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The Team Merlin Gallery

Returning for the 2008 season is the Team Merlin Image gallery. The purpose of this gallery is to publish some of the images that show Team Merlin out and about, meeting the public at the shows and events they attend in 2008.

These photographs are all donated for our use by members of the public and/or members of the Team. Please feel free to download any images for private use only, however please respect any photographer's Copyright marks. Permission must be sought from the Webmaster for any reproduction for commercial use.

If you have any questions regarding any images, or you would like to submit some of your own for the gallery, please use the form on the "Contact Us" page.

Please note that because we will add a copyright banner to all the images we use, submissions for the gallery should be at least 1000 pixels in width to preserve the image quality after we have added the banner. The bigger, the better.

Feel free to download the offical Team Merlin 2008 poster for personal use, or find us at an airshow to get your copy!

Abingdon Air & Country Fair 2008

"Well, I don't know where to start…." This was the opening line of the first email I opened upon returning to these sunny shores from doing my proper job in a far away land. It was an appeal from Neil Porter after being informed that he had lost the JHC static participation for his annual Abingdon Air and Country Fair. After some frantic phone calls and emails, we managed to hatch out a rescue plan to get Team Merlin to our local show.

The duty crew kindly ferried the helicopter down to Dalton Barracks where I believe it kept up the RAF tradition of 'first in, last out'!! Put to bed for a couple of nights and guarded by a rather large Rotweiller, the Merlin settled in for a couple of days.

Sunday morning and the Met roulette began. Will it, won't it...? Goretex to hand, a motley crew of three arrived to set up the 'desert' shelter. Adam, Dave and I then set to work to meet and greet the visitors which began to pour into the showground (a bit like the rain which luckily stopped later on!)

We soon had a rapidly lengthening queue to come and have a close up look at the Merlin. Our Ops Officer, Adam, soon showed that he had been swotting up and was swiftly 'wowing' visitors (and me and Dave to be honest!) with his technical knowledge. A steady trade for posters and stickers continued throughout the day and at one point I was privileged enough to meet up with a gentleman who was a Halifax tail-gunner on 78 Sqn during WWII. Some fantastic stories kept me distracted for some time!!

"Exterminate, Exterminate, you will surrender" - I thought for a minute the Chinook Display Team had made it after all but then I noticed a real (well I thought it was!) Dalek rolling towards the Merlin. However, the aircraft ramp stopped his plans in their tracks! After nipping into the nearby Tardis for some advice from you know WHO (sorry!) we brokered a truce and recruited our new friend to be part of the crew. Who needs a mini-gun now then?!

A huge thanks to Neil and his hard working team for a great day out and one I have penciled in already for next year.

Gareth Attridge,
Team Merlin Manager

Support Our Paras - Old Sarum Airfield

The day started somewhat damp and miserable – typical bank holiday weather! There was the prospect of a poor turnout for this first time event at Old Sarum in Wiltshire. Not to be downhearted we broke out the Goretex and set up our desert camo stall to await the day's visitors. Thankfully as the day progressed the weather did show some mercy and we ended up with a rather pleasant and sunny afternoon.

Our Merlin Mk3a, ZK001, had been pre-positioned the previous Friday following a days training. The tractor driver sent to tow us into position had a bit of a moment when he was told we weighed 14 tons! The tractor struggled a bit to manoeuvre us over the soggy grass into position beside the VIP tent, but we got there!

Mother Nature was kind and the cloud base picked up enough to salvage several flying displays, the majority having cancelled early due to the weather. The Spitfires displayed both solo and as a pair, the sound of Rolls Royce Merlins still raises the hairs on the back of the neck! Some very low level topside passes had the long lenses snapping away furiously. Guy Westgate in his S-1 Swift glider pulled off moves that looked impossible, especially considering he had no engine!

The Paras own Red Devils produced a spectacular display even when jumping from such a low level. Passing a mere few feet above the applauding crowds below to land precisely on target.

