Military Aircraft - why such a fascination?

[snow_muncher]

How high can a nimrod fly vs a seaking ?

Length of mission profile ?

The Vulcan is just so graceful. Though there are a few others that have a place in my heart like the Victor ..

Know someone who doesn't think much of Vulcans, but then he's just a little bias, being one of the crew of XA917 on 1st June, 1957

[Blackline Stu]

The UK harriers had the ability to drop GBU removed, gunpacks removed, ability to dogfight removed, carrier landing kit removed, etc, etc

The cost of putting this kit back on cost the UK taxpayer $$$

Why do you think they got ditched ?

The harrier could drop GBU's for example brimstones and the reason that the gun packs were removed was they damaged the airframe (design flaw) after years of use so they decided to stop using them and replaced them with strakes. It could also still dogfight, even better than the day it came out of the factory due to the fact that they were all upgraded to have LERX (leading edge root extention) some were 65% (smaller) others 100% (full size) and it could be fitted with sidewinders but it was never designed to dogfight (the sea harrier was). It was designed to be a low level strike aircraft. Also there is no such thing as carrier landing kit for the harrier. There was a more powerful engine fitted to some of them so they could have a higher take off payload but that is all.

[snow_muncher]

The harrier could drop GBU's

As I said, the capability had to be reinstated

gun packs

The RAF gunpacks where all empty - the ADEN 25 project was cancelled

No attempt was ever made to fit ADEN 30

Only the US spec Harrier 2 & Harrier 2 plus carry the GAU-12

2+ also has pulse-doppler radar, so can carry AIM-120

[KenONeill]

How high can a nimrod fly vs a seaking ?

Length of mission profile ?

Last time a Nimrod launched from or recovered to an aircraft carrier (any nation's)?

[snow_muncher]

Have you heard of the Grumman E-2C Hawkeye ?

There was alot of talk that if the new aircraft carrier got a catapult, there was a chance we could have some them too.

Very useful transport aircraft based on the same airframe, the Grumman C-2 Greyhound

[KenONeill]

Have you heard of the Grumman E-2C Hawkeye ?

There was alot of talk that if the new aircraft carrier got a catapult, there was a chance we could have some them too.

Very useful transport aircraft based on the same airframe, the Grumman C-2 Greyhound

Did you actually just suggest that the Hawkeye's radar is even vaguely as capable as Searchwater!!?

[snow_muncher]

Wouldn't exactly be difficult to fit what-ever radar you want to an aircraft such as the Hawkeye, which is simply put, a more capable aircraft, offering the ability to maintain AEW for longer, in worse weather and at greater distances.

Helo-borne AEW was a only-possible option for the RN, not one they chose out of preference.

Of course, the ideal scenario in todays wolrd would be to put Searchwater or its' replacement into a UAV

[snow_muncher]

ps A RN hawkeye-type aicraft would have also given the oppotunity to create a naval version of the R1 Sentinel, and give ASTOR coverage too

Other suggested airframes where the TurboTracker AEW

And AEW solution as well. Not an Hawkeye, but a quantum leap in capability from an helicopter based solution. 25.000 feet of patrol altitude against 15.000 at most, and up to 7 hours in the air. As a plus, it is intended to use the Searchwater 2000 which the RN already uses. Again, it promises to be cheap as chips.

http://ukarmedforces...-costs-and.html

[Goaty]

As I said, the capability had to be reinstated

The RAF gunpacks where all empty - the ADEN 25 project was cancelled

No attempt was ever made to fit ADEN 30

Only the US spec Harrier 2 & Harrier 2 plus carry the GAU-12

2+ also has pulse-doppler radar, so can carry AIM-120

I think you'll find that the ADEN 30mm cannon was fitted to the Harrier. It always had the capability to drop LGB's.

I'm not sure where you're getting your facts from to be honest.....

[snow_muncher]

I'm wondering where you're getting your's

ADEN 30 where fitted to GR1, FRS2, FAW2, GR3

That's a different aircraft to the Harrier II (AV-8B/GR5+)

[Goaty]

You stated that the gunpacks were empty then backtracked and said they were fitted to GR1's & 3's. At no point did I stipulate the mark, just the fact that they were fitted.

I've only been an Armourer in the RAF for 24 years. What would I possibly know about my trade.....

