Just out of interest..
In the tradition of naming helicopters after indigenous tribes, the Australian Army seriously considered calling the Aussie version of the Bell 206 the 'Kalkadoon'.
Luckily, sanity prevailed and they went with the American name, Kiowa.
Nothing wrong with the sentiment, but there has to be at least a little bit of 'coolness' in an aircraft name.
Another thing to consider is that in an era of increasing awareness of the possibility of language offending people, we should move towards more politically correct aircraft names, in line with the euphemisms used by politicians - 'Intervener', or 'Acceptable Collateral Damager', perhaps.
Luckily, sanity prevailed and they went with the American name, Kiowa.
Nothing wrong with the sentiment, but there has to be at least a little bit of 'coolness' in an aircraft name.
Another thing to consider is that in an era of increasing awareness of the possibility of language offending people, we should move towards more politically correct aircraft names, in line with the euphemisms used by politicians - 'Intervener', or 'Acceptable Collateral Damager', perhaps.
When the RAF were about to buy the F-111, it was realised that the dear old Americans hadn't given it a name. Someone decided that it must have a name (after all, there could be terrible confusion as to whether it was the F-One-Eleven, F-One-hundred and-eleven, F-Treble-One or the F-One-One-One), so a name was decreed.
MoD decided that if a joint effort with the Aussies was undertaken, then the Americans might be persuaded to adopt the name themselves.
This seemed a good idea, but the Aussies weren't quite as helpful as their Airships hoped. As well as Taipan (rejected on the grounds that it sounded Vietnamese and the Americans might not like it - seriously!), the Aussies gave 17 other names - all of which were aborignal, including Malonga (Eagle), Galawindi (Firestick) and Thanggamau (a helpful note in the files says 'pronounced Thugamau).
Their Airships rejected this and decided that the traditional name for bombers (based on towns up until the V-force) was too dull. Nevertheless, they thought that Richmond would fit the bill in this category. By 1967, they had a list of names as follows:
Merlin
Warrior
Richmond
Scorpion
Thunderstrike
Panther
Thruster
Odin
Firebolt
Typhoon
Firebolt was rejected since it was too much like 'Firebar' (the Yak-28), and signals of Fiebars in the wrong place could start a war. I won't give the whole list of towns suggested in lieu of Richmond- but:
The General Dynamics F-111 Harrogate?
By February 1967, DCAS had a list, drawn up on the premise that the RAF's strike aircraft should all be named after birds of prey. In order of preference, they were:
Merlin
Buzzard
Osprey
Shrike
Harrier
Gyrfalcon
Goshawk
Sparrowhawk
Kite
Hobby
Perigrine
Kittihawk
DCAS decided that he liked Merlin best, so, that was that...
Until a civil servant pointed out that we don't give names to aircraft until their first flight of either the prototype or the first production aircraft. The matter was dropped - and so, shortly afterwards, of course, was the UK buy of F-111s.
Sorry for the length - I'll get me anorak - but shows how awkward the process can be. Does this mean that Benson now houses a super-secret strike aircraft disguised as a helicopter?
MoD decided that if a joint effort with the Aussies was undertaken, then the Americans might be persuaded to adopt the name themselves.
This seemed a good idea, but the Aussies weren't quite as helpful as their Airships hoped. As well as Taipan (rejected on the grounds that it sounded Vietnamese and the Americans might not like it - seriously!), the Aussies gave 17 other names - all of which were aborignal, including Malonga (Eagle), Galawindi (Firestick) and Thanggamau (a helpful note in the files says 'pronounced Thugamau).
Their Airships rejected this and decided that the traditional name for bombers (based on towns up until the V-force) was too dull. Nevertheless, they thought that Richmond would fit the bill in this category. By 1967, they had a list of names as follows:
Merlin
Warrior
Richmond
Scorpion
Thunderstrike
Panther
Thruster
Odin
Firebolt
Typhoon
Firebolt was rejected since it was too much like 'Firebar' (the Yak-28), and signals of Fiebars in the wrong place could start a war. I won't give the whole list of towns suggested in lieu of Richmond- but:
The General Dynamics F-111 Harrogate?