The Drumhead ceremony and the unveiling of the Airborne Forces memorial were very apt and moving, with a number of Chelsea Pensioners and Parachute Regiment veterans in attendance. Some of the stories they tell would make your hair curl!!

All in all, we were very proud to be asked to attend this event and represent the RAF and the Merlin Force. A big thank you to all of the SOPARA Event Committee and in particular, the Logistics Director Ron McCaffrey, who supported our attendance over the weekend so well.

Hopefully this may become an annual event in the future.

Next stop is back with the Light Blue at RAF Cosford. See you there!!!

Dave Bryson,
Team Merlin Crewman

RAF Cosford at Home Day 2008

We arrived at DCAE Cosford with "Sierra" resplendent in her freshly applied Union Jack stickers. Having recently been abroad for a "job" she also boasted a rescue hoist and full suite of defensive aids.

From the minute we landed the boys and girls of UBAS (University of Birmingham Air Squadron) provided hospitality of the highest order. We wanted for nothing! Food, water, and transport to and from out accommodation, oh….and the occasional pint of the very potent UBAS ale. Thanks to OC UBAS for your teams.

We again erected our desert cam-net which housed the ever friendly Opsy – Sgt Toby Priestly. Always on hand to show off some of the kit we wear on a daily basis when on operations. Many could not believe just how heavy the body armour is when trying it on! We also had on display 2 General Purpose Machine Guns. One fitted to the aircraft and another which was very popular for photographs on its training mount under the cam-net. Thanks to Cosford Armoury for their assistance with the weapons.

The show itself had all the favourites. Typhoon did is best to rattle the fillings out of everyone. The pyrotechnic explosions during the role demo then made sure they then jumped out of their skins! Fantastic.

We departed on Monday morning after showing our appreciation to UBAS by taking 2 groups on an air-experience flight aboard the Merlin. They all promised they wouldn't be air-sick…they lied! More than one sick bag was required after Flt Lt Butler demonstrated what Merlin is capable of.

Next instalment... Biggin Hill.

Biggin Hill International Air Fair 2008

Another outing for Merlin Mk3a ZK001 to Biggin Hill this weekend. We were one of the last to arrive on Friday afternoon and nearly missed getting towed to our spot within the RAF Village.

Saturday was busy from the outset and only got busier as the day progressed. The weather was pleasantly warn…a mere hint of what followed on Sunday, what a scorcher!! Many looking rather red and sunburnt after a glorious day.

Our Merlin Force Engineers were happy chatting to the crowds who came to visit us and made some new friends with members of St Johns Ambulance Service. They just happened to be blond and rather pretty!

St Johns Cycle Response Unit also thought Merlin would be ideal in helping them react quickly to incidents. They proved this by riding down the ramp on their mountain bikes loaded with vital lifesaving equipment.

I adopted my favourite viewing spot – sat on a rotor blade - to watch the show. Highlights included the Mirage 2000 which almost put Typhoon to shame in the afterburner and noise department! The mighty Wokka still puts on a display that baffles me. A helicopter that big should not be so agile.

A hot and busy weekend which saw us run out of all 1000 posters that we brought with us! We're more popular than we thought! Thanks everyone for a great weekend. See you next year with a full flying display (fingers crossed!).

Dave Bryson,
Team Merlin Crewman

RAF Waddington International Airshow 2008

Looking at the weather forecast and remembering last year's washout, it was with some trepidation that we packed up the display kit and loaded the aircraft for the weekend. After some last minute serviceability problems I unloaded and reloaded the cab and we got airborne with literally seconds to spare to reach Waddo in time!! The reason we had to be there by Friday afternoon was that Team Merlin were being positioned in the centre of the RAF Deployed Operating Base display themed on current Ops in the Middle East.

After an uneventful flight up (except for overflying our other crewman, Steve, who was sitting in traffic on the A1 looking up at us and cursing!!) we landed in glorious sunshine to RV with our ground party. Things were looking good for a great weekend.

