Pilatus Britten-Norman Islander/Defender. Part-Two.

Military Versions.

The first military version of this one plus nine passenger aircraft appeared in 1971. Capable of carrying an assortment of bombs and MATRA 68-mm rocket pods along with two 7.62mm guns in the Counter Insurgency role on four wing pods. It was closely followed by the Maritime Defender , which was modified to house a search radar in its nose.

It also carried a parachute dingy rescue pack, loud speakers, flares and alternative weapons points. Both the speed and range of the aircraft remained similar to its civil version, the Islander. Range was increased with the options of two fuel tanks in place of the two inner 750Ib (317.5Kg) bombs to 1,723 miles (2, 772Km's).

Sales and exports were world-wide Angola, Ghana, Guyana, Israel, Jamaica, Malagasy Republic, Malawi, Mauritania, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), Thailand and Turkey.

HMS Sentinel Plus.

Patrolling the English/French Channel.

We have a problem that has mushroomed and will continue to exist wither we Brexit or not, that of smuggling people from France to the southern-England. The English Channel is one of the busiest in the world, with one ship every eleven miles apart east to west and mostly Ferries every five miles north to south, this does not include fishing boats, yachts and other military vessels.

One only has to go to Marine traffic to see the complexities and congestion of this sea!  Meanwhile the French navy has dedicated 30-40 ships to patrol their waters and the British Royal Navy 3-4 of the HMS Sentinel type cutters.

We have not heard much in relation to France intercepting these migrant smuggling boats? But it has mostly been the general public on this side of the Channel who see these flimsy craft sinking, if not the smugglers themselves.

Serious cut backs in the armed forces have over the last few years been pointed out by the U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama, as having a potential on N.A.T.O. deployment capability of lack.

These boats are fast and very manoeuvrable at sea and they are effective in use as Customs Cutters, the problem of just twelve for the U.K.'s waters is a serious lack and by the time more vessels are built and commissioned we may be swamped, as Nigel Farage is pointing out to the E.U. open borders policy?

Bus and Coaches. Part-One.

IRIZAR.

This is one of the latest types of coach on the roads of the U.K and Ireland today, it is a luxury vehicle designed for comfort and speed. Built in Spain from 1979-1983 as the first generation, by 1993 the Swedish Scania K-series chassis was adopted. 

The Irizar body was introduced from 2002, but in 2005 the redesign and current body type with a 3.3 metre extention was added. The two types are the K and the S, which is sold in the U.K with a 70 seat layout.

The two main operators in the United Kingdom are Red Arrow of Trent Barton and National Express. The Wales RugbyTeam coach is also of the same type.

Pilatus Britten-Norman Islander/Defender. Part-One.

1965 to the Present.

First flown in 1965 the 10 passenger BN-2 Islander light transport has been sold all over the world, with 1100+ built. Licence production was granted to Roumania and the Philippines. Many small airlines operate the type here in the U.K. and across the world as the islander.

The aircraft BN-2A-85 Islander was popular for island hopping and getting into small landing strips, because of its early development and Lycoming piston engine choice, it was able to take a market demand for the type. Speed is about 257km/hr (154mph) and range about 1400km (840miles).

Later military versions came under the name Defender or where known as the BN-2-T Turbine. The Allison turboprops were the option here. Under wing hard points can be fitted to take 7.62mm machine guns and various small bombs and or rocket pods.

The Jamaican Air Defence Corps operate both civil and military types and they are used in anti-drug operations in the Caribbean Sea. Meanwhile one is used civil airlines east to west-coast daily flights along with one with a Tris-lander. The former Royal Ulster Constabulary also operated one type for high flight mapping and data gathering operating from Sydenham (Now George Best Belfast City Airport).

Space Flight.

Pluto, Mercury, Mars and Juno.

This last two years has seen a rise in Space flight activity with new film and photography being returned from several planets and the International space station having the first British space man Tim Peak.

The eight year mission to the dwarf planet Pluto paid off with dramatic clear images of this far flung world having a three layered atmosphere and mountains of ice. Mercury being the closest to the Sun, also now seems to have ice polar caps.

It is confirmed that Mars has flowing water and loads of silica has also been discovered proving that this planet once had oceans of water. There are many areas of the planet that remain undiscovered and its is known that the southern regions are active in some way.

Juno is now half way to the largest planet, it will be arriving near to this gas giant 100X the size of the earth in two moths time. We know know that Jupiter has more than sixty-three moons and the great red spot has changed.

New Horizons has left Pluto and is now half-way to the outer Kyper Belt, with the first moving observation of a object in that region. As to planet 9X, that is still to be found, but New Horizons and other astronomical devices have measured an object 10X Earths size in the outer regions.

A visit to the NASA, ROSCOM,ESA websites, will give you much more detailed information and host of wonderful pictures and much, much more.