Seaking - Testing Merling Radar

[strontium.dog74]

Does anyone know where I can get images of the Seaking aircraft that tested the Merlin Radar system. I seem to remember it was some heath robinson affair where it was located on a boom in front of the aircraft. I assume the aircraft was part of Empire Test or something similar?

[sycamore]

Look in `FLIGHT TESTING`,RAE Bedford/Thurleigh..

[BossEyed]

What does a radar look like when it merls? :}

There were two Blue Kestrel trials Sea Kings - XZ575 (I think) and ZB506 (http:www.fotolibra.com/gallery/417710/sea-king-hc4x-zb506-rae-bedfordqinetiq/). (Other pics here (http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?engine_version=6.0&search_active=1&search=&sheadline=&domains=Airliners.net&sitesearch=Airliners.net&client=pub-8297169501225184&forid=1&channel=1924797129&ie=ISO-8859-1&oe=ISO-8859-1&cof=GALT%3A%23E6E8FA%3BGL%3A1%3BDIV%3A%23000000%3BVLC%3AE6E8 FA%3BAH%3Acenter%3BBGC%3A45678C%3BLBGC%3A45678C%3BALC%3AE6E8 FA%3BLC%3AE6E8FA%3BT%3AC4C8CC%3BGFNT%3AC4C8CC%3BGIMP%3AC4C8C C%3BLH%3A36%3BLW%3A639%3BL%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fcdn-www.airliners.net%2Fgraphics%2Fopen_file_header_image.jpg%3B S%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fstart.airliners.net%3BFORID%3A1%3B&hl=en&search_field=datedesc&q=zb506))

The former had an orange painted cockpit and other bits, and was the initial development aircraft flying initially out of Yeovil with some forays to Boscombe. The latter was raspberry ripple, with the RAE originally out of Bedford and later Boscombe.

[dangermouse]

of the trials aircraft fitted with the Blue Kestrel in front of it (pic on p382 of the Putnam book on WHL aircraft)

DM

[BossEyed]

Thanks, dangermouse; a quick Google shows that '575 came onto the trials fleet far later (1998) than I'd thought.

The following picture of XZ570 with the trials radar comes from this site (http://www.sonsofdamien.co.uk/sea%20king%20production.htm):

http://www.sonsofdamien.co.uk/sea%20king%20production_files/image007.jpg

[LowObservable]

It looks like a lizard trying to eat a cheeseburger.

[strontium.dog74]

Thanks guys, much appreciated

[arandcee]

Didn't Sting take that on Wogan once to try and save the rain forest?!

[BossEyed]

arandcee, this is me Not Laughing...:oh:








:}:}:}:}:}:}:=:}:}:}:}:}:}:}

[Mr-AEO]

Hey!!
That picture has been stolen from the highly advanced 'MASC' design bureau!:}

[Sven Sixtoo]

At least it seems to have sorted the aft C of G problem.