Red Arrows to get F16s!
The sad fact is that the days of the Arrows are numbered. It is very difficult to justify equipping an aerobatic squadron with new or even second hand aircraft when we are struggling to provide a viable number of front line squadrons.
Slightly off topic, but does anyone know why the 2015 line up has a 3rd year pilot at No 7, presumably meaning he will fly a 4 year tour? Were this years newbies deemed not up to the job?
Slightly off topic, but does anyone know why the 2015 line up has a 3rd year pilot at No 7, presumably meaning he will fly a 4 year tour? Were this years newbies deemed not up to the job?
Red On, Green On
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I'm with O-P. My old regiment has no band, no goat with fine raiments and we didn't march about at all as I recall.
We got quite a bit done though
We got quite a bit done though
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Oddly enough, my old regiment didn't have a band or a goat either. Though we did do quite a bit of marching up and down the square for no real reason other than to keep the sergeant majors current on the use of their pace sticks (for pointing that is, not actually measuring paces). At Corps level we had a jolly good band.
I can just see the reaction to the Colonel that says, "No, we can't do trooping colour, I spent all the money on important stuff like body armour, guns and bullets."
Next time you're at an airshow, or even better an non-aviation event that the Reds are displaying at, watch the reaction of the crowd when they're on. I was up at Dawlish for the Lancs in August, and watched it all from the steep hill to the west of the town. The public were going bananas while the Reds did their display.
The team also flew a display over Falmouth this summer, and my understanding is that the town was packed out. Certainly the words 'Red' and 'Arrows' seemed to be bandied about a lot for the next few days. Last year one of the Household regiments paraded through a local town while they were on a summer camp. I've never seen the town so busy, and the reception they gave was amazing.
No, such things will not replace body armour etc, but they will keep the military in the public mind for a lot longer after the last guys (and gals) are home from that wretched part of the world. Without the Reds, or HMS Victory, or the Household Cavalry, the ever-shrinking armed forces will become less and less visible to the population as a whole.
The team also flew a display over Falmouth this summer, and my understanding is that the town was packed out. Certainly the words 'Red' and 'Arrows' seemed to be bandied about a lot for the next few days. Last year one of the Household regiments paraded through a local town while they were on a summer camp. I've never seen the town so busy, and the reception they gave was amazing.
No, such things will not replace body armour etc, but they will keep the military in the public mind for a lot longer after the last guys (and gals) are home from that wretched part of the world. Without the Reds, or HMS Victory, or the Household Cavalry, the ever-shrinking armed forces will become less and less visible to the population as a whole.
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You are right of course. Any frippery that detracts from the schwerpunkt is an unnecessary distraction, wasteful, politically incorrect and should be discarded.
As for uniforms, it is about time they were uniform, and that includes British army officers' socks. Do away with elitist and divisive maroon, blue, green, sand berets, coloured trousers, kilts, cap badges, wings and badges. Suppose we'll have to keep badges of rank until the revolution, but there should be none of this craftsman, trooper, rifleman, corporal of horse, lance sergeant rubbish. Uniform! That's what it's called, and that's what it should be.
That should save enough money to pay for one new truck.
As for uniforms, it is about time they were uniform, and that includes British army officers' socks. Do away with elitist and divisive maroon, blue, green, sand berets, coloured trousers, kilts, cap badges, wings and badges. Suppose we'll have to keep badges of rank until the revolution, but there should be none of this craftsman, trooper, rifleman, corporal of horse, lance sergeant rubbish. Uniform! That's what it's called, and that's what it should be.
That should save enough money to pay for one new truck.
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CM
Looked up your profile to check your credibility and discovered the link to your journal. Wow! Thank you for sharing. I look forward to a very interesting read. We didn't meet at a recent EOSGN did we?
Looked up your profile to check your credibility and discovered the link to your journal. Wow! Thank you for sharing. I look forward to a very interesting read. We didn't meet at a recent EOSGN did we?
As for uniforms, it is about time they were uniform, and that includes British army officers' socks. Do away with elitist and divisive maroon, blue, green, sand berets, coloured trousers, kilts, cap badges, wings and badges. Suppose we'll have to keep badges of rank until the revolution, but there should be none of this craftsman, trooper, rifleman, corporal of horse, lance sergeant rubbish. Uniform! That's what it's called, and that's what it should be.
and then I read:
That should save enough money to pay for one new truck.
Red On, Green On
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Next time you're at an airshow, ....
Without the Reds, or HMS Victory, or the Household Cavalry, the ever-shrinking armed forces will become less and less visible to the population as a whole.
