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Blue Angels after Fat Albert replacement

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posted on Mar, 24 2018 @ 01:14 PM
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Eight months after a Marine KC-130T crashed in Mississippi, the Blue Angels are seeking a replacement for their Fat Albert aircraft. The T model aircraft are still grounded, which is requiring them to borrow aircraft from other units to travel to their shows, and prevents them from flying that portion of the demonstration.

As a result, NAVAIR has announced they will be negotiating with the British MoD as the sole source to buy a single C-130J to replace their current T model. Not only will it allow them to go back to performing their display again, a J model will give them more flexibility than the T model did.

www.fbo.gov...



posted on Mar, 24 2018 @ 01:19 PM
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a reply to: Zaphod58

"Fat Albert"?!?!

You click baited me once again!




posted on Mar, 24 2018 @ 02:05 PM
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a reply to: Zaphod58
In other words, a no bid contract for 1 airplane? As if the Blue Angles are sooo indispensable for a short time. Sounds like another blank check military project. It will probably end up costing twice the price.



posted on Mar, 24 2018 @ 02:31 PM
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a reply to: Zaphod58
I have a few pics of Fat Albert.......this isn't one of them.



posted on Mar, 24 2018 @ 02:34 PM
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a reply to: CharlesT

No, it's a no bid contract for one already built aircraft they can take delivery of quickly. And it's not "another blank check military project". Nor will it "end up costing twice the price". The only aircraft the RAF will likely part with is one of their older aircraft, so they aren't paying full price for a brand new aircraft, and they aren't putting wear and tear on other aircraft anymore.



posted on Mar, 24 2018 @ 05:34 PM
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The UK was planning to retire their C130J aircraft, but some of them are being kept on longer because the C130J's can use shorter runways than the new replacements:

www.eliteukforces.info...



posted on Mar, 24 2018 @ 06:12 PM
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a reply to: stormcell

This will be a win-win. The RAF doesn't have to pay to store an aircraft, they make some of the money back from the original purchase, and the Navy gets a fairly low time airframe, and doesn't have to rely on others to move the team around, at a good price.



posted on Mar, 24 2018 @ 09:17 PM
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originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: CharlesT

No, it's a no bid contract for one already built aircraft they can take delivery of quickly. And it's not "another blank check military project". Nor will it "end up costing twice the price". The only aircraft the RAF will likely part with is one of their older aircraft, so they aren't paying full price for a brand new aircraft, and they aren't putting wear and tear on other aircraft anymore.


OK! I admit I'm soured on seemingly wasteful military expenditures and may have not understood the details of this sole acquisition. UNCLE, UNCLE!



posted on Mar, 24 2018 @ 10:30 PM
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Did they still do the rocket assisted take offs in recent air shows or what's they stopped long time ago? Curious if they still do it can a J model be fitted with rockets?



posted on Mar, 24 2018 @ 10:34 PM
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a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

No, and no. They stopped that a few years ago because of the stress it put on the aircraft. The J model doesn't need it because it has more power.



posted on Mar, 24 2018 @ 11:17 PM
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a reply to: Tarzan the apeman.

I have a JATO shot somewhere, though not online. I took it at the Salinas airshow. I had the same contrails off the propeller effect.

The airshow seating is on bleachers. They did the JATO right over the crowd. Flight over the crowd is approved if the momentum of the aircraft is such that it wouldn't land on the crowd should something fail. The JATO doesn't seem to me to meet that criteria.



posted on Mar, 24 2018 @ 11:22 PM
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originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

No, and no. They stopped that a few years ago because of the stress it put on the aircraft. The J model doesn't need it because it has more power.


Wiki claims a lack of rockets. They date the end of JATO as 2009.



posted on Mar, 24 2018 @ 11:33 PM
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a reply to: gariac

It was a combination of stress on the aircraft, and lack of use. That was the only aircraft to use them anymore, so they chose to end it and not produce more rockets.



posted on Mar, 27 2018 @ 01:53 PM
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The RAF have been looking for places to offload some of the J's - Blue Angels will probably get on the best ones and at a very good price, they've all been kept in good condition compared to many country's Herc - believe me I've jumped out of a good few different ones with bits falling off etc etc

The A400 will be fully capable of taking over, they've got a fix for the airflow issue affecting dual side jumping and the short take off / landings are not a problem just a qualifying procedure yet to be completed , anyone who's seen a 400 do a full energy lift off and the tactical dead stop landing will confirm that, rough strip, beech landings have been completed just the desert strip to finalise (even though it's been done)


edit on 27-3-2018 by GrumpyBollocks because: Youtube embed not working



posted on Jul, 14 2018 @ 12:57 PM
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Fat Albert may return to the show circuit this weekend at the Pensacola Air Show. They won't fly a full show, as the aircraft hasn't flown in almost a year, but they may do some flying activities at the show. They will gradually work back up to a full show with the aircraft.

airshowstuff.com...



posted on Jul, 14 2018 @ 03:58 PM
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So cue the PC Corps. Someone will decry the use of "Fat"

They should simply get them a J model and be done with it IMHO

edit on 7/14/18 by FredT because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 14 2018 @ 04:03 PM
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Any aircraft that can back up without a tug is all right by me.

The steep approach/short landing demo was always better than the "high speed" pass. But not as good as the JATO takeoff.



posted on Jul, 14 2018 @ 04:44 PM
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a reply to: FredT

They're working on getting one of the stored RAF J models, but the earliest we'll see that one, even if they were to get it tomorrow, is sometime late next season. They have to refurb it after being stored, paint it, qualify the crews, work out the routine....



posted on Jun, 24 2019 @ 03:53 PM
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The Navy officially announced that they have purchased a former RAF C-130J to replace the previous Fat Albert. The existing aircraft was delivered to the storage. The new aircraft will be delivered in Spring of next year.

www.newsairshow.com...



posted on Jul, 24 2019 @ 11:11 AM
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Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group held the formal signing for the new aircraft today. Marshall will perform maintenance, upgrades, and painting of the aircraft.

marshalladg.com...




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