By February 1967, DCAS had a list, drawn up on the premise that the RAF's strike aircraft should all be named after birds of prey. In order of preference, they were:
Merlin
Buzzard
Osprey
Shrike
Harrier
Gyrfalcon
Goshawk
Sparrowhawk
Kite
Hobby
Perigrine
Kittihawk
DCAS decided that he liked Merlin best, so, that was that...
Until a civil servant pointed out that we don't give names to aircraft until their first flight of either the prototype or the first production aircraft. The matter was dropped - and so, shortly afterwards, of course, was the UK buy of F-111s.
Sorry for the length - I'll get me anorak - but shows how awkward the process can be. Does this mean that Benson now houses a super-secret strike aircraft disguised as a helicopter?
Gentleman Aviator
Merlin has obviously been top of the list for some time!! I heard tell that at the MoD meeting I referred to in my earlier post, the then ACAS (TJ??) wanted it to be called EH-101.
Some other blustering top-neddy said we couldn't possibly NOT name an RAF aircraft. Whereupon ACAS apparently said nothing, but got up and pointed at a picture of a VC-10 on the wall!
Some other blustering top-neddy said we couldn't possibly NOT name an RAF aircraft. Whereupon ACAS apparently said nothing, but got up and pointed at a picture of a VC-10 on the wall!
VC-10? Vickers FunBus!!
Well, it was once...........
Shouldn't the Merlin have been EHI-01 (European Helicopter Industries Type 01) but some politico couldn't read and referred to it as EH 101? So that's what it became. Rather like LBJ with his SR-71 statement which changed the real name of the RS-71 overnight?
But as for very silly names, I understand that Their Airships wanted to call the HS 1182 'Tercel'. Fortunately it became 'Hawk' instead........
Well, it was once...........
Shouldn't the Merlin have been EHI-01 (European Helicopter Industries Type 01) but some politico couldn't read and referred to it as EH 101? So that's what it became. Rather like LBJ with his SR-71 statement which changed the real name of the RS-71 overnight?
But as for very silly names, I understand that Their Airships wanted to call the HS 1182 'Tercel'. Fortunately it became 'Hawk' instead........
Last edited by BEagle; 4th Jul 2002 at 05:45.
To stray firmly and deliberately off topic again:
Jumpmaster, I couldn't agree more
Talking Radalt
You need to spend less time looking at the radalt and more looking out of the window, are you blind!? 
Give Kylie 
a run for her money - ha! Aussie sex goddess with an arse sculpted by all the angels in heaven, or a gangly tart who got her whiny voiced mum kicked off Blue Peter?
I'd crawl a mile over broken glass to sniff the exhaust of the van that takes Kylie's knickers to the laundry.
How about the EH 101 "Freak"? Has a certain ring to it...
Jumpmaster, I couldn't agree more
Talking Radalt
S-E-B is 100% babe, giving Kylie a run for her money in the babe stakes. I'd crawl a mile over broken glass to poke a matchstick in Sophie's poo
Give Kylie a run for her money - ha! Aussie sex goddess with an arse sculpted by all the angels in heaven, or a gangly tart who got her whiny voiced mum kicked off Blue Peter? I'd crawl a mile over broken glass to sniff the exhaust of the van that takes Kylie's knickers to the laundry.
How about the EH 101 "Freak"? Has a certain ring to it...
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Quite right too, S-E-B is indeed a ropey trollop with the dress sense of a charity shop worker. But surely the gentlemanly thing to do would be to slip her one anyway?
If Kylie is so high on the ratings list where is her mate Natalie Imbruglia.
Id give a toe from each foot and hammer my fingers flat just to hear the rattle of the keys of the launderette mentioned in your post. Have given serious thought to becoming a full time stalker.
Quite right too, S-E-B is indeed a ropey trollop with the dress sense of a charity shop worker. But surely the gentlemanly thing to do would be to slip her one anyway?
If Kylie is so high on the ratings list where is her mate Natalie Imbruglia.
Id give a toe from each foot and hammer my fingers flat just to hear the rattle of the keys of the launderette mentioned in your post. Have given serious thought to becoming a full time stalker.
