Black Alpha Jet

[EGDY]

Hi all

Not sure how long its been painted in black
Gauntlet 01 at Boscombe Down Today.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w67/yeovil03/bd2.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w67/yeovil03/bd3.jpg

cheers Rich

[MATZ]

It came back from Bournmouth on Tuesday afternoon, having dropped another one off for a paint job.

All the QinetiQ Alphajets are being painted that colour scheme. It is hard to see in the photos, but the wing tips are white.

MATZ

[peterperfect]

I like the anti-speed camera mod !!

[SFCC]

Please do elaborate.....:confused:

[ase engineer]

It's what used to be called Civil Owned Military Registered. The CAA aren't too keen on civil registering miltary aircraft!

[False Capture]

Gloss black colour schemes are my favourite - from BBMF Chipmunk to Tornado F3 and Eurofighter Typhoon.:ok:

[muggy73]

They are all being repainted int the high vis black with white wing tips. The alpha jets are used for ETPS trg/CT flying and trials support work. Fantastic little jet - great fun!

Surely everyone loves the big QinetiQ logo:}

[kluge]

Of the same generation as the BAe "Hawk" I can see why it was not called after a bird of prey.

Aethestically, it looks more like a Jackdaw.

[airborne_artist]

Something not right with an aircraft on the UK military register with a large QinetiQ logo on the side. Geneva Convention springs to mind.

The Alphas have as much chance of being used in combat as the Grob Tutors used by UAS/AEF, which are also on the civ register. Geneva Convention not really an issue.

[18greens]

Not really a thing of beauty.

[F.O.D]

It may not be a thing of beauty, but at least it has an easily accessible and clean "boot" where you can stow an overnight bag. Unlike the Hawk, where you have to lie on your back on the taxiway to get access to the oily stowage behind the nosewheel.

Happy memories!

F.O.D

[Rigger1]

the Hawk, where you have to lie on your back on the taxiway to get access to the oily stowage behind the nosewheel.

And I would strongly advise all current Hawk drivers to make the most of their 'boot', because the new Hawk 128 / T2 / AJT (call it what you like) hasn't got one. There is a baggage pod. Well it really is just a removable cap on the front of the centerline tank, and it’s smaller than the current pannier, just think a small washbag (to share), and it will be full. But it’s ok because there are no plans to deploy the 128 / T2 / AJT away from its base!!!! Or so the MOD say.

[Fishtailed]

Gloss black colour schemes are my favourite - from BBMF Chipmunk to Tornado F3 and Eurofighter Typhoon.

Am I missing something?
Are there any photos of an all gloss black F3?

[dum_my]

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/middle/2/2/8/1100822.jpg (http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air/Panavia-Tornado-F3/1100822/L/)

[Fishtailed]

Thanks DM, I'll search out some more now I know they exist.:ok:

[Thelma Viaduct]

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/middle/2/2/8/1100822.jpg

Is it ok to show pictures of the stealth Tornado on here???

The pprune ppolice might become angry etc :=

[CirrusF]

The Alphas have as much chance of being used in combat as the Grob Tutors used by UAS/AEF, which are also on the civ register. Geneva Convention not really an issue.


The Chipmunks and Bulldogs used before the Grobs used to have a (rather controversial) war role during the Cold War. I suspect the Grobs are still pencilled in to do something useful if the balloon goes up in a big way.

Alpha jets are actually fairly useful light ground attack and COIN aircraft, which was the role specified and exploited by the Luftwaffe. They're phenomenally agile and precise. I'd expect they'd get called up before the Grobs :)

Absolutely delightful plane to fly though. Delightful almost glider-like purity of handling combined with instant, smooth, linear power on demand.

[XV277]

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/middle/2/2/8/1100822.jpg

Is it ok to show pictures of the stealth Tornado on here???

The pprune ppolice might become angry etc :=

Just so long as a senior officer doesn't see it and order it put out of sight into the hanger....:ok:

[Dr Jekyll]

The Chipmunks and Bulldogs used before the Grobs used to have a (rather controversial) war role during the Cold War.

Can you tell us more about this? I've heard of the recon flights over Berlin in the Chipmunks (Britains answer to the SR71 I suppose) but what else?
By 'war role during the cold war' do you mean active operations during the cold war or a war role planned in case of a hot war?

[CirrusF]

I don't know whether the details have been declassified yet or not so somebody else might be better qualified to answer that. Fairly safe to say, I think, that it was a "hot" only role.

[rlsbutler]

"The Chipmunks and Bulldogs used before the Grobs used to have a (rather controversial) war role during the Cold War."

I started AEF work on Chipmunks in 1978. The aircraft were to be put at the disposal of the Regional Commander in the event of a hot war. This might have been classified then, but then I should not have known about it if it was so secret, on the principle of "need to know"; because what was controversial to me as a newly retired military pilot was that the students of AFS at Valley were to man the chippies for this role instead of me !

We occasionally tried out liaison work with the police, pretending to do what police choppers do now. I assumed that was in rehearsal of the hot plan, but it was not very heavily briefed.