What visual differences between Merlin HC4 and HC4A still remain?

[detail is everything]

21 hours ago, detail is everything said:

All the iHC3s were fitted with folding rotor heads.  However there are no photos of ZJ130 O and ZJ132 Q as HC4s and ZJ135 T and ZJ136 U have been photographed as HC4s with non-folding rotor heads (though this may have been a temporary fit since we are talking about one or two photos from a particular occasion in each case). 

Scoured the CHF and the RNAS Yeovilton  and Culdrose Spotters Group Facebook photo collections to see if these airframes came up.  Still no photos of O or Q, but I can confirm that as of 6 March 2023, T was now equipped with a folding rotor head and as of 24 Feb 2023, U was still equipped with a non-folding rotor head

[wellsprop]

3 hours ago, detail is everything said:

Scoured the CHF and the RNAS Yeovilton  and Culdrose Spotters Group Facebook photo collections to see if these airframes came up.  Still no photos of O or Q, but I can confirm that as of 6 March 2023, T was now equipped with a folding rotor head and as of 24 Feb 2023, U was still equipped with a non-folding rotor head

 

ZJ130 (O) and ZJ132 (Q), were spotted at Yeovil (Westlands) in summer last year.

 

https://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=214086

 

Strangely, I can't find any photos of them in the usual places, but I know the spotters were out taking photos, as I was on most of those flights!

[detail is everything]

Thanks

 

Looking at the spotter entries,  

 

Upgrade from HC3i – HC4 ZJ130/O arrived 19/05/2021 ZJ132/Q arrived 27/07/2021 at Yeovil Westlands

 

ZJ130/O First Flight as a mk4 on 10 June 2022

ZJ132/Q seen at Yeovil Westlands 20 Sept 2022

 

No recorded sightings since then on Fighter Control

 

[detail is everything]

On 3/13/2023 at 12:38 AM, detail is everything said:

I can't for the life of me, remember where it is on the internet

I've identified where I obtained the information in the table. It is in 

https://www.scramble.nl/database/military/uk

 

Just enter Merlin HC in the Type search field

 

JARTS - Joint Aircraft Recovery and Transportation Squadron

DSMarE - Defence School of Marine Engineering

MDMF - Merlin Depth Maintenance Facility

 

Former iHC3s ZJ130 O and ZJ132 Q  are still 'missing in action', presumed to be at Leonardo's being converted, but I'm guessing in storage as attrition losses.  They are the last two airframes to go through the conversion process.

[wellsprop]

On 13/04/2023 at 12:13, detail is everything said:

former iHC3s ZJ130 O and ZJ132 Q  are still 'missing in action', presumed to be at Leonardo's being converted, but I'm guessing in storage as attrition losses.  They are the last two airframes to go through the conversion process.

 

All aircraft, including those two, have been converted and those two are not in storage.

[detail is everything]

13 hours ago, wellsprop said:

 

All aircraft, including those two, have been converted and those two are not in storage.

@wellspropThanks. I agree that they are converted, just not clear on current location.  If you know, you could send an update to the Scramble database people as they request on their site.

[wellsprop]

9 hours ago, detail is everything said:

@wellspropThanks. I agree that they are converted, just not clear on current location.  If you know, you could send an update to the Scramble database people as they request on their site.

 

Until the information is publically available, I can't/won't comment. 

 

Albeit it's not very interesting info at all 😂 I'm sure the aircraft will be spotted on scramble or fighter control in not too long.... 

[junglierating]

Just read through this and the fairings below and fwd of the port and stbd exhaust are blank panels for where the fwd chaff and flare dispensers would go.

As for folding heads....all are capable just not all are fitted....comes down to economics or.... not enough folding heads bought.Config managers nightmare..

[wellsprop]

2 hours ago, junglierating said:

Just read through this and the fairings below and fwd of the port and stbd exhaust are blank panels for where the fwd chaff and flare dispensers would go.

 

There are also the fairings/defelctors just in front of those blanking panels, I think they are the fairings @detail is everythingwas referring too.

 

[junglierating]

33 minutes ago, wellsprop said:

 

There are also the fairings/defelctors just in front of those blanking panels, I think they are the fairings @detail is everythingwas referring too.

 

Ah yes could well be thinking about it ....detail is everything.

As for the MRGBX....good grief 😶

[detail is everything]

So have you seen Aviation News May 2023 (https://shop.keypublishing.com/products/aviation-news-may-2023). Lists location of all airframes in UK military service, including those at civilian and contractor owned facilities.

 

Updates for the Merlin HC fleet are

 

ZJ124    H - moved from 845NAS to 846NAS
ZJ126    K - moved from 845NAS to the MDMF Culdrose
ZJ129    N - moved from the MDMF Culdrose to 845NAS
ZJ995    AD - moved from 846NAS to the MDMF Culdrose

ZJ130    O - still down as being converted to HC4 at Leonardo but now converted.  Current location unknown but possibly at OEUJHC?
ZJ132    Q - still down as being converted to HC4 at Leonardo but now converted.  Current location unknown but possibly at OEUJHC?

[NavyWessex]

4 minutes ago, detail is everything said:

 

ZJ130    O - still down as being converted to HC4 at Leonardo but now converted.  Current location unknown but possibly at OEUJHC?
ZJ132    Q - still down as being converted to HC4 at Leonardo but now converted.  Current location unknown but possibly at OEUJHC?

 

I was recently informed these two were still at Yeovil due to a lack of available parts. It would seem to make sense.

[Evalman]

On 4/26/2023 at 6:00 PM, detail is everything said:

So have you seen Aviation News May 2023 (https://shop.keypublishing.com/products/aviation-news-may-2023). Lists location of all airframes in UK military service, including those at civilian and contractor owned facilities.

 

Updates for the Merlin HC fleet are

 

ZJ124    H - moved from 845NAS to 846NAS
ZJ126    K - moved from 845NAS to the MDMF Culdrose
ZJ129    N - moved from the MDMF Culdrose to 845NAS
ZJ995    AD - moved from 846NAS to the MDMF Culdrose

ZJ130    O - still down as being converted to HC4 at Leonardo but now converted.  Current location unknown but possibly at OEUJHC?
ZJ132    Q - still down as being converted to HC4 at Leonardo but now converted.  Current location unknown but possibly at OEUJHC?

ZJ126 / K is flying at this moment, supporting Ten Tors on Dartmoor. 

[shuck]

Merlin HC4 s/n ZJ136/U was noted equipped with a folding main rotor head in June 2023. 

Edited July 3, 2023 by shuck

[detail is everything]

On 7/13/2022 at 11:30 AM, detail is everything said:

This is the best photo of the HC4A belly I can currently find. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/model/AgustaWestland EH101 Merlin HC4A.  It is in the Air Britain Photo Library

 

Adjust the photo brightness and the detail becomes clearer. 

 

It can be seen that on the starboard side, there appears to be an extra belly search light forward in line with the secondary door and a couple of distinctive half circle air scoops just forward of the main undercarriage. On the port side there appears to be a further two belly search lights, one in line with the main door and one at the rear in line with the blade antenna which is on the starboard side.  There are other detail differences.

A couple more photos to compare the undersides of the two variants

 

 

HC4A

 

 

HC4

 

Both photos taken on 15 Jan 2024 and posted by Michael Coombes on the Facebook RNAS Yeovilton & RNAS Culdrose Spotters Group pages.  Note other differences between the two variants, such as the rotor head, and refuelling point arrangements discussed in this thread

Edited February 19, 2024 by detail is everything
URLs timed out. Anyone know how to secure the facebook photos?