Help - EH-101/Merlin query

[eng]

On hols in Cornwall this week and on Thursday visited Tintagel. Not long after arriving, around 1200-1300, an EH101 or Merlin flew very low, descending down towards the sea from the higher ground behind the town, it was on the northern side of the town. It made a left turn past the castle, flew a couple of miles along the coast and the headed inland again.

I couldn't get a decent pic on my phone and didn't have my bino's in my bag (only day of the week I didn't), but the chopper was overall green as per our Merlin's but had white engine/gearbox cowlings and roof, possibly all the way along the tail rotor driveshaft covers (similar to the U.S. Marine One scheme). Does anyone know who this belongs to? Couldn't see any markings, but given the way it was flown and the low altitude I'm assuming it was a military heli.

Be great if anyone can shed any light on this, as I can't find any pics online.

Eng

[Dave Fleming]

Wasn't this one was it?

http://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&p=738066

[eng]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the above link, I'm not sure it was this machine, we weren't too far away from the chopper and the light was on the same side of it as I was viewing it from so the different colours would have been more apparent. I'm still sure the majority of the airframe was dark green, puzzled now though!

Kind Regards,

Grae

[tonyot]

Hiya Grae,

With the change over from RAF to RN of the green Merlin fleet could it have been a green Merlin fitted with light grey panels from a RN pingly Merlin? Although the green Jungly Merlin`s are based at Yeovilton the MoD`s Merlin maintenance base is at Culdrose so maybe it was on a test flight before the panels could be painted green?

Either that or it was a brand new one for a foreign air force flying from Westlands at Yeovil or one of those ex RAF green Merlin`s being navalised by the company?

Cheers

Tony

[Truro Model Builder]

With the change over from RAF to RN of the green Merlin fleet could it have been a green Merlin fitted with light grey panels from a RN pingly Merlin? Although the green Jungly Merlin`s are based at Yeovilton the MoD`s Merlin maintenance base is at Culdrose so maybe it was on a test flight before the panels could be painted green?

They are treated pretty much as two separate fleets, so no panel stealing.

I do hear rumours that the Junglie Merlins (Munglies!) are to be repainted in the same two-tone grey as the Wildcats.

[Jabba]

I do hear rumours that the Junglie Merlins (Munglies!) are to be repainted in the same two-tone grey as the Wildcats.

Yuck.

[Nigel Foster60]

Surely Junglies have always been green sine the 1970's (Except desert storm)

Nigel

[Seahawk]

As Dave's link shows, there is an outfit operating out of Newquay Airport (ex RAF St Mawgan) that specialises in training up foreign operators of Agusta Westland products, mainly the EH-101. The Algerians have been one lot of customers (cf the Lynx in Dave's link) but there are others, both military and paramilitary. Maybe it's one of those.

PS Isn't that Lynx contravening international law by bearing the national markings of two countries simultaneously?

[Seahawk]

New thought: maybe Eng was onto something when he noted the similarity to the US Marine One scheme. Could it be one of the VH-71s Westland had left on their hands when the US cancelled the project and maybe now used for training/utility purposes? Not knowledge, just speculation.

[Dave Fleming]

Can't find any pics of one of those flying in the Uk recently (I thought Canada had bought them for spares)

[moaning dolphin]

Can't find any pics of one of those flying in the Uk recently (I thought Canada had bought them for spares)

Yep they are currently 1/2 a mile from my desk and have been for a fair few years. I don't think they have any white panels on them. I might just bimble down tomorrow and have a look, that will kill an hour or so . Although the use of them for spares is a little contentious at the moment, alot of going on!

Edited July 29, 2015 by moaning dolphin

[Seahawk]

Can't find any pics of one of those flying in the Uk recently (I thought Canada had bought them for spares)

Yes, I found a new article on the web saying the US had sold the ones it had to Canada for spares (though the article wickedly hinted that the Canadians might be tempted into using them as VIP transports). But I wonder about the other aircraft building at the Westland plant but not et delivered at the time the contract was cancelled. Again, just speculation on my part.

[Troffa]

AgustaWestland fulfilled all of its contractual obligations in terms of the VH-71 program are concerned- i.e. the requisite number of pre-production development airframes were constructed in yeovil and delivered to the US on time and on budget. No VH-71 Airframes remain in the UK.

As for your spot, I suspect that it was one of the AW101 operating out of Newquay's AW Operational Flying Training Centre. (No UK Military AW101/ Merlin has the white uppers, only MSG or Green.)

[Truro Model Builder]

Surely Junglies have always been green sine the 1970's (Except desert storm)

Nigel

Yes, in much the same way that Army Air Corps helicopters have predominantly been green. Hello, Wildcat!

As Dave's link shows, there is an outfit operating out of Newquay Airport (ex RAF St Mawgan) that specialises in training up foreign operators of Agusta Westland products, mainly the EH-101. The Algerians have been one lot of customers (cf the Lynx in Dave's link) but there are others, both military and paramilitary. Maybe it's one of those.

PS Isn't that Lynx contravening international law by bearing the national markings of two countries simultaneously?

It is AgustaWestland themselves that operate the training facility at Newquay. As regards the Lynx in different countries' markings, it must comply with international law, as it is common for newly-built overseas military aircraft to feature a UK serial and roundels pre-delivery. Most Lynx and Wildcat helicopters over the last twenty or so years have worn them when required, as too have Hawks on test from Warton.

Yes, I found a new article on the web saying the US had sold the ones it had to Canada for spares (though the article wickedly hinted that the Canadians might be tempted into using them as VIP transports). But I wonder about the other aircraft building at the Westland plant but not et delivered at the time the contract was cancelled. Again, just speculation on my part.

All aircraft that had been completed were in the US at the time of cancellation, and all are now with the Canadians for spares reclamation.