More Merlins?
 

Rumours are surfaceing that the RAF have aquired Merlins form the Danish and Portugese, in response to the shortfall of SH. This is a blatent fishing exped, but can anyone add substance? :ugh:

I can categorically state that it is an official rumour!

There is another one about some Wokkas as well...

What a jolly good idea!

I often thought that the paintjob on a Danish I01 was better than that of our Mk3's!!

Why did we get the drab olive version and the Danes get the Metallic paint job option at nil cost eh? Looks so much better for pulling chicks.

I bet they even have free sat nav and radios / DAS suites that work. Clever pig breeding blighters, they must really have some well paid CS's doing their procurement.

:}

/If truth be told, Mr AJ of AW (Yeovil) may have 'offered' the aircraft to our Vice Chief, but as you know there is a world of difference between an intial unsolicited offer and delivery of the capability on the ground/

A good adendum to that rumour is that it is not the RAF, but the RN who will be supplying 13 crews for the putative green JUNGLY Merlins.
But what do I know........................

Wot???

13 Spare crews at a moment's notice from the hard-pressed jungly force ... shurely shome mishtake.........:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Mixed crews I heard from a little bird.
Jungly left hand seat.

Whilst speaking to a secret personnel base in Gloucestershire last week, something was mentioned about personnel required for an entirely new SH Sqn next year - I wondered what at first, but posts above are clearing the muddied waters!

More Pingalies?

I love it when a Sunday lunchtime rumour becomes fact on PPrune by Tuesday evening....

Are there no Sea Kings / Commandos in storage or reserve if sufficient crews can be found?

No HC Mk4's - why else would the IPT strip out and partial DAS fit 5 HAS Mk6 to Mk6(Commando Role) standard to cover the shortage during the avionics upgrade?

There are a load more HAS Mk6 ASW paid off in 2003 or so in storage... Check the previous thread on Mk6(CR) for that discussion - time to convert/cost/Vmax etc. There's a whole lot that could be done to them, but they are still 18-30 odd years old...

Spare Junglies? I'll check the bottom drawer.... There's a few in Telic not airborne at the moment...

Saw what you did there Detgnome - clever and prophetic.

WC

Lets hope if true, the 72 Sqn number can be liberated, and put back to helos where it should be!
Anyone from 28 (AC) Sqn available to comment on the additional ac rumour?:confused:

If these aircraft were to be partly manned by ASW crews who would be looking at doing the training? (That is, assuming that any is planned, rather than OJT).

Pfft!

Training???! Whatever next? you'll want spares and maintainers to support them next!

You lot are never happy.:E

Anyway's just use a Chinny Mk3 can't you?:}

Pingers are already fully trained in secondary roles.

There are big differences between "trained", "current" and "competent".

as jungly instrument flying proves................

More Merlins
 

Gosh - they've got that Lancaster cloaking device working at last....;)

Merlins?
 

Pedant mode on...

Isn't the closest unit a Griffon? ( contra-prop)

And the furthest one is a radial??

Pedant mode off..:)