RAF Poseidon - Not too long to wait?
UK's first Poseidon MRA1 makes flight debut
Some good news! Article on Flight Global.
The UK’s first Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft made its flight debut on 12 July, with company test pilots completing a short transfer from the manufacturer’s Renton final assembly site to Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington. Online flight tracking sites show that the debut sortie lasted 47min.
Following the installation of military-specific equipment, the adapted 737-800 (ZP801) in October will be transferred to the US Navy’s NAS Jacksonville site in Florida, where a first batch of Royal Air Force (RAF) aircrew and engineers have already received instruction.
Boeing
The RAF expects to declare initial operational capability with its new Poseidon MRA1 fleet during 2020, with its lead example to arrive in the UK “in early-spring”.
Boeing
“All nine aircraft will be delivered by November 2021, with full operational capability [to be] achieved in 2024,” the service says. The type will be home based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, although runway resurfacing work at the facility will require flights to be performed from nearby Kinloss during 2020.
Following the installation of military-specific equipment, the adapted 737-800 (ZP801) in October will be transferred to the US Navy’s NAS Jacksonville site in Florida, where a first batch of Royal Air Force (RAF) aircrew and engineers have already received instruction.
Boeing
The RAF expects to declare initial operational capability with its new Poseidon MRA1 fleet during 2020, with its lead example to arrive in the UK “in early-spring”.
Boeing
“All nine aircraft will be delivered by November 2021, with full operational capability [to be] achieved in 2024,” the service says. The type will be home based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, although runway resurfacing work at the facility will require flights to be performed from nearby Kinloss during 2020.
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You see toned down national markings on a Royal Air Force aircraft, of the type common since the gloss white V-force and toned down tactical era, and you think "transgender pink?" Weird...
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Anglian,
Possibly. But a strange choice of humour, given that the markings have been in use for many years now. Kiddie stuff.
Nice to see the aircraft progressing.
Possibly. But a strange choice of humour, given that the markings have been in use for many years now. Kiddie stuff.
Nice to see the aircraft progressing.
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Nice looking aircraft but I’m a bit puzzled by that picture
The USN P8’s have a noticeable ‘blister’ on the side of both engine nacelles, I believe this is to accommodate larger and / or additional electrical generators
Not apparent in the photo of the RAF aircraft
The USN P8’s have a noticeable ‘blister’ on the side of both engine nacelles, I believe this is to accommodate larger and / or additional electrical generators
Not apparent in the photo of the RAF aircraft
Originally Posted by stilton
Nice looking aircraft but I’m a bit puzzled by that picture
The USN P8’s have a noticeable ‘blister’ on the side of both engine nacelles, I believe this is to accommodate larger and / or additional electrical generators
Not apparent in the photo of the RAF aircraft
The USN P8’s have a noticeable ‘blister’ on the side of both engine nacelles, I believe this is to accommodate larger and / or additional electrical generators
Not apparent in the photo of the RAF aircraft
no winglets?
When it was decided that our VC10Ks should be repainted in 'John Major Grey' rather than hemp, ZA149, the first one to be repainted, looked awful with a wedgewood blue cheat line, including along the engine nacelles. The 'blue vein' as it became known.... The aircraft also had white lettering and 'they' were told to try again! So the blue vein and white lettering were changed to dark grey, which looked far better!
Presumably the grey paint was the result of there being far fewer of Pusser's war canoes to paint, so the MoD had sheds full of grey paint going cheap?
Presumably the grey paint was the result of there being far fewer of Pusser's war canoes to paint, so the MoD had sheds full of grey paint going cheap?
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Originally Posted by N707ZS
Amazed the MOD hadn't bought the 737MAX version, you know where that would have got us.
Last edited by weemonkey; 30th Jul 2019 at 12:17.
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Originally Posted by melmothtw
P-8 doesnt have winglets, but has racked-back wingtips instead. They both do the same job, but winglets would be prone to iceing at some of the non-airliner altitudes the P-8 operates at, and while the racked-back wingtips make the wingspan slightly longer compared to winglets, lack of space isn't an issue on the military airfields they operate from.
And how do they load the weapon bays or have the legs been extended?
