"Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen" (distraxi)
06/16/2020 at 01:10 • Filed to: None
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"Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen" (distraxi)
06/16/2020 at 01:10 • Filed to: None | 0
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2 RNZAF C130s and a 757. No idea why they’re doing a low flyover over Auckland today, and the internet doesn’t seem to either. Maybe it’s in celebration of the fact that 40 S quadron has 3 planes actually working at the same time - those two C130H’s are either 51 or 54 years old depending on which tail numbers they are, and the 757's no a spring chicken either. Roll on the J models in 2023.
Somebody on Twitter got a better shot (video):
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jminer
> Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
06/16/2020 at 01:42 |
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That’s an unusual combination of planes to see flying in formation
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Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
> jminer
06/16/2020 at 01:56 |
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In most parts of the world, yes, but that’s two of the three flavors of aircraft that fly out of my local air force base, so less so round here.
It’s chiefly unusual in that you never see the R NZAF’s 757s actually flying. They’re the poster child for why you shouldn’t use civilian planes for military applications: they’ve been as unreliable AF, to the point that they’re an embarrassment even by the standards of our crappy Air Force
Though it must be a struggle for the 757 to go slow enough for the Hercs.
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jminer
> Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
06/16/2020 at 02:19 |
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Thanks for the enlightenment!
The 757 just seems like a strange plane for military use anyway. Not sure what the use case for a narrow body passenger jet for an air force would be. I’m off down a Google rabbit hole now.
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Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
> jminer
06/16/2020 at 06:44 |
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It was a controversial choice even at the time, but as far as I recall the argument was that the RNZAF application is pretty much the same sweet spot they found in civilian life - flying medium haul out of small a irports. Basically anywhere a 737 can’t hack it but a 767 won’t get in.
The NZDF is a regional operator - if they’re operating unsupported it’s going to be in Pacific or SE Asian countries with small airfields and limited infrastructure, and shifting relatively small amounts of materiel. Anywhere further afield or larger scale and we’ll be working with someone whose strategic airlift capability we can piggyback.
The 757’s mission is basically to do anything they could otherwise charter a civilian plane for but might struggle to do so in a hurry - troop transport, VIP, freight, flying maintenance shop, lab, ordnance bus, medevac etc - w hile being a shit sight cheaper to buy and operate than a proper strategic airlifter . A nything which actually needs genuine military airlift capability, they send a C130 and accept that it’ll be a slow uncomfortable flight and it might take two runs to do what the 757 could do in one.
It all made sense in theory, but the practical fact of the matter has turned out to be that they’re a shit sight cheaper than a military strategic airlifter for a reason, and military use has just pushed them a little too far out of their reliability comfort zone. Which is what you get for doing it o n the cheap.
ttyymmnn
> Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
06/30/2020 at 12:49 |
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Maybe it’s in celebration of the fact that 40 Squadron has 3 planes actually working at the same time
LOL