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merlin mk4


junglierating

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Well here its one not so careful owner low milage maritime conversion in a dashing not so junglie grey.If I have broken any copyright regs then please feel free. to delete then thrash me soundly:o

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2016/october/28/161028-royal-marines-new-helicopter-completes-its-maiden-flight

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B****** grey again!  Getting more like airliners every day, white tubes with a splash of colour on the tail, absolutely boring. And I do build both choppers and airliners, but it is getting hard to do anything with an interesting scheme. Thank goodness for the Portuguese and Canadian Merlins. I'll ggo and find a dark room.

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Well I've been told it's all about reclaiming the maritime environment or some such.....I guess it works for the USMC.

Saw one at work to day wanted to take a phot but I was engaged in a. Conversation about a test set so tough but it's got me a trip up to Scotland :D

I can say black alphanumerics and pink and baby blue roundles....nice 

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They will be fed one at a time into a production line. There are enough changes for the aircraft to be almost totally stripped. It's not just a case of sawing the tail off and inserting a hinge, from the ramp back it's a whole new airframe. Then there is a new main rotor head and main gearbox to allow the blade to fold, new avionics, changes to the undercarriage, the list goes on and that's just the Mk 4. The 4a will have its Windows replaced so that it is the same configuration as the Mk 4.

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16 hours ago, Aeronut said:

They will be fed one at a time into a production line. There are enough changes for the aircraft to be almost totally stripped. It's not just a case of sawing the tail off and inserting a hinge, from the ramp back it's a whole new airframe. Then there is a new main rotor head and main gearbox to allow the blade to fold, new avionics, changes to the undercarriage, the list goes on and that's just the Mk 4. The 4a will have its Windows replaced so that it is the same configuration as the Mk 4.

 

Were they in time to catch the free upgrade to Windows 10?

 

Seriously, it really does make you wonder, when you add in the cost of the Puma HC.2 upgrade programme, whether it would have been cheaper to retire the Puma, let the RAF keep its Merlins and buy new ones for the CHF.

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But I think you'll find that the Puma met a requirement for size, performance and capabilities that the Merlin could not meet hence the Mk. 2.

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Don't you mean, 'but I think you'll find that the Puma met a requirement for 'an-upgrade-will-be-cheaper-and-we-won't-have-to-think-about-forking-out-real-money-to-replace-it-yet' that the Merlin could not meet hence the Mk. 2'?

 

Excuse the cynicism; comes from years of working in the public sector.

 

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20 hours ago, T7 Models said:

Don't you mean, 'but I think you'll find that the Puma met a requirement for 'an-upgrade-will-be-cheaper-and-we-won't-have-to-think-about-forking-out-real-money-to-replace-it-yet' that the Merlin could not meet hence the Mk. 2'?

 

Excuse the cynicism; comes from years of working in the public sector.

 

No, I meant what I said. They are different helicopters with different performance and capabilities. The Merlin is medium to heavy lift, the Puma medium lift, Merlin is too big for some of the mission requirements. Puma has better performance (hot and high) it has a better and newer FCS and digital cockpit. Having the Puma, Merlin and Chinook force gives a wide spread of capabilities to be called upon.

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I think any Chinook crew would be wetting themselves with laughter at the thought of the Merlin being a heavy lift aircraft, to be honest. And as much as I am a Merlin fan, I have to agree.

 

Having the three types does give a good spread of capability, I agree. What would be an even better spread of capability would be the existing Merlins remaining with the RAF and the CHF receiving new aircraft built from the outset to meet their requirements. But the Puma was upgraded for the reason I stated -if somewhat sarcastically. There was no political will to find the money to buy a new aircraft, so it was down the upgrade route, and for once it has done what it said on the tin.

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40 minutes ago, T7 Models said:

I think any Chinook crew would be wetting themselves with laughter at the thought of the Merlin being a heavy lift aircraft, to be honest. And as much as I am a Merlin fan, I have to agree.

 

Having the three types does give a good spread of capability, I agree. What would be an even better spread of capability would be the existing Merlins remaining with the RAF and the CHF receiving new aircraft built from the outset to meet their requirements. But the Puma was upgraded for the reason I stated -if somewhat sarcastically. There was no political will to find the money to buy a new aircraft, so it was down the upgrade route, and for once it has done what it said on the tin.

 

I can agree with that!

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On 31/10/2016 at 1:32 PM, T7 Models said:

I was rather hoping for a two-tone scheme similar to the Wildcat.

 

ugly colour scheme, I was hoping for at least some to be done in the Arctic Junglie (stripes) scheme. I guess this is nearer to the USMC schemes...........makes you wonder what colour the MV-22s for COD the RN will buy will be painted :rolleyes:

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The Arctic Junglie scheme is only a temporary covering, only being applied when the sqn deploys to Norway or other northern climes.  There is the possibility of this when they are fully operational and deployed north; least I hope so.

 

Does anyone know what external differences there are between the Mk.4 and the Mk.3 which they are converting from?   I'm asking mainly from a modelling standpoint, to modify existing kits.

 

Mike

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The main external differences are related to the Folding Tail and the Folding Main Rotor head- A big hinge on the stbd side of the tail boom and head tension links differ. The Mk3 "Antlers" on the nose cap have been deleted as well. The cockpit has got the latest 5 Display set up as well, a bit of a step up from the original fit.

 

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Thanks. Apart from the rotor head assembly, the rest sounds to be modifiable with some cuts and addition of plastic rod etc.  I mainly work to 1:144 scale so the display set up probably won't have any impact.

 

Mike

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 11/14/2016 at 7:36 PM, bootneck said:

Thanks. Apart from the rotor head assembly, the rest sounds to be modifiable with some cuts and addition of plastic rod etc.  I mainly work to 1:144 scale so the display set up probably won't have any impact.

 

Mike

 

Who does a Merlin in 1/144?

 

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Here is an Anigrand 1:144 Merlin that I built a while ago.  Apologies for the hazy image.

eh101_merlin_anigrand_1.jpg

 

Same model with a 1:144 Sea King by Sweet Decal.

eh101_merlin_anigrand_3.jpg

 

I have another Merlin kit, it is that which I want to convert to a Mk.4 and hence the query.

 

Mike

 

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