RAF Queens Flight Merlins

[uk 75]

Found an old cutting from Flight from 1996 which speculated that the first two of the RAF's Merlins were due to be given to the Queens Flight / Royal Squadron to replace Wessex helos.

This gives some nice alternative schemes for the Merlin:

Red and Blue Royal colours like the Wessex

White with blue stripe (Gazelles used by the Squadron have this scheme)

Privatised Merlins (a variety of possible colours ranging from Maroon (used on A109s) to Bristow helicopter stripes

Other possible RAF Merlin colours are All over Yellow, replacing Sea Kings or Grey with dayglo.

While on the subject of the Merlin. The German Navy uses UK Sea Kings. How about a Merlin equipped either with Sea Skua or Kormorans in their two tone grey scheme.

I like Merlins. I have a couple of crude drawings showing a two engined version (the WG34) originally planned to be more in the Seahawk size category.

All the best

UK 75

[B777LR]

Airlines taking them?
KLM/Air France, British airways, SAS, Lufthansa?