Wikiposts
Search
Spectators Balcony (Spotters Corner) If you're not a professional pilot but want to discuss issues about the job, this is the best place to loiter. You won't be moved on by 'security' and there'll be plenty of experts to answer any questions.

A3 Sentry Aircraft

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 29th Mar 2012, 13:58
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: East Anglia
Age: 56
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A3 Sentry Aircraft

Hi Everyone,
Just thought I would throw this one out to you; anyone noticed that A3 Sentry aircraft are being painted in civilian colour schemes (and very colourful too?)all of a sudden? (highly unusual!!)?

Just wondered if anyone knows why and if it has anything to do with the olympics and aviation security??
ferret2760 is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 14:05
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
What a stupid question to be asking.

And more to the point what a stupid thing to post on a public website which has access to it by both law abiding and those with a wish to create harm and terror
mad_jock is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 14:13
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: EDDF
Age: 43
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'll bite; it's not too difficult to find out on google that there is one E3 painted in a colourful NATO E-3A component 25th anniversary scheme since 2007. Nothing civilian, and hardly "all of a sudden".

And now off to the spotters balcony I suppose
ATCast is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 14:47
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
nah its not is just like all the knobbers that ask about the other assets which we all know about as pro crew and ATC but don't talk about.

Paint an aircraft like a cadburys dairy milk, fly it around olympic venues everyone thinks its advertising.

Some knob comes on PPrune and asks has anyone seen the CDM painted aircraft with the camera mount and 28 antenna's sticking out of it along with a dirty big box with a fan on the front slung underneith. You have just increased the exposure of the asset and potentialy reduced its potential value.
mad_jock is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 15:00
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Redhill
Posts: 196
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It may be painted in a CDM scheme but if its military, it'll be carrying a military serial number and would have been identified by the many spotters and posted all over the net. I doubt anything can fly in this country without it being seen and photographed. Hope not anyway.
BTW, It's E-3.
Davidsoffice is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 15:12
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I can think of quite a few security assets without mil serial numbers on them.

As would many many other pilots around the UK. We are more than likely not meant to know that they are assets.

But we don't come on pprune and say.

has anyone seen the CDM painted aircraft with the camera mount and 28 antenna's sticking out of it along with a dirty big box with a fan on the front slung underneith
Just wondered if anyone knows why and if it has anything to do with the olympics and aviation security??
mad_jock is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 15:28
  #7 (permalink)  
DB6
 
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Age: 61
Posts: 1,271
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Wahey! Out of bed on the wrong side today eh mj? I've yet to see an E3 that can be disguised by painting it in civvy colours and I know a lot of these terrorists are thick but they're not that thick! You're talking fluent bollocks mate.
And in answer to the original post - no I haven't seen any in civvy colour schemes but there are photos of at least one in an anniversary paint scheme - which I don't think they mind being publicised and I'm pretty sure doesn't compromise national security.
DB6 is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 15:34
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Maidenhead berkshire
Age: 82
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A3 Sentry aircraft

In answer to Mad Jocks reply to Ferret2760-it was stated that he was new to Pprune,so I think your reply to him was a bit out of order,you could have steered the guy politely to the Spotters Balcony where his letter would be more appreciated-next time maybe
Dave Barnshaw is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 15:34
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Perhaps this "Top Secret" colour scheme?



flipflop324 is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 15:43
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Its not just E3's

And I agree most will not confuse them.

Its just the stupidity of asking if something is being used for security.

If they wern't bothered they would just paint the things one colour and stick MI5 on the side.

If it is to do with security do they really think they are going to get an answer?
mad_jock is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 15:45
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Moes Tavern, Springfield
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Quote MadJock

I can think of quite a few security assets without mil serial numbers on them.


hmmm, like those little DA42's that occassionally turn up (G-DOSB / G-DOSB, OE-xxx etc...... (among others)... infrared cameras, ground mapping radar.. all the gear

Harmless question by the OP...
opsjockey is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 15:52
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
err no I wasn't thinking of them.

And I am certainly not daft enough to start listing types and regs.

Its just the same as asking about a certain type of twin aircraft circling about major citys not talking to ATC. Which I might add there have been more than a few threads deleted on that subject.
mad_jock is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 15:54
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: England
Posts: 1,955
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Devil

Which ones are they then?
Lord Spandex Masher is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 16:15
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
They are the pink ones, the pilots and operators are all women.

There job during day light hours is to police builders cracks being displayed. Fit blokes are ignored but fat bastards with hairy arses the flying squad is called in.

And at night they hunt down blokes going for a sly slash walking home from the pub.
mad_jock is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 16:15
  #15 (permalink)  
Plumbum Pendular
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Avionics Bay
Age: 55
Posts: 1,117
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
MJ,

Give up, you overreacted and you know it but you are just digging your hole even deeper now.
fmgc is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 16:29
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: England
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Neeee norrrrr, here come the forum police!

What possible harm could the OP cause by posting this Have you never been an air show Mad Jock? They have those secret planes with the big cookies on the top there too

Believe it or not, there are far more 'secret' things on the interwebs.

CIA Rendition Flights • WWW.SECRET-BASES.CO.UK
750XL is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 16:30
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: UK
Age: 83
Posts: 3,788
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
A3 Sentry Aircraft?

I think the poor chap means Boeing E3 Sentry aircraft?

The A3 was surely the US Navy version of the Douglas B-66 Sky Warrior. One of my old co-pilots used to fly the A3D version. He reckoned that if the gear collapsed during a carrier landing this stood for All 3 Dead!

Anyway, I just thought I would join in the thread-drift frenzy before the whole lot gets shifted to the Spotters Forum which is where it should have been in the first place!
JW411 is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 16:33
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It was the stupidity of the "is it to do with security" that I reacted to not the aircraft type to be honest.

What the hell a clapped out old 707 with a frizzbie on top is going to do apart from something to do with security and Mil type stuff is beyond me.

Missed a trick the security boys, they should have painted a Nimrod yellow and green and given it a red nose nobody would have guessed it wasn't civi.

If it was another type why ask the question because if it is, you ain't going to get an answer.

And yes that site did make me cringe.
mad_jock is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 16:47
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: UK
Age: 83
Posts: 3,788
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
"With a frizzbie on top";

I think the word you are striving for is "Frisbee"?

In my day the "clapped-out 707s" were known as "Smarties".
JW411 is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2012, 17:08
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: England
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
What the hell a clapped out old 707 with a frizzbie on top is going to do apart from something to do with security and Mil type stuff is beyond me.
Wow If only we could all be as knowledgeable as you.
750XL is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.