Royal Air Force (RAF-UK) Discussions and Updates

[StobieWan]

You're a better man than I, Stobiewan. My eyes glazed over a short way into the video, I couldn't watch it all. Nice piece of humour by the video creator and good humour by ngatimozart laying out the bait for the unwary

I did bail at the point he collapsed into laughter but if I'd been busier rather than it just being on when I was doing something else, I'd have hit the eject button. Matsimus is ex-REME I think so he's a good torch bearer for the UK armed forces as he reports his experiences as being very positive, but like most forces people I've met or who youtube, he's got a sense of humour in spades.

 

[ngatimozart]

It was the RAF centennial year last year and recently in NZ a unique tribute was made with what is thought the largest formation of WW1 aircraft flying in the world today. Most are reproduction aircraft but all are reproduced to the same standards of the time and that includes the engines.

The Largest Formation Of WW1 Aircraft Since The 1920s

Video:

I thought that they may have had a Sopwith Camel flying in the formation, but they didn't. I know that there was one in flying in the country.

 

[MrConservative]

It was the RAF centennial year last year and recently in NZ a unique tribute was made with what is thought the largest formation of WW1 aircraft flying in the world today. Most are reproduction aircraft but all are reproduced to the same standards of the time and that includes the engines.

The Largest Formation Of WW1 Aircraft Since The 1920s

Video:

I thought that they may have had a Sopwith Camel flying in the formation, but they didn't. I know that there was one in flying in the country.

They are mostly owned by Sir Peter Jackson aren't they? It would be great for him to do a WW1 air war movie.

 

[ngatimozart]

They are mostly owned by Sir Peter Jackson aren't they? It would be great for him to do a WW1 air war movie.

I am not sure. He has quite an interest in Omaka at Blenheim with quite a bit of his stuff on display there. Don't know if he has an interest in TVAL though. Kermit Weeks comes down now and again and flies at Hood (Masterton) with Gene De Marco. Kermit's bought one of their Albatross's, which he flies at Fantasy Of Flight in Florida. TVAL do export aircraft to the UK & US and they had about seven Fokker triplanes flying around NZ at one part. Richthofen's Kiwi flying circus.

 

[KiwiRob]

I am not sure. He has quite an interest in Omaka at Blenheim with quite a bit of his stuff on display there. Don't know if he has an interest in TVAL though. Kermit Weeks comes down now and again and flies at Hood (Masterton) with Gene De Marco. Kermit's bought one of their Albatross's, which he flies at Fantasy Of Flight in Florida. TVAL do export aircraft to the UK & US and they had about seven Fokker triplanes flying around NZ at one part. Richthofen's Kiwi flying circus.

Jackson owns about 40 aircraft according to wikipedia, he also owns a company that restores aircraft and builds replicas The Vintage Aviator |

 

[htbrst]

It was the RAF centennial year last year and recently in NZ a unique tribute was made with what is thought the largest formation of WW1 aircraft flying in the world today. Most are reproduction aircraft but all are reproduced to the same standards of the time and that includes the engines.

It's even sweeter - all of the ones in the formation all have original WW1 engines - not reproductions. Plenty of aircraft in the collection do have reproduction engines of course - including some reproduced German Mercedes engines produced for the Albatros's DVas they have built.

 

[ngatimozart]

Jackson owns about 40 aircraft according to wikipedia, he also owns a company that restores aircraft and builds replicas The Vintage Aviator |

Thanks. The Vintage Aviator is the TVAL that I was alluding too.

 

[ngatimozart]

I am not sure. He has quite an interest in Omaka at Blenheim with quite a bit of his stuff on display there. Don't know if he has an interest in TVAL though. Kermit Weeks comes down now and again and flies at Hood (Masterton) with Gene De Marco. Kermit's bought one of their Albatross's, which he flies at Fantasy Of Flight in Florida. TVAL do export aircraft to the UK & US and they had about seven Fokker triplanes flying around NZ at one part. Richthofen's Kiwi flying circus.

Off topic but related. Video of TVAL Fokker triplanes. - The Fokker scourge, in this case five Fokkers, taken about 10 years ago.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2268312130105843

 

[oldsig127]

Off topic but related. Video of TVAL Fokker triplanes. - The Fokker scourge, in this case five Fokkers, taken about 10 years ago.

