CHF - Merlin Mk 4
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Waiting to return to the Loire.
Age: 54
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First photo of a green Merlin with RN tags posted across on UKAR. The link is http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=62691.
I have not embedded the photo as it has not been copyright watermarked.
Shame there doesn't appear to have been a full respray.
I have not embedded the photo as it has not been copyright watermarked.
Shame there doesn't appear to have been a full respray.
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Yeovil,Somerset
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As far as I know the 1st 8 (?) out of the factory will be Mk 3i, an interim upgrade with rotor-fold only. This will keep CHF going until the rest of the Merlins have been upgraded to the full Mk 4 conversion.
I'm told the 'Royal Navy' title on the above photo was to 'wind up' the RAF chaps...in a nice way obviously.
I'm told the 'Royal Navy' title on the above photo was to 'wind up' the RAF chaps...in a nice way obviously.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Here and there
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When you say upgraded you mean in the sense of cockpit, screens, folding head etc, but unfortunately a massive downgrade in lift capability with all that added weight! Oh well at least we are rid of it!
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I wouldn't place any money on the weight being that much more. There is very little extra weight. You are replacing most bits not adding metal. For a start your ripping out heavy CRT and replacing with thin LCD. You're removing a rotor and replacing with another. Its going to be in the very low hundreds of kg I think
If it is in the very low hundreds of kg then you can kiss goodbye to hot performance. Have you any idea of the kit, including avionics, that was removed from the Mk3 in Th to give it the required capability?
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Wiltshire
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If I remember correctly the weight penalty is around the 350kg mark - remember it isn't just the head and tail but changes to the undercarriage and tie downs etc. Unfortunately unlike the Mk 1 to 2 there isn't much scope for reducing weight as I believe most of the weight reduction in that programme was linked to the mission kit that clearly isn't present in the 3/3a. If you add in the BP fit (a brave man who wouldn't given it is available) + DAS fit you are adding around 900kg to the basic AUM giving 3600 kg (ish, figures from memory only) disposable on a 15,600 cab. So not a performance upgrade but clearly giving it a capability it doesn't currently have. All it needs is a reduced basic weight, better engines & gearbox & we might have a cracking machine!
Join Date: Jan 2008
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If only someone had designed and built a ceramic gearbox that would massively reduce weight whilst at the same time hugely improving the amount of torque you can pull.......
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Yep all those those red illum nights that the Chinnys weren't allowed to fly in by their DDH (Ahhhhh bless, scared of a little darkness) and we picked up all the tasking instead... Pretty useless......
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Dundee,Scotland
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The formal hand over of the RAF?S Merlin Helicopter Force to the Royal Navy?s Commando Helicopter Force takes place at RAF Benson on 30 September 2014 - IHS Jane's 360
What is going to happen to the two RAF Sqn's and the aircrew and ground crew.
What is going to happen to the two RAF Sqn's and the aircrew and ground crew.
