The Team Merlin Gallery
Once again, for the 2010 season we return with the popular 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 2010.
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.
View our galleries from previous seasons - 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009.
Feel free to download the Team Merlin posters for the 2009 and 2010 seasons (for personal use) by clicking the image below, or find us at an airshow to get your copies!
Biggin Hill Air Fair 2010
The traditional Biggin Hill weather was out in force again this year, with blinding sunshine and clear blue skies for both days across the weekend. The crew this year consisted of Capt Mike Andersen (RDAF), Flt Lt Zoe Gell, MACr Gareth Attridge and Sgt Russ Smith, with a guest appearance from our resident Kiwi crewman, Sgt 'Fritz' Fraser.
With a reasonably short hop down from RAF Benson, we arrived Friday evening to be met with a very busy airfield, a controller working hard and aircraft arriving from home and afar. With a quick bit of towing and some tidy teamwork, the Merlin Mk3 was put to bed ready for a busy weekend accompanied by its helicopter brethren from DHFS Shawbury in the form of the Bell 412 -Griffin- and the AS350 -Squirrel-.
The aircrew were met by a flourishing crowd and a sea of airshow stalls which seemed to have generated overnight. The sun was already shining, the Raybans were out and the Merlin never fell short of attention and interest. The display kicked off shortly after 1000hrs, with an excellent line-up of events, including the RAF Red Arrows, The Falcons parachute team, the Royal Navy Black Cats, to name but a few.
Memorable events of the display this year for me could be seen in the RAF Tornado and Chinook Role Demonstrations, showing the impressive ability of the RAF Support Helicopters and the "explosive" power of the Tornado force, by literally setting fire to the grass on the far side of the airfield during their display!
Sunday arrived before we knew it, and after fears were dispelled that the show might suffer due to the World Cup England-Germany football match, another fun, hot enjoyable day followed. Team Merlin were able to provide tours of the aircraft for many Service personnel of both the Armed Forces and civilian services, including members of the Fire Service, Ambulance Service, Medics, Police, and NHS workers who were able to pass through our doors. We were also able to host the cadets from the Air Training Corp's -Kent- Wing, and we thank 1404 -Chatham- Squadron for their hospitality to many of the display crews, both UK and International.
We would also like to thank Colin Hitchins and the team from Air Displays International for their great hospitality and organisation throughout the weekend.
To conclude an enjoyable and successful weekend Team Merlin were able to generate a substantial amount of money for Dreamflight and Help for Heroes which we will add towards our end of season presentation.
Russell Smith,
Team Merlin Crewman
Cotswold (Kemble) Air Show 2010
After the success of the previous weekend at Cosford, the team were looking forward to our next outing to the newly named Cotswold Airport (formerly known as RAF Kemble) for this year's first two day stay in the heart of the Gloucestershire countryside.
After a last minute change we were allocated one of the newest aircraft in the Merlin fleet, a Mk3A, tail code 'AC'. A quick 15 min flight and we joined an already busy circuit, arriving alongside our helicopter chums in their Griffin from Shawbury.
We were soon in prime position in the show ground next to the RAF and Army recruiting stands and put the cab to bed. A visit to the on site OGRI motorcycle club to sample their hospitality is always part of our weekend at Kemble. I guess we are all petrol-heads of one type or another!
A bit of a treat was in store when we arrived at our accommodation for the weekend, a lovely luxurious country hotel near the Cotswold Water Park. A nice change for a military helicopter crew, so thank you very much to the Cotswold Air Show team for sorting this for us.
A good chance to meet up with the other crews and spin a few yarns before hitting the sack ready for an early start to the weekend's events.
Saturday morning saw a windy and grey sky greet everyone at the airfield. Please don't give us a repeat of last weekend at Cosford!!
Some visitors were already at the Merlin as we set up and soon the posters and stickers were flowing freely as the questions and discussions began. There was a steady flow of people throughout the day but not as many as in previous years. Perhaps it was the cold and windy conditions or that people were waiting to attend on the traditional Sunday, which is after all Father's Day.
However, with some fantastic flying from a wide and varied selection of aircraft, it was still a successful day. Team Merlin even got a lunchtime slot with the commentary team where my potential replacement did his first ever live interview! Not too bad, even for a pilot!! I seem to have also been given a new title as a result (if you were there you will know!)
Sunday was another early start, however, there was a big difference- blue skies with a bright yellow orb rising up! As suspected it was a lot busier today with the draw of good weather and the Dads getting a special day out (driving and paying in included no doubt!!). We ran out of stickers and nearly out of posters by early afternoon. We also showed a fair number of people around the Merlin, with our resident Navigator determined to give each and every one an individual Operational Conversion Course!
Once again a wide and varied display entertained the crowds with some superb flying including the Red Arrows creating an enormous love heart in the sky with their smoke (one of our engineers was convinced his young lady had arranged it just for him-bless!) Another chat with the commentary team and some lively banter (actually, it was LIVE banter when I forgot to switch off the microphone- I am assured I didn't say any naughty words!!) before heading back to the aircraft.
Our friends from UK Airshow Review had an enclosure this weekend so we popped along to see some familiar faces and say hello. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves in the sun with a few crispy, red looking faces present!
