ORAC
I can remember the first time I heard that the RAF would be getting Chinooks. It was when I was at Seletar and the last of the Belvederes were about to go out of service. Wishful thinking of course, although they were operational in Vietnam then.
The year was 1967, 44 years ago. 44 years before that the RAF was still operating the Vickers Vimy! Changes in the field of aviation take a bit longer these days.