Blackhawks gone from TSV

[_BlackHawk_]

I really hope you're just trying to wind me up and don't actually believe that Ray. In either case I'm too tired to care.

[_BlackHawk_]

BTW, which is the best kit for an ADF Blackhawk (in 1/48)? I've always liked them since I saw 3 fly in formation fly over my grandmothers house many years ago.

[tor lives]

:roll: I really hope you're just trying to wind me up and don't actually believe that Ray.

Clearly you have a different take on history than the rest of us Brad. Let me remind you of the "score board"

WW1:
Allies = 1
Germany = 0
WW2:
Allies = 1
Germany = 0

I suppose you are a Collingwood supporter as well
TOR

[Tony P]

By world cups (the only thing that matters in the world(apparently):

Germany: 4
Allies: 2

[Adam the Akrodude]

Brad, you must elaborate more on your WW1 "draw" comment. Did you go to the University of Bizarroworld?

I don't think American, British or French kids got to play with so much money post WW1.



Shopping in Germany post war - yes, the wheelbarrow full of money!



The Treaty of Versailles wasn't a "it's a draw!" document.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Versailles

Don't mention the war - well, the second one anyway!

[_BlackHawk_]

[Adam the Akrodude]

MRH does seem to be a bit of a mess. Never seems to work well when government goes against the wishes of the defence force. MRH probably not a bad replacement for the Sea Kings - only. Of course I'm no expert on this matter (and thus really should not comment - but I will!) but some "features" of the MRH it seems impinge on it's ability to be a useful battlefield chopper - when inserting troops into a hot LZ, rear door can only be used on flat surfaces (opp's) and the door gunner must move out of the way of troops disembarking (excuse me - sorry about that lads!). I read the Finns got around the rear cargo door issue by using a slab of plywood attached to the door to stop it from warping/twisting. Battlefield repair must be difficult with carbon fibre too - well, 5 minute Araldite and gaffer tape is pretty good stuff though! The blow out in cost is pretty bad - $65 million each. Ouch! Another "it's seemed a good idea at the time" decision. Dutch having corrosion issues with their NH-90's when deployed in a maritime environment. No doubt this will be sorted, but it's another delay for maritime deployment. LHD op's some time off anyway.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/corrosion-issue-halts-dutch-nh90-deliveries-400944/

ARH has also been plagued with massive cost overruns and performance issues. One can only hope it is all it's touted to be. I'm still to see a display of one - in the air that is. I've read another billion needs to be thrown at the ARH program, which currently can't datalink to anything other than the Army itself - seems pretty limited for a very expensive recon platform. Not much has been in the public domain for some time on the ARH, so fingers crossed the main issues are sorted and it's a worthy attack/recon platform for Army - bloody expensive one!

Yes, going with the Eurocopter options has created a lot of jobs here. Going Sikorsky could also have created jobs and possibly fewer headaches and cost blowouts. Hey, it's all Monday morning quarterback stuff and well beyond the likes of mere-mortal civvie aeroplane modellers like us! We are paying for all this stuff as tax payers and do deserve to know if these programs are on-track (ah, not!) and will the end result deliver all it supposed to (bloody better!).

Local industry involvement is a tough question. Yes, jobs are created which is a good thing, but the end result can take a great deal longer and becomes way more expensive. Why I wonder do some programs go well (FFG's and ANZAC ships, original F/A-18 program here as examples), yet others don't - MRH & ARH choppers, Collins Class subs and Spanish AWD's not looking good. The reasons are varied and complex of course. Some programs are taken on when the product itself is immature and requires further development, sometimes we bite off more than we can chew and attempt to re-invent the wheel, spec's and performance goals change on the fly, etc, etc. The main thing is that lessons are actually learned from these mistakes and not repeated over and over.

[tor lives]

By world cups (the only thing that matters in the world(apparently):

Germany: 4
Allies: 2

Still sorta pales into insignificance when compared to getting your arse kicked in two world wars
TOR

[hrtpaul]

Seems to me far to many lessons aren't learnt with the continual screw ups with stuff like this. As a tax payer I'm pissed that some douchebags, somewhere keep throwing our hard earned cash down the drain. Sure the Tiger at the time was cheaper than the Apache but I wouldn't be so sure now especially if another billion dollars needs to be spent. Ya get what ya pay for seems to ring true more often than not. But I guess that's what these turkeys are employed to do. It's lucky they're just running a country and not a business

[_BlackHawk_]

Seems to me far to many lessons aren't learnt with the continual screw ups with stuff like this. As a tax payer I'm pissed that some douchebags, somewhere keep throwing our hard earned cash down the drain. Sure the Tiger at the time was cheaper than the Apache but I wouldn't be so sure now especially if another billion dollars needs to be spent. Ya get what ya pay for seems to ring true more often than not. But I guess that's what these turkeys are employed to do. It's lucky they're just running a country and not a business

Damn straight.