[snow_muncher]

The thread of talk had been about the GR9 being ditched in favour of the Tornado

Since the GR1 harrier series and GR5 are different designs, I thought it not needed to mentioned

And by GBU, I was meaning LGB guided weapons, as opposed JDAM type GPS/optical guided weapons

The programme to retrofit LGB's (eg PAVEWAY + Ferranti TIALD) was carried out largely by the RAE at Farnborough iirc

My main theme being, British Forces are forever getting 2nd rate kit, then having to dodge up a solution fast

The entire helo-based AEW programme for example, being a reaction to what happened during the Falkland conflict, and the lives that could have been saved if we'd have at least some kind of AEW, the MOD having decided it wasn't really needed

[@Lee]

Thread revival:

 

BBC2 last night, a new seies, Cold War, Hot Jets. Now available on iPlayer and part two next saturday at 21:00

 

Along a similar vein, a new series 'Strange Days: Cold War Britain' begins on BBC2, 12th November 2013 at 21:00.

[vindaloo]

Thread revival:

 

BBC2 last night, a new seies, Cold War, Hot Jets. Now available on iPlayer and part two next saturday at 21:00

 

Along a similar vein, a new series 'Strange Days: Cold War Britain' begins on BBC2, 12th November 2013 at 21:00.

 

Anticipate gnashing of teeth and many "oh those fools!!!" comments in the next episode.

 

Of the first episode, very poignant relearning the DH110 John Derry and Comet 1 disasters.

 

Slightly mind boggled that RAF aircrew flew CIA spying missions for target identification over the SU!!!

[FUBAR]

 

Slightly mind boggled that RAF aircrew flew CIA spying missions for target identification over the SU!!!

 

As if we haven't been doing whatever our lords and masters in USA have told us for decades lol. 

[Johnno92]

As if we haven't been doing whatever our lords and masters in USA have told us for decades lol. 

 

Not for much longer, the yanks are broke.. Britain's looking for a new pimp, China's looking pretty flush these days.. 

 

On another note.. 129 I serviced that jet last week..

 

[FUBAR]

Not for much longer, the yanks are broke.. Britain's looking for a new pimp, China's looking pretty flush these days.. 

 

On another note.. 129 I serviced that jet last week..

 

 

We are teaming up with the French though..... Perhaps it's a joint Dragons Den style pitch we are making? How come you servicing that? To get it ready for it's next owner :P 

[JerryT]

Not for much longer, the yanks are broke.. Britain's looking for a new pimp, China's looking pretty flush these days.. 

 

On another note.. 129 I serviced that jet last week..

 

Hope you didn't use hydraulic fluid in the RB-199 instead of the correct engine oil.

[@Lee]

[Dr Zoidberg]

Looking forward to plenty of V Bombers this week.

Did anyone spot the mysterious prototype in the Farnborough footage? A delta shape with no tail plane but two on the wing tips? Any idea what it was?

[Johnno92]

We are teaming up with the French though..... Perhaps it's a joint Dragons Den style pitch we are making? How come you servicing that? To get it ready for it's next owner :p

 

Not just the French, when I went through techie training there were Royal Saudi and Oman air force trainees there on courses.. Interesting blokes they were   ..  At the end of the day, If you've got money you want to send your kids to a good school..   Jet was being serviced for it's next flight..

 

Hope you didn't use hydraulic fluid in the RB-199 instead of the correct engine oil.

 

Err.. It's Castrol GTX right..?  :p

[@Lee]

Err.. It's Castrol GTX right..?  :p

Duckhams :wonder:

[JerryT]

Err.. It's Castrol GTX right..?  :p

Come on you know it is a Comma product :moon:

[Johnno92]

It's probably secondhand chip fat oil thats been put in a fancy metal can, painted green so it looks military, and sold at the same price as Mobil 1, the MOD's good with money like that..

[JerryT]

It's probably secondhand chip fat oil thats been put in a fancy metal can, painted green so it looks military, and sold at the same price as Mobil 1, the MOD's good with money like that..

Fortunately, that sort of thing (secondhand chip fat) isn't allowed Surprisingly though for the MOD, the procurement of POL is pretty damn good. There is always the odd product that commands a high price such as the coolant for the ECM unit on the particular aircraft in the picture. But that was never for the want of trying :(