Mind the Door.......
 

It seems that a new Merlin may have been Cat5 in Belize last week. It was being delivered to Belize on a C17 and when it was being offloaded the Loadmaster dropped the door onto it. There is no way to stop or reverse once started. Ouch! Awaiting comment from ABIW in defence.....

Couldn't have been Wilts, him being a J person ;)

A new Merlin? Crikey! Shouldn't this be linked to the 'More Merlins' thread then? And there I was thinking they were all a few time zones east. What's it doing over there (apart from being dinked)?

TI

I believe it was going to be used for SAR duties...

I believe there was an incedent with one of the "new" Chinooks about six years ago. I heard that whilst being offloaded at Bristol docks, the shear pin on the towing arm did exactly what it said on the tin. Unfortunately, the aircraft had been inhibited against corrosion during the voyage and the brakes failed to operate, resulting in a fair bit of damage when it collided with the tractor. :D

...or should it instead start a new thread called 'Less Merlins'?

It will need some Magic to keep himself in a Job after that then!!:=

I have it on good authority(:8), that no structural damage was caused to the a/c.

Which.........the C17 or the Merlin or neither ?

Good job the C17 has to have the Movers loading under the direction of the ALM.........:eek:

Nope
Affirm

Indeed, Movers team leader reading from the tie down scheme says ' next lower the ramp', The ALM lowers the door.

Thanks for all the leadership Mr ALM.

Why are we using C17's to transport Merlins to Belize? Very strange.

Because it wont fit into a Hercules is my guess:sad:

Maybe because they can't fly there direct?? :\

Nothing wrong with that. Think of all the night stops they are missing out on. Gander, Tampa.......................

Obvious
 

Why use a C17 to take a Merlin to Belize??? Why on earth would you want to waste tens of valuable aircraft flying a Merlin across the top of the atlantic to get all the way down the States to Belize (and back!!)! Use a C17 and go direct. Shame the C17 load-"master" was blind.

And think about it. Lots of Brit troops go to Belize to train in the jungle. Why not aircrew? They need Jungle training too!

And it wouldn't be a "new" Merlin. They are not even in service yet (if they ever will be).

Yes I guess you are correct after all there a some pretty big jungles in Iraq and Afg.

I am led to believe that the Merlin was on a super-secret Bin Liner hunting mission. :eek: :eek: None of this jungle training malarkey.

Sorry, Monday morning and trying to pull myself out of that weekly bout of depression. :uhoh:

What would you use to transport Merlins to Belize? They are there on Ex and the quickest way is by air.