control components can be salvaged

The solid motors are usually disposed of by controlled burning

Electronics and seeker - I don't know, the white-coated fairies dealt with that stuff.
by turmo
Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:05 am
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: RAF and the DDay celebrations
Replies: 34
Views: 10058

Re: RAF and the DDay celebrations

It's not lack of money that's a problem, a few million can always be found when the right people are behind an idea. The issue is lack of top-down interest.

If an ACM wanted invasion stripes on a dozen Typhoons, invasion stripes would be painted.
by turmo
Fri Jun 07, 2019 11:31 am
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: August 1955. 707 barrel rolls
Replies: 16
Views: 5096

Re: August 1955. 707 barrel rolls

Sorry to be pedantic, but it wasn't a 707, it was the Boeing Dash 80, which led to the KC135. The 707 while visibly similar is a quite different aircraft with a wider fuselage diameter. And nor was it a barrel roll. A messy aileron-roll, perhaps. Even Tex wasn't sure how to describe it, which sugge...
by turmo
Fri Apr 26, 2019 1:28 pm
Forum: RIAT
Topic: Royal International Air Tattoo 2019 Discussion Thread
Replies: 1407
Views: 366770

Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2019 Discussion Thread

Seeing an update confirming that four Royal Navy aircraft will attend the static park is great news, however seeing a comment from yourself that just says "Meh" is rather sad, what would you say after RIAT if the Royal Navy hadn't bothered attending at all? Frankly if they'd skipped RIAT and just p...
by turmo
Sat Mar 23, 2019 12:27 pm
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: Apache display returns for 2019.
Replies: 10
Views: 4252

Re: Apache display returns for 2019.

Now imagine if there was a simultaneous Pantsir Role Demo. Might discourage some of the infantile rah-rah-rake-em-with-30mm commentary. "The Pantsir seems to have detected our Longbow emissions, so now we're going to turn-off the radar and hide behind these trees for a few minutes. Talk amongst your...
by turmo
Sat Mar 23, 2019 12:10 pm
Forum: The Fighter Control Mess
Topic: UK Orders Wedgetails
Replies: 46
Views: 14568

Re: UK Orders Wedgetails

It's a win win for a common airframe between the P-8 and the E-7. It's not a common airframe, though there are many common components. The Poseidon is assembled on a separate line at Renton due to the extensive aiframe changes. Now if the MoD had specified the Poseidon airframe with the Wedgetail s...

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