TOP GUN : Inside the RAF (where did it go?)
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“120 Sqn are Lossiemouth elite surveillance unit” or should that read the only surveillance unit. It set the tone for the rest of the programme .
“Poseidon is a next generation aircraft” well, the kit in it might be, but at the end of the day the “aircraft” is a 737.
Then another Typhoon tale that more or less follows exactly what they did last week, and to top it off, the RAF Regiment deploying to that hell hole war-zone of ermmmm, Cyprus, to rattle a few gates and defend the station from the odd fisherman.. And when did the Station Commander pop round to give you a pep talk / get his face on telly, before you went off on detachment?
I dread to think what we will get next week, but this weeks show was dire.
“Poseidon is a next generation aircraft” well, the kit in it might be, but at the end of the day the “aircraft” is a 737.
Then another Typhoon tale that more or less follows exactly what they did last week, and to top it off, the RAF Regiment deploying to that hell hole war-zone of ermmmm, Cyprus, to rattle a few gates and defend the station from the odd fisherman.. And when did the Station Commander pop round to give you a pep talk / get his face on telly, before you went off on detachment?
I dread to think what we will get next week, but this weeks show was dire.
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Well it was nice to see the Rocks getting some coverage, but, as others have said, deployment sounds much better to the general public than a routine detachment, along with sun and sand, to Akrotiri.
However, the P-7 / 737 also featured.
Now it's fine showing, as far as possible, the roles the crew perform, but, does the aircraft also carry Airborne Techs ?.....if so, they missed a trick in not showing the role they perform as another recruiting inducement.
However, there was one, brief, intriguing clip showing an engineer opening the " E & E" bay hatch....and getting soaked in the process. Anybody who knows the 737 is aware this is far from unknown, but, in this case, the amount of water that cascaded out seemed...a shade excessive.
However, the P-7 / 737 also featured.
Now it's fine showing, as far as possible, the roles the crew perform, but, does the aircraft also carry Airborne Techs ?.....if so, they missed a trick in not showing the role they perform as another recruiting inducement.
However, there was one, brief, intriguing clip showing an engineer opening the " E & E" bay hatch....and getting soaked in the process. Anybody who knows the 737 is aware this is far from unknown, but, in this case, the amount of water that cascaded out seemed...a shade excessive.
“120 Sqn are Lossiemouth elite surveillance unit” or should that read the only surveillance unit. It set the tone for the rest of the programme .
“Poseidon is a next generation aircraft” well, the kit in it might be, but at the end of the day the “aircraft” is a 737.
Then another Typhoon tale that more or less follows exactly what they did last week, and to top it off, the RAF Regiment deploying to that hell hole war-zone of ermmmm, Cyprus, to rattle a few gates and defend the station from the odd fisherman.. And when did the Station Commander pop round to give you a pep talk / get his face on telly, before you went off on detachment?
I dread to think what we will get next week, but this weeks show was dire.
“Poseidon is a next generation aircraft” well, the kit in it might be, but at the end of the day the “aircraft” is a 737.
Then another Typhoon tale that more or less follows exactly what they did last week, and to top it off, the RAF Regiment deploying to that hell hole war-zone of ermmmm, Cyprus, to rattle a few gates and defend the station from the odd fisherman.. And when did the Station Commander pop round to give you a pep talk / get his face on telly, before you went off on detachment?
I dread to think what we will get next week, but this weeks show was dire.
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Well it is still a modified Boeing 737, even Boeing state,
https://www.boeing.com/defense/marit...don/index.page
The P-8 combines the most advanced weapon system in the world with the cost advantages of the most operated commercial airliner on the planet. The P-8 shares 86% commonality with the commercial 737NG, providing enormous supply chain economies of scale in production and support. Boeing’s expertise in commercial fleet management and derivative aircraft sustainment provides customers with greater availability at a lower operational cost. The P-8 is engineered for 25 years/25,000 hours in the harshest maritime flight regimes, including extended operations in icing environments.
The senior technician taking the p**s out of the Typhoon pilot doing a pre-flight walkaround by doing a voiceover “checking this thing, no idea what it is, that thing made a click not sure if that’s normal” was hilarious. Even the tech said “I’ll bet you don’t show that bit” - but I’m happy they did.
I also noticed they had a newish looking Tonka in one hangar - do they keep one around as a squadron hack or is it an instructional airframe ?
I also noticed they had a newish looking Tonka in one hangar - do they keep one around as a squadron hack or is it an instructional airframe ?
