Obviously never met Birchy.:E:)

Jag Payload
 

JP;

Wot - no mention of the recce pods??

Sorry snapper41.

I was only addressing weapons - could have mentioned other things like BL755 (x8 if the need arose).

...and yes I have flown with the recce pod - during a trappers visit to 2(AC) when the boss lent me a recce jet in return for using my T-bird.

Nobody told me that height was recorded on the pics.....

JP

JP;
No apologies necessary; just wanted to make sure Finger Poking had the full measure of the Jag's capabilities! Height recorded on pics?? Funny - I recall only ever seeing 250' being quoted... :E

Photo Competitions
 

Hunter recce Sqns at Gut had competitions which included photo of the biggest ie nearest to, a cow and a clock face and somebody took a picture of a train going along an embankment, from below. Perhaps this was the train that was stolen, was it by Ces Crook?

Ah, no radalt......;)

JP

Jackonicko - Whilst we could have kept the Jaguar going for a few more years - there must have been some of the airframes getting seriously on in terms of fatigue life. Replacing them with new Indian production machines woouldn't have been the answer. What the RAF needed to do back in the late eighties was to buy some F-16s to fill some of the gaps which existed from a number of types being amalgamated at the same time.

I wonder if all these articulate and accurate counter arguments have actually made an impression on Finger Poking?

Sadly, I suspect he is too bigoted to entertain the notion that he may have been wrong. Prove us wrong FP!

With the notable exceptions of FP and Double Zero (appropriate), comments here have clearly demonstrated the Jag Force spirit - something that others can only regard with envy.

But spirit is about people, not aeroplanes alone. The Jag Force has a reputation for getting the job done, without drawing attention to itself and often despite the odds. The Jag had its limitations and we don't need anyone else to point them out to us, but we learned to work through or around them and still perform better than many who seemingly had better equipment.

We have been withdrawn before our time and in a disgraceful fashion but there is no sense crying over spilt milk (sorry!).

Better to go a little before our time than way too late. Enjoy the weekend!

Jaguar
 

" Can't do the job the Harriers are doing" - rest my case.

No, I've never flown a Jaguar but I've never heard anything good about it.

As for "Billions to support, & then sort the aft fuselage" well I have personal experience of said aft fuselage among other updates, but if you're keen for someone to spend billions, please count me in on shares, we should both retire very happily if surprisingly.

I am not a Harrier pilot but have covered most development of it ( 1 & 2 , RAF & some Navies ) & systems, so have seen the good bits & failings - gun could be sorted in a real ( er ) war, - I agree why not now - care for any ACM if you had the chance ?

DZ

Utter rubbish. If the Harrier GR7/9's could have effectively carried guns, then they would be by now. I speak with some experience on this matter also, having been a part of the original cannon fit trials to the Harrier GR7. A more comedy set up, you never did see. Bloated Gun pods, barely inches from the ground, barrels extending over a 1.5' from the pods, like discarded broom handles, and difficult to maintain and operate. Not without throwing an awful lot of money at the problem, would you get a British Harrier GR with guns.


Flipflopman

Double Zero- so by your argument, since the Harrier cannot do the job of F15E (or Tornado for that matter - TFR) it is useless?

And every time I have fought Harrier in ACM, Jags have come out on top! IDL (= better SA) + HMS = game over!

I don't want to bash the Harrier though, or the boys. They are doing a superb job and it is a capable platform. I just want to illustrate what complete tosh you are spouting, Double Loser.

Think I'll rest my case.

Ner nerner nerner Ner!:p:p:p:p:E

Joker1 - What about fighting a Harrier ABOVE 250 ft? Haven't seen a Jag up there in all my days :ok:

I've never lost to a Jag pilot..................;) Would love an HMS and datalink though:ouch:

AND my dad's bigger than yours!

Wasn't the Jag supposed to retire in October anyway? Why so much bother over 12 or so weeks early?

By my reckoning 6 months early. The fuss really is about the shabby way 6 were treated, the guys only relocated April last year and I understand that that was a c*$k up in terms of family life, quarters as far away as Cranwell being used as CGY didn't have any ready, on top of which as several posts here have alluded to, the aircraft had a potential life of a few more years life (certainly sufficient to maintain two squadrons at full strength) if the maintenance programme had continued instead of being chopped at its original MOB and DARA St Athan. The aircraft could also have provided relief for the hardworked Harrier team at least during the winter months and given very effective CAS cover. The decisions made for this aircraft have been short sighted in the extreme (or for the conspiracy theorists amongst us part of a long term plan to reduce the UK armed forces to a glorified militia!).

Hey Late Arm - Martini!

Thought you boys were all too busy though? Don't see many in the UKLFS these days that's for sure. We did meet a pair in the Lichfield a while back - could almost see the look on their faces when they were told there were 13 Jags coming the other way!:ok:

Apart from everything said on this thread, of course

It can only be in the RAF that we retain so much attachment to out of date equipment! We are fighting on two fronts in conditions that have no respect for an aircraft that can not perform in "hot n high", surely we have a right as tax payers to expect our airships to spend our money on aircraft that can perform in the environment that is required. Yes the "jag" was a wonderful over the north German plain but time has moved on! Can we be radical and consider that a squadron of chinooks or other capable helicopter would be a better and more useful buy than two squadrons of typhoon. But what do I know! Answers on the back of a F252!

er...was one of those fronts where the Jag served with distinction in 1991. With no losses. Before the engines were upgraded.
:D
Thought so.

Err, just to go off topic for mo, if you'll pardon me, since GW I has been mentioned.

I have one of Rondot's GW I Jag prints, wot I won as the second or third prizes in the Xmas Draw in the Colt Mess that year. It's signed by all the pilots wot took part.

Any one know if that was a one off for the draw or, if not, many signed copies were made?

Ta, sorry to interrupt.....