Alternative MPA and AEW types for the RAF

[McColm]

I've got one in my stash.

[kitnut617]

Turboprop DC-4!

I've been thinking about one of those myself, might use some engines from a TurboCat ---

[Spey_Phantom]

given the commonality, the 737-AEW&C and the P-8 Poseidon have a good potential in the RAF.
both aircraft share a large percentage of commonality and are perfect to replace the Sentry AEW.2 (in the long run), and the P-8 was (or is) the most logical choice to replace the Nimrod MR.2 and Nimrod R.1.

[PR19_Kit]

.....the most logical choice to replace the Nimrod MR.2 and Nimrod R.1.

The most logical choice was the Nimrod MRA4, but let's not get TOO sensible about it.............

[kitnut617]

Been reading Battle Flight and The Airstaff & the AEW recently and they make for good reading.  But sometimes the decisions made get a bit confusing, when the Nimrod was banded for an AEW type, the Airstaff's reaction was 'Good Grief, we don't need anything that big'.  But then everything I've read or heard about it afterwards, everyone is saying it was so cramped inside the Nimrod they all wondered why they didn't go for something bigger, like an A300 or A310.

I'd liked to have seen the new MRA4 wing put on an A310 fuselage ---  might even do that one day with my models

[Gondor]

Been reading Battle Flight and The Airstaff & the AEW recently and they make for good reading.  But sometimes the decisions made get a bit confusing, when the Nimrod was banded for an AEW type, the Airstaff's reaction was 'Good Grief, we don't need anything that big'.  But then everything I've read or heard about it afterwards, everyone is saying it was so cramped inside the Nimrod they all wondered why they didn't go for something bigger, like an A300 or A310.

Having flown as a passenger in an MR2 I can easily say that there is not much room. If you remember the train carriages with the corridors down one side, the space behind each console is slightly less that those carriage corridors.

Gondor

[kitbasher]

Yes the Nimrod was quite a small aircraft in many respects (I once had a trip in an R.1 from Wyton) - I shudder it think how cramped the Dan-Air and BEA Airtours 4Cs must have felt when they were thrashing about on the inclusive tours runs.  And as for the Comet 1 - I was amazed how tiny it must have been when I spotted the fuselage of an ex-Air France (I think that's what it is) machine at Salisbury Hall.

I remember one afternoon in the tower at Brize looking out at a Nimrod parked next to a VC-10 K2 and thinking how small it looked.  Then a Sentry taxied past and the VC-10 looked small compared to that!

And journos these days bang on about how huge a C-17 is.  well it's not small but put one up against a C-17 and it does look like it's little brother.

[McColm]

Yes the Nimrod was tight inside having flown five missions on the MR2P. The P-3C Orion is also tiny but the Canadian CP-140 always looked bigger inside,the Atlantic was slightly wider.The French crews got to drink wine, I loved flying with them during the live exercises in Gibraltar. The crews agreed that the Atlanticshould of had an extra two engines.
Which is an on going project of mine.

[kitnut617]

I remember one afternoon in the tower at Brize looking out at a Nimrod parked next to a VC-10 K2 and thinking how small it looked.  Then a Sentry taxied past and the VC-10 looked small compared to that!

My 1/72 VC10 isn't that much smaller than the E-3 kitbasher, I always thought that the VC10 would have been a better choice for an AEW and those two books I've read have all sorts of scenarios for it too --

[kitbasher]

I remember one afternoon in the tower at Brize looking out at a Nimrod parked next to a VC-10 K2 and thinking how small it looked.  Then a Sentry taxied past and the VC-10 looked small compared to that!

My 1/72 VC10 isn't that much smaller than the E-3 kitbasher, I always thought that the VC10 would have been a better choice for an AEW and those two books I've read have all sorts of scenarios for it too --

'Bulkier' is probably the word I should have used.  The 707 is quite a chunky trash hauler compared to the rather elegant VC10 - which of course also sits quite low to the ground compared to a 707/E-3/KC-135.  The 707's taller undercarriage (obviously required due to the underwing engines) is what makes the difference.  Slap a radome on top of that and it honestly looks a lot bigger -- especially next to a VC10 C.1 or K.2.

[McColm]

I would have thought the Airbus A340 would be the next platform for the Sentry replacement.

[McColm]

If you are into amphibious aircraft then it has to be the Shin Meiwa. A licensed built PS-1 ASW updated to US-1A standard and later new engines to look like the US-2.
Fellow whiffers have shown a liking to add turrets for and aft so it resembles the Short Sunderland,with piston engines.
The underwing carriage of carrying weapons as there is no weapons bay in the fuselage would work.

[PR19_Kit]

If you are into amphibious aircraft then it has to be the Shin Meiwa.

Nah! 

A Beriev Be-42 Albatross would be SO much better, and quicker when needed too.

[McColm]

Well at least we can buy a few from India and refit them.
There was some talk of Russia putting the Mermaid back into production,but I haven't heard anything recent. There is the 1/144 kit still available, as for the Shin Meiwa this has been re-released in 1/72 but not retooled.

[NARSES2]

Yes the Nimrod was quite a small aircraft in many respects (I once had a trip in an R.1 from Wyton) - I shudder it think how cramped the Dan-Air and BEA Airtours 4Cs must have felt when they were thrashing about on the inclusive tours runs. 

Oh memories. Dan Dare Comet on my first "adult" holiday with the lads