Tornado GR.4’s were GR.1’s at one time?

[torqueofthedevil]

1 hour ago, Truro Model Builder said:

And yes, I know that the RAF are looking to get new Chinooks to replace their oldest aircraft and send Bravo November to Hendon, but I still think that the Puma will probably be replaced by more Chinooks. The Chinook lobby has a very loud voice, and Puma is currently slated for retirement in 2025. It may go on to 2035 if the decision is taken to replace both it and Merlin HM.2 and HC.4 with a common airframe.

 

I think you are being a bit harsh on the Merlin, though. There were indeed a lot of serviceability issues, particularly involving the ASW fleet, largely because the MoD tried to save a few quid on not procuring enough spares when they negotiated the support contract. Fairly typical behaviour; buy a multi-million pound fleet of helicopters and have them sitting idle because you wouldn't fork out the extra dosh to actually keep them flying. Furthermore, the HC.3 operated in environmental conditions in Helmand that certainly degraded its performance, but the Puma HC.1 would have found it virtually impossible to do anything under those same conditions. Of course, the Pumas out in Afghanistan now are HC.2s with 40% more engine power and zip about like the proverbial spring chicken.

If the Puma is replaced by more Chinooks, then there is nothing in size between Wildcat and Merlin, which is a pretty big void. I'm aware of the planned OSD for the Puma, but an extension is inevitable. A single type to replace Puma and both flavours of Merlin would make a lot of sense - NH90 maybe, or yet another attempt to get H-60 derivatives. And, funnily enough, both of these are more akin to Puma than Merlin, and all the better for it!

 

I agree that the Puma HC.1 would have struggled in Helmand - but that's not why the Merlins went there! And of course the fact that every other type struggled is why the Chinook lobby is so strong. But while some in the Army would gladly bin everything apart from Chinook and Apache,  wiser heads have so far prevailed, and so the Puma has managed to  survive every attempt to get rid of it. 

Edited April 19, 2020 by torqueofthedevil
Missed a bit

[Truro Model Builder]

1 hour ago, torqueofthedevil said:

If the Puma is replaced by more Chinooks, then there is nothing in size between Wildcat and Merlin, which is a pretty big void.

It didn't stop them with our transport fleet. The Hercules has been our smallest transport aircraft since the last Andover went, despite the fact that a lot of what it does could be done by a C-27J or C295M. And it came very close to the Atlas being our smallest transport.

[torqueofthedevil]

1 hour ago, Truro Model Builder said:

It didn't stop them with our transport fleet. The Hercules has been our smallest transport aircraft since the last Andover went, despite the fact that a lot of what it does could be done by a C-27J or C295M. And it came very close to the Atlas being our smallest transport.

Not true - how about the grey BAe 146s? Only a tiny fleet, which only appeared long after the demise of the Andover, but they are quite useful nonetheless. 

[Filler]

I know this is really thread drift, but all the discussions of Luftwaffe Super Hornets and replacing RAF Pumas with Chinooks etc; could all of this not happen as by the time any sort of return to normality occurs, it's pretty much accepted that there will be a global recession like never imagined. We could be replacing Pumas with hot air balloons?

[Truro Model Builder]

11 hours ago, torqueofthedevil said:

Not true - how about the grey BAe 146s? Only a tiny fleet, which only appeared long after the demise of the Andover, but they are quite useful nonetheless. 

Incredibly useful. And also now officially for sale.

[vf143_tomcat]

On 31/03/2020 at 03:47, is it windy yet? said:

A remanufactured F-14A. Old A’s were sent back and upgraded to D standard. While the F-14D was an all new aircraft of the production line. 

these were known as F-14B (or F-14A+)due to the larger engines and and changes in the cockpit