Not bad to look at at a distance but the sound and sight of the bogus engines rather ruins the effect.

oldsig

 

[ngatimozart]

Not bad to look at at a distance but the sound and sight of the bogus engines rather ruins the effect.

oldsig

I believe that those aren't bogus engines. TVAL either use original engines or build reproductions.

 

[oldsig127]

I believe that those aren't bogus engines. TVAL either use original engines or build reproductions.

Nope. The engines are radials; the real aircraft used Oberursel rotaries - licence built le Rhones - or captured French or British rotaries. You can clearly see the exhaust pipe below the firewall and three stationary cylinders at the lower quadrant of the cowling. If the prop is turning and the cylinders aren't, you are usually looking at a Warner Scarab engine. If there's any sign whatsoever of an exhaust pipe, it's not a rotary.

And...they sound utterly different.

TVAL's Triplanes are mostly imported incomplete US projects completed by TVAL, rather than an internal project.

(Edit: I know that TVAL have built a couple of Oberursel UR.2 replicas which may have been fitted in Triplane replicas by now - but not evident in that clip)


oldsig

 

[htbrst]

2 of the 5 RAF E-7 Wedgetails are to be from second-hand airframes - probably to save money but conceivably there may not be too many slots available for 737NG airframes between 2021 and 2026

RAF to get second-hand jets as part of Wedgetail buy

“Boeing has sourced two 737NGs from the commercial market and secured a further three production slots on [its] Seattle production line in 2021 and 2022 to meet our needs,” he says.

No details of the age or history of the two second-hand aircraft have been revealed.

Modification of the first aircraft is due to start in 2021, says Andrew, with the final example to be completed in 2026. Work on each aircraft is anticipated to take around 24 months.

 

[John Fedup]

Maybe Boeing should develop a P-8 737 MAX for financially strapped countries like Canada. Might be quite a few available conversion aircraft on the cheap.

 

[Traveller]

Maybe Boeing should develop a P-8 737 MAX for financially strapped countries like Canada. Might be quite a few available conversion aircraft on the cheap.

737 MAX.....the currently grounded aircraft? Will these have ejection seats?

 

[John Fedup]

I guess ejection seats might be possible in a military version like the P-8. I read recently that over 50% of passengers would not likely fly in a 737 MAX for 6-12 months after reintroduction. Boeing is taking a real hit because of the MAX fiasco. There better not be any 777x fluster cucks or shareholders will be running for the hills.

 

[StobieWan]

In RAF related news, Britecloud to be trialled and likely fitted to Typhoon - already integrated on Tornado Gr4, the decoys oddly turn up to be manufactured in my home town:

Leonardo’s BriteCloud decoy flies toward service on RAF Typhoons - DETAIL - Leonardo in the UK

 

[south]

The RAF have - unsurprisingly really - used the F-35B forward deployed to Cyprus on operations.

F-35 fighter jets join fight against IS

 

[ngatimozart]

The RAF have announced that they will resume MPA capability from 1/4/2020. Mind you that's April fools day too The announcement was made at RIAT last week. Also announced was it intends to have Wedgetail IOC by the second half of 2023 and it also intends to remain in lockstep with RAAF Wedgtail development cofunding said development. A win win for both air forces.

RAF targets April 2020 for maritime patrol resumption

 

[Redlands18]

The RAF have announced that they will resume MPA capability from 1/4/2020. Mind you that's April fools day too The announcement was made at RIAT last week. Also announced was it intends to have Wedgetail IOC by the second half of 2023 and it also intends to remain in lockstep with RAAF Wedgtail development cofunding said development. A win win for both air forces.

RAF targets April 2020 for maritime patrol resumption

Wonder if the RAAF will send a E-7 to Britain for an extended period 6-12 months to help with Trg and integration.

 

[oldsig127]

Wonder if the RAAF will send a E-7 to Britain for an extended period 6-12 months to help with Trg and integration.

As opposed to the RAF sending their crews here for training and familiarisation? Why not. Surely there'll be golf curses and 5 Star hotels for the RAAF crew

oldsig