All too soon, the weekend was nearly over and we packed up ready to return. A big thanks to Glen Moreman and his Air Show Team for their hospitality and all the organisation that goes into this very popular event. Also thanks to the riders and members of the OGRI MCC that opened up their doors to us once again. Cheers guys.
Next event sees us going south east to the big event that is the Biggin Hill International Air Show. Don't forget it is Armed Forces day on the 26th June too!!
Gareth Attridge,
Team Merlin Manager
RAF Cosford Air Show 2010
Equipped with our newly liveried John Deer Gator, complete with camouflage and Team Merlin Decals for 2010, we departed on Friday for the eagerly anticipated RAF Cosford Airshow.
Being the first RAF show of the season and after the great success the Merlin proved to be with the 60,000 strong crowd the previous year, there were high hopes for the weekend, with only the mention of rain on Sunday afternoon to dampen spirits. However, not those of our resident Kiwi Crewman on exchange from RNZAF!
After a training sortie taking in the sights of Shropshire, which we all knew so well from our time during training, we completed a fly through at Shawbury for the 60 Sqn graduation to let the Chinook and Puma boys know what they-re missing!! Team Merlin arrived at Cosford in good time to put the aircraft to bed and enjoy the legendary hospitality of the University of Birmingham Air Squadron (UBAS).
On Saturday, after a thorough cleaning the of the various oil stains and -zaps- applied over night, ( thanks AMM Training Sqn), -Kilo- was bulled up and ready for the masses. Only now could the aircrew and engineers go and enjoy England-s opening football match, in the pleasant surrounds of Shrewsbury!
After an early start with the sun shining, Team Merlin were ready for the anticipated 65,000 people expected through the gates and the start of a full and varied flying programme, to include the Red Arrows first display of 2010.
The show was opened by the Cosford Model aeroplane club, with a comment from one member of Team Merlin "I didn-t realise the Vulcan was so small". After no end of banter and sniggers from the rest of us we got down to the serious business of chatting to the public about the Merlin, Afghanistan and raising money for Help for Heroes and Dreamflight. The Merlin, popular as always, was only overshadowed by our own General Purpose Machine Gun on a training mount as part of the static display!
The chatting only stopped whilst the Typhoon roared overhead and the heavens opened later in the afternoon just as the Harrier GR9 started its display. But the weather was one person-s loss and another-s gain as a short landing onto the soaking wet runway provided a great photo opportunity complete with water cloud!
We would all like to thank RAF Cosford, the Air Show team and UBAS ,whose help and hospitality provided another great and memorable weekend and a lot to live up to for the rest of the season. We only hope everyone is looking forward to another great show as much as Team Merlin will be in 2011!
Steve Bradley,
Team Merlin Crewman
Abingdon Air & Country Show 2010
Volcanic ash from Iceland, runways not available for use....surely there couldn't be any more obstacles to attending the annual show at Dalton Barracks otherwise known as Abingdon Airfield?
Well, this was the May Bank Holiday so there was always the weather...!
Despite the initial downpour and the subsequent freezing wind, we assembled a motley crew of TM veterans at the helicopter static park ready to meet and greet for our first event of the 2010 season. Due to a late change in circumstances, there were no fixed wing aircraft able to land (except for a sneaky OV10 Bronco who just 'did his thing!') so it was the line of military helicopters that drew in the visitors. Parked alongside us were our stablemates from Benson in the form of the recently arrived 'tigers' from 230 Sqn in their Puma. On the other side of them was possibly the plushest and most luxurious military helicopter I have ever seen (granted I have never been close to Marine One!) in the guise of the Blackhawk belonging to the 309th Airlift Sqn who had made the journey all the way from the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) HQ in Belgium. A very enthusiastic and professional crew who were glad to show us around their plush machine.
Partly due to the inclement weather and being the largest aircraft on display, we soon had a steady stream of visitors to the Merlin. One of our pilots (a local Abingdon chap) soon pulled up a sand bag in the cockpit and started swinging the lantern as he regaled his stories of adventure and derring-do. Unfortunately, most 8 year olds just wanted to know where 'the guns were fired from'!!
The rest of us rotated around the escorting duties, with the most popular being inside the back of the cab for some reason?! Although numbers definitely seemed to be down on previous years (probably due to the fore mentioned weather?) we still managed to show and tell to a large number of families and enthusiasts. Posters, postcards, badges galore were handed out whilst in the background the brilliantly put together air display took place. Some very plucky and skillful pilots and crews put on a spirited display and it was particularly nice to see our fellow RAF colleagues turn out in force to support the day, as well as some impressive flying by everything from a glider to a beautiful C47. Not bad in such challenging and blustery conditions.
On a personal note, I got ambushed for an interview with PlanesTV who were doing the official DVD of the days events! Thanks to the rest of the crew who suggested that I had a 'face for radio'...
It wouldn't be right to sign off without a few acknowledgments so here goes... firstly, to Neil Porter and his team for organising and running the show despite all the hurdles, to the other helicopter crews for the banter and laughs, to the rest of the Team Merlin crew for giving up their Sunday and most importantly, to all those who took time to come and visit us.
See you soon everyone. Next stop for us is RAF Cosford Air show on the 13th June.
Gareth Attridge,
Team Merlin Manager
