Kelley Malcher: July 2007 Archives

Following hot on the heels of Friday’s special “points for trying” award from the static display at the Royal International Air Tattoo, the German army has again shown its ability to impress, this time by securing the inaugural “don’t try this at home” prize.

Regular air show goers will be well used to seeing transport crews sitting on the wings of their aircraft to get an uninterrupted view of the flying display, but as illustrated here, perhaps the rotors of a BO105 helicopter are a bit less accommodating than a Boeing C-17 or Lockheed Martin C-130!

By Craig Hoyle

Raytheon Systems’ well-documented woes during the development phase of the UK’s airborne stand-off radar programme – which have included the inadvertent destruction of the five-aircraft fleet’s first dual-mode surveillance radar and difficulties in installing radomes on recent examples – appear to have reached a new low point.

As this image of the UK’s first in-service aircraft at the Royal International Air Tattoo illustrates, the prime contractor and the Royal Air Force have found a potentially bargain basement way of protecting the engines on the modified Bombardier Global Express business jet while it is on the ground. But I guess as the saying goes, if the cap fits…

It is with great pleasure that I can announce the winner of Flight’s prestigious “points for trying” award from the Friday warm-up day for this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo goes to the crew of the German army Sikorsky CH-53K transport helicopter.

Aircrews have never been particularly shy around females, but special mention must be made of this subtle attempt to attract the right sort of visitor to their aircraft; notice the “Ladies only” message chalked above the side door. Perhaps if their luck doesn’t improve over the weekend they could always fall back on the factually accurate rotary boast: “I’m a [Super] Stallion”!

Regular visitors to the massively popular Royal International Air Tattoo are more than used to seeing exotic colour schemes on some of the aircraft on display each year, and this year’s event at RAF Fairford in southern England will not disappoint, with all manner of unusual decals on show.

The UK Royal Air Force was reportedly recently issued with new guidelines on the political correctness – or otherwise – of some forms of nose art, which usually require an illustration of a scantily-clad lady. But nobody seems to have told the Greek air force about this, as the service has brought one of its Lockheed Martin C-130B tactical transports to the UK sporting a tail decoration that could cause more than a few blushes in the Gloucestershire countryside this weekend.

“Expanding the legendary feats of Hercules it may be,” but the classically tasteful illustration could also prompt a few early – and uncomfortable – questions about the birds and the bees from some of the show’s younger visitors! Fig leaf, anyone?

By Craig Hoyle at RIAT 2007