The usual fantastic hosting by 8 Sqn RAF throughout the weekend meant plenty of opportunity to meet old friends and make new ones too. Cheers guys, especially for the free bar!!

Saturday morning started wet and gloomy, a theme which was largely to continue throughout the weekend. Still, undeterred and with Goretex to hand we set up our display. Soon there was a slow but steady flow of people (and water!) visiting us and a lot of interest in the kit we had with us including the desert Harley motorbike, pintle mounted GPMG and our brand new shiny John Deere Gator!!

Unfortunately, due to the set-back position of the DOB from the main static line between two of the large hangars, it was difficult to see the Merlin (all 22 metres of it!!) and we missed a lot of people. However, we had plenty of other military visitors come over, especially the Royal Navy Merlin crew who obviously wanted to see a proper battle proven aircraft!! We also had a visit from the Puma boys who were feeling unwanted up at the top end (aww, shame). I would say it was down to our popularity but it was more than likely due to the intense rain!!

The highlight of the day, flying wise, was the much awaited Vulcan XH558 and after seeing its last display in 1992, this was a great personal moment for me. Obviously, it wasn't going to be like the displays of old but seeing it in formation with four Merlins was something to remember!!

Sunday was even wetter but there were some brighter moments. We were even visited by the Empire and some of their friends when a roving patrol of Imperial troops checked in!! Luckily, a young Jedi and Rocket Man were there to restore the peace!!

All in all, Waddington was a great if somewhat damp show once again and Team Merlin would like to thank the Station Commander of RAF Waddington for the invitation and to all of the Station personnel for all their hard work. See you next year everybody!!

Next stop, the Big One….RIAT!!

Gareth Attridge,
Team Merlin Manager

Royal International Air Tattoo 2008

A picture speaks a thousand words...

RAF Benson Families Day 2008

Thursday 7th August was the date of our only 'home' fixture for the season. However, as this event was for our family and friends it was an important one. The day began with the three main Support Helicopters, Merlin, Puma and a visiting Chinook giving familiarisation flights to station personnel and their families. A total of over 500 adults and children went for a short flight around the local area during the morning, an outstanding achievement by the ground and air crews who made it happen.

During this time my colleague from Air Traffic Control (he is too modest to be named!!) was busy greeting all the visiting aircraft as they arrived and putting them into the static park slots. There were 20+ vintage and GA aircraft that arrived almost at the same time, so the apron filled up very quickly. Very soon, the aircraft were arriving thick and fast, including helicopters, fast jets and classic aircraft. By the time of the official opening there were 46 different aircraft on dispersal and this was before the Red Arrows arrived!!

Of course our very own 'home team' were there showing off one of the brand new Merlin MK3a helicopters.

For my part, I took a back seat from Team Merlin today as I had another job to do as the Airshow Flying Display Co-ordinator!! Without going through all the boring details I am pleased to say that after chewing off all my finger nails and turning a bit greyer, it all went off very well. With a 2 hour 30 non-stop airshow to run, we only lost 15 minutes in total by the end. Only one planned visitor was unable to turn up due to technical problems, however a couple of last minute additions more than made up for the gap.

The dreadful British summer weather we are having this year stayed away and we were blessed with blue skies and sunshine for most of the day. It was very satisfying for me and my colleagues on the organising committee to see everyone have such a great day and enjoy themselves. It made all the hard work worthwhile. There was also a considerable amount of money raised through various collections and an Auction of Promises which will go to local and national chosen charities.

All in all, despite this not being a public event, this was a brilliant day for all of the RAF Benson personnel, friends and family. Some of the photographs taken from the day help to give a flavour of what the event is all about.

Our next outing will be back in the public eye, with our annual trip to the seaside when we visit the fantastic venue of Dawlish in Devon. See you there!!