Without the Reds, or HMS Victory, or the Household Cavalry, the ever-shrinking armed forces will become less and less visible to the population as a whole.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Digressing to uniform, a long long time ago the MoD decided just that.
1st all 3 Services would wear the same, say a flying suit. 2nd, if not the same colour it would be the same pattern and same cloth. 3rd same cloth if a different colour.
This was embraced by the Army, Navy and Air Force. The Marines said the standard cloth was unsuitable and they needed twill or some such. Oh and there was a chap called Lovat who had a fetching shade of green.
Then the Army opted for 'free' cabbage kit, the RAF (aircrew) opted for 'free' grow bags and the Navy did their own thing.
But it fell to the RAF, with a very simple uniform to have 4 different coloured blue shirts, 3 of trousers, and countless styles of woolly Lilly.
1st all 3 Services would wear the same, say a flying suit. 2nd, if not the same colour it would be the same pattern and same cloth. 3rd same cloth if a different colour.
This was embraced by the Army, Navy and Air Force. The Marines said the standard cloth was unsuitable and they needed twill or some such. Oh and there was a chap called Lovat who had a fetching shade of green.
Then the Army opted for 'free' cabbage kit, the RAF (aircrew) opted for 'free' grow bags and the Navy did their own thing.
But it fell to the RAF, with a very simple uniform to have 4 different coloured blue shirts, 3 of trousers, and countless styles of woolly Lilly.
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Couldn't the batch 1 Typhoons be retained for this purpose? They actually could be repainted in the event of a crisis, which currently isn't the case (whatever the recent articles state).
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Like it or not, the Reds will be around for a while (IMHO) as they are indispensible to the UK plc brand. On the back of the re-opened production line, T2s are on offer for a reasonable price and so they will (probably) get re-equipped with these. If the MOD have any sense, they will add on a few extras to cover attrition and to give Valley the number of T2s it should have had in the first place. The one thing that could well kibosh the whole thing though is a lack of aircrew. Every year, suitable candidates become fewer and fewer as the front-line shrinks. How long before the number of applicants = spaces available?
Genstabler,
Don't be too hopeful, Buddy. It's a work in progress and work is certainly required.
Haven't been to much recently due to relocation to France. But I'm easy to know/find as I don't use a pseudonym. Anyway, thank you for your kind words.
Don't be too hopeful, Buddy. It's a work in progress and work is certainly required.
Haven't been to much recently due to relocation to France. But I'm easy to know/find as I don't use a pseudonym. Anyway, thank you for your kind words.
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Couldn't the batch 1 Typhoons be retained for this purpose? They actually could be repainted in the event of a crisis, which currently isn't the case (whatever the recent articles state).
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My best suggestion is that if BAeS want to sell their products, they (BAeS), should have their own display team using their own aircraft. Use retired RAF crews if required.
When was the last time you bought a car based on the performance of their F1 team?
The cost of display teams, colourfull guards, men with recorders and triangles, nearly forgot goats, has no place within the current Military budget. If you want that cr@p, then apply to the National Lottery!
When was the last time you bought a car based on the performance of their F1 team?
The cost of display teams, colourfull guards, men with recorders and triangles, nearly forgot goats, has no place within the current Military budget. If you want that cr@p, then apply to the National Lottery!
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Originally Posted by O-P
The cost of display teams, colourfull guards, men with recorders and triangles, nearly forgot goats, has no place within the current Military budget. If you want that cr@p, then apply to the National Lottery!
I disagree. All of the things you mentioned demonstrate the utmost professionalism within the Armed Forces, and above all else they generate interest for the Services. Young children want to be fighter pilots, soldiers or the Captain of a warship. They also keep the Services in the thoughts of the general public.
Seeing RAFAT perform at an air show, the Guardsman outside significant buildings or a band playing at a homecoming parade makes the public tick and it brings communities together who otherwise wouldn't entertain each other.
My best suggestion is that if BAeS want to sell their products, they (BAeS), should have their own display team using their own aircraft. Use retired RAF crews if required.
The cost of running the Reds - peanuts in comparison to the sales potential. Now if only BAES would think big and offer to re-equip the Reds with the T2/127/128/131 at marginal cost, the benefits (for the company and the nation) might be highly lucrative.
Meanwhile, in other news, the Indian Air Force are planning to order 20 new Hawk 132s to equip their aerobatic team, although they seem to being having problems with their documentation...
Hawks Fly Away With India’s Jet Trainer v2 Competition
Hawks Fly Away With India’s Jet Trainer v2 Competition