Black Alpha Jet
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Southern England
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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
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
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: UK
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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
Surely everyone loves the big QinetiQ logo
Red On, Green On
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Between the woods and the water
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Something not right with an aircraft on the UK military register with a large QinetiQ logo on the side. Geneva Convention springs to mind.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Swamp
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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
Happy memories!
F.O.D
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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.
Gloss black colour schemes are my favourite - from BBMF Chipmunk to Tornado F3 and Eurofighter Typhoon.
Are there any photos of an all gloss black F3?
Join Date: Oct 2006
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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.
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.
Last edited by CirrusF; 11th Dec 2008 at 20:51.
Join Date: Mar 2004
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The Chipmunks and Bulldogs used before the Grobs used to have a (rather controversial) war role during the Cold War.
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?
Join Date: Oct 2006
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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.