What did i see? helicopter?!

[croakey]

Was out and about yesterday around Bedfordshire and saw a helicopter i've not seen anything like before...

My really poor description

1) Black Military looking thing
2) Single rotor
3) Offset tail wing (by this i mean the tail rotor one side, and a noticeable wing the other side)

I've googled it, and general things like military helicopter and come up blank!

Probably something very simple!

[Mr MXT]

Westland Lynx?

[kowalski655]

Apache?

Lynx?

[croakey]

Sadly not. It had a prominent wing to the right hand side of the tail rotor?

My description is shocking!

[tmk2]

In recent weeks I've seen a few lyn a merlin and a seaking, all flying over Bedford.

[croakey]

Not to scale and a shoddy paint special but it looked like this!

[ninja-lewis]

AgustaWestland have a black Merlin carrying out test flights from Yeovil at the moment. It's the first airframe for Italy's Combat Search and Rescue order.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/agustawestland/133779...

[kowalski655]

Merlin?Large wing & sponsons(is that teh word?)

[kowalski655]

ninja-lewis said:

AgustaWestland have a black Merlin carrying out test flights from Yeovil at the moment. It's the first airframe for Italy's Combat Search and Rescue order.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/agustawestland/133779...

That looks rather cool

[croakey]

Could be a Merlin? I'm convinced however it had a large prominent "WING" on the right of the tail rotor.

I was going to take a pic, but was working so it didn't seem appropriate at the time.

Was what I ( a person who knows nothing about helicopters) would call quite a big helicopter opposed to say an air ambulance type thing!

[croakey]

Having looked at the rest of the gallery.

Its that big black Merlin!

Thanks a bunch, hate not knowing something!

Might sell them my paint drawing seeing as its quite accurate lol

[anonymous-user]

ninja-lewis said:

AgustaWestland have a black Merlin carrying out test flights from Yeovil at the moment. It's the first airframe for Italy's Combat Search and Rescue order.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/agustawestland/133779...

In that matt black paint with yellow line highlights that^^^^ is one cool looking buzzbox!!

[Celtic Dragon]

There are blackhawks currently stationed at Mildenhall / lakenheath. Being in Bedford there is a good chance it was heading there.

[motomk]

Celtic Dragon said:

There are blackhawks currently stationed at Mildenhall / lakenheath. Being in Bedford there is a good chance it was heading there.

From that diagram I would guess a Blackhawk or similar. Pavehawk?

[Celtic Dragon]

Didn't see your paint speacial last night. If it was huge the I'll go MH 53 a "jolly green giant". The side pods rule out the Blackhawk.

[anonymous-user]

Celtic Dragon said:

The side pods rule out the Blackhawk.

No they don't.....

[anonymous-user]

Max_Torque said:

ninja-lewis said:

AgustaWestland have a black Merlin carrying out test flights from Yeovil at the moment. It's the first airframe for Italy's Combat Search and Rescue order.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/agustawestland/133779...

In that matt black paint with yellow line highlights that^^^^ is one cool looking buzzbox!!

It's a Merlin, and is therefore Seriously Uncool.

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

Crossflow Kid said:

It's a Merlin helicopter, and is therefore Seriously Uncool.

[anonymous-user]

Ginetta G15 Girl said:

Crossflow Kid said:

It's a Merlin helicopter, and is therefore Seriously Uncool.

Ram it, Jet Girl.

[yellowjack]

Crossflow Kid said:

Celtic Dragon said:

The side pods rule out the Blackhawk.

No they don't.....

But the single sided horizontal tail surface would rule the Blackhawk out

ETA:


I'd go for it being a German S-65/CH-53, as they have a pretty dark colourscheme...

Edited by yellowjack on Monday 5th May 23:23