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As has been explained, the P-8 is...86% 737 and I would guarantee any engineer with airframe / engines experience on type would have no problem maintaining the aircraft, purely and simply because a Boeing, is a Boeing... full stop....same for the E-3 being a 707. The bits associated with the mission role would, obviously, be different, but other than that, it's a 73 / 70
The Tornado was interesting...maybe it's the Sqdn mascot in the same way the Army have dogs, goats, and even a sheep.
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Oh man !....are you nominating yourself for the coveted "Pedant of the Year " award ?
As has been explained, the P-8 is...86% 737 and I would guarantee any engineer with airframe / engines experience on type would have no problem maintaining the aircraft, purely and simply because a Boeing, is a Boeing... full stop....same for the E-3 being a 707. The bits associated with the mission role would, obviously, be different, but other than that, it's a 73 / 70
As has been explained, the P-8 is...86% 737 and I would guarantee any engineer with airframe / engines experience on type would have no problem maintaining the aircraft, purely and simply because a Boeing, is a Boeing... full stop....same for the E-3 being a 707. The bits associated with the mission role would, obviously, be different, but other than that, it's a 73 / 70
However, there was one, brief, intriguing clip showing an engineer opening the " E & E" bay hatch....and getting soaked in the process. Anybody who knows the 737 is aware this is far from unknown, but, in this case, the amount of water that cascaded out seemed...a shade excessive.
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That wouldn't have been in the early 1970s, I presume? The fearsome Bogbrush of Cranwell repute, Jack Holt reigned in ODI then.
I have memory of Mr Holt in action. He was riding in the Station Commander's (we didn't refer to him as "Staish" in my day, nor did we drink beer out of the bottle!) car with the SC pennant flying proudly from the bonnet, when they drove past a usually scruffy Flying Officer (but top of the range helicopter pilot) shambling in the opposite direction. There was no salute from the USFO, and the car was brought to a rapid standstill. Mr Holt exited, and called the USFO to heel. Was he not aware of the SC's pennant, and the obligation to recognise it with a salute? The USFO acknowledged that he had missed that, and waved to the SC in his car with a "Hi there" salutation. Result, USFO had a week of extra Orderly Officer duties.
/one, notably casual officer (but excellent Helicopter pilot)
That wouldn't have been in the early 1970s, I presume? The fearsome Bogbrush of Cranwell repute, Jack Holt reigned in ODI then.
I have memory of Mr Holt in action. He was riding in the Station Commander's (we didn't refer to him as "Staish" in my day, nor did we drink beer out of the bottle!) car with the SC pennant flying proudly from the bonnet, when they drove past a usually scruffy Flying Officer (but top of the range helicopter pilot) shambling in the opposite direction. There was no salute from the USFO, and the car was brought to a rapid standstill. Mr Holt exited, and called the USFO to heel. Was he not aware of the SC's pennant, and the obligation to recognise it with a salute? The USFO acknowledged that he had missed that, and waved to the SC in his car with a "Hi there" salutation. Result, USFO had a week of extra Orderly Officer duties.
/one, notably casual officer (but excellent Helicopter pilot)
Are you aware of a more advanced MPA? It is not Boeing 737, it is a P-8. Did you refer to Nimrods as Comets? In fact the Nimrods really were modified airliners, whilst a P-8 is built as a P-8. The problem with the segment was that they were trying hard to portray something very interesting whilst carefully avoiding saying or showing anything interesting. We all know the reason, but it did not make good TV. As for the rest, it was just documenting what was happening at the time. That's why it's called a documentary. If you want an all-action war film you're watching the wrong programme.
At the time both the Tonka and the Spitfire were sat in the hangar, shortly afterwards the GR4 became the new gate guardian. The old guardian had to be scrapped unfortunately, word is that it hadn't been prepared fully and was prone to filling with water when it rained, and occasionally shedding parts in high wind (but then the tower still does that...)
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https://des.mod.uk/what-we-do/raf-pr.../poseidon-p8a/
They don't like it upem..
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The E-3 was built on the prototype 707 IIRC which had a narrower fuselage.
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As I said, the amount of water that is shown cascading down on the engineer is....excessive.
Surprised that no one’s mentioned the incorrect read back of the altimeter setting in the Spartan pair section. 995 given and 985 read back.
Can only assume that the correction was lost in the edit.
Can only assume that the correction was lost in the edit.
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Surprised that no one’s mentioned the incorrect read back of the altimeter setting in the Spartan pair section. 995 given and 985 read back.
no it wasn’t, the E3 is based on the Boeing 707-320. The RAF’s E3-Ds were some of the last off the 707 production line - 707-320B. I even heard a rumour they were initially built for the USN to be converted to E6.