Gareth Attridge,
Team Merlin Manager

Dawlish Carnival Airshow 2008

"Oh we do like to be beside the seaside" - again!! After the fantastic day we had last year, it was with no hesitation that we accepted the invite from Kevin Wills to bring the team back to Dawlish for their annual seafront airshow. So it was decided to take the new toy out to play in the shape of our newest machine, the MK3a, "AE".

Going by the past form of the weather this so far this year, we packed our waterproofs and tentatively set off for the Devonshire coast. However, it appears that some sort of deal was struck with the Sun God as it turned into a scorcher. As I was the only one on the crew who had been before all I had to do was brief the words pub, hill and photographers and the HLS was spotted from a couple of miles away!!

After dropping off our 'Airmobile Guard' from Cranwell we then took the local Air Cadets for a quick trip around the block as a thank you for the work they do at Dawlish. We then found our spot and set up for the day. We set up the stands and soon had a steady stream of visitors coming over to have a look around and ask questions. We were sharing our 'pitch' this year with the boys from the Royal Navy in their pretty SAR Sea King. This led to one of the funniest moments of the trip when a young visitor to the cockpit was heard to say "Wow, this one has tele screens. The other red one was full of knobs". Sorry guys but it was a priceless moment!!

After a busy day meeting and greeting, it was time to sample the Dawlish hospitality and watch the Carnival. All I can say is that everybody had a great time with a very friendly, holiday atmosphere. A true credit to everybody involved in the organisation and running of the events.

In an Oscars stylee speech, we would like to say thanks to the following:

• The Initial Officer Training cadets from RAF Cranwell for providing the security cordon and guarding the Merlin overnight.

• The local Air Training Corps boys and girls for their help and their Boss for driving us around!!

• Everyone who paid us a visit and especially those who donated to our charity collection for Dreamflight.

• A personal mention must go to Kev Wills for inviting the team and looking after us so well. Thanks mate and we will be back next year.

Next stop, Wings and Wheels at Dunsfold.

Gareth Attridge,
Team Merlin Manager

Dunsfold Wings & Wheels 2008

Full report coming soon.

Shoreham Airshow 2008

Shoreham-by-the Sea conjures up those seaside images of sandcastles, ice creams and boats bobbing up and down on the English Riviera. However, for those making up the team this weekend it was like taking a journey back in time by 75 years. The annual RAFA airshow certainly does its best to promote a nostalgic and authentic WWII atmosphere with an impressive collection of vintage warbirds, re-enactment groups, vehicles and equipment. The climax of this is the signature airfield attack and scramble with those magnificent men (and women!) in their flying machines putting them through their paces.

So then, it was only fair that we helped to display what the modern Royal Air Force is all about. After a sporty arrival in the rain on the Friday, thoughts turned to whether the show would be yet another victim of the Great British Summer. However, Saturday was another day and the sun gods came out to play. From the moment we set up the display, we had a steady stream of visitors, many of whom were interested in the new desert flying equipment that we brought along. Being on the corner of the static row, we seemed to attract everyone coming out of the airport terminal including some celebrities. Yep, visits from Sir Winston Churchill, Captain Mainwaring and the Warmington-on-Sea Home Guard and Hollywood screen legends Laurel and Hardy were just some of the highlights!!

Add in a backdrop of a five hour flying display with everything from classic bi-planes to the latest RAF fast jet Typhoon, and the day was a cracking success. We got to make plenty of new friends as well as meet up with more familiar faces once again. The visitors to Shoreham proved to be as generous as ever and as well as the contributions to the RAFA appeal, we managed to collect substantial donations for our chosen charity, Dreamflight.

Unfortunately, the weather was not so kind on the Sunday, but this did not dampen the spirits or enthusiasm of the participants or visitors. All in all, Shoreham was an enjoyable and relaxing end of season show for me; however the boys and girls will be heading north of the border to Leuchars for the final Team Merlin appearance this year.

Regards from everybody involved with Team Merlin and the Merlin Force as a whole.

Gareth Attridge,
Team Merlin Manager