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| PAF R&D | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 13 2007, 04:02 AM (3,148 Views) | |
| akimima | Mar 13 2007, 04:02 AM Post #1 |
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I was browsing through the timawa.net website and stumbled across a not so eye-popping article of another failed self reliant project. Capt. Villaruel's frustration with the government ultimately gave up his life. As really sad ending to something that was promising. By now many have heard about the takeover of the NAIA Control Tower and the violent death of retired PAF Captain Panfilo Villaruel. Capt. Villaruel was apparently driven over the edge by extreme frustration with politics and government corruption, and among the points he raised were the scrapping of the Hummingbird and Defiant aircraft projects which he initiated. The Defiant trainer and light attack aircraft project started in the 1980s, and a prototype (the Defiant 300) was built with wood and fiberglass components and a 300 hp Lycoming piston engine. Government support was spotty (if it existed at all) and further development languished. In 1997, during the administration of President Ramos, the Defiant (renamed Centennial?) and Hummingbird helicopter projects were given the green light in line with PADC's mandate to develop indigenous aircraft designs. The budget was a meager PHP40 million. The project started in July 1997 and included further development of the Defiant into the Defiant 500, which was to be of metal construction and sport a turbo-prop engine and be comparable in capability to the Embraer Tucano, which costs about US$5 million each. In August 1998, after PHP34 million had been used the new administration of Joseph Ejercito Estrada shut the programs down, effectively wasting the amount already spent. At around this time the new Estrada administration was being flooded with proposals for the Philippine Air Force for such big ticket items as F-15 Eagles and other ridiculously expensive aircraft. ![]() The Defiant 300 undergoing inspection in December 1986. The prototype first flew in February, 1987 and and the test flight lasted about an hour. The fuselage was of wood and fiberglass construction and the landing gear was from a Beech T-34 provided by the PAF. The prototype was to have been followed by a larger version of metal construction with a turboprop engine. ![]() The spartan cockpit of the Defiant 300 prototype. The aircraft was registered RP-X239 to Gold Wings Aviation, Manila but now lies abandoned in an empty lot. ![]() A scan of a news clipping of the PADC Hummingbird, a locally built copy of the BO-105. Eurocopter threatened to sue PADC if it persisted in developing the Hummingbird and all locally built hardware was ordered destroyed Though the pictures that show the assembly and cockpit avionics of the Defiant looks rough and primitive it is a start of something to look forward to into the future. Something has to start somewhere as the saying goes. Had the RP government taken this project seriously, we would not have been discussing the planned acquisition of trainers like the Tucano, etc by the PAF. The PAF would have been buying it cheap from local manufacturers instead from abroad and using the excess money either to upgrade some of their more modern hardware or purchase something that local contractors are not capable of producing. Another point of arguement would be the Hummingbird project. Had this project gotten the proper government support, the local manufacturer could have bought or given the license by Eurocopter stakeholders and developed it to the PAF's specification like the much talked about Z9 in this forum. This project was initiated more than 10 years ago. Imagine had this been taken seriously, the PAF would have had a helo tailor fitted for its specific use. Plus would have been bought at a much much cheaper price and thus have more in their inventory. Then we would not be talking about why the bidding for the Z-9 had 2 bidders and so forth but would be talking about the next generation attack helicopter that "X" local manufacturer would be producing. Little "big ideas" if taken for granted snowballs into something that cannot or difficult to reverse. The problem with the government and the country as a whole is the imported mentality which still runs in everybody's veins. We go for the imported because of we thin their product is always superior. Remember not all foreign products are superior. The country should start emulating Israel, Japan, South Korea, Singapore to name a few, with regards to reverse engineering. The Philippines have a vast supply of natural resources but have failed to fully utilize them due to too much politics and corruption. I hope that some congressman and top brass officials are reading this and hopefully open their eyes and minds that the Filipino can also be a good arms manufacturer if given the proper support from the government. |
| "Our arrows will blot out the sun!" quoted by the invading Persian commander. "Then we will fight in the shade!" quote from 300 Spartans. | |
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| pilok2007 | Mar 30 2007, 04:59 AM Post #2 |
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Talking about copyright, look who stole from Japan about jet technology during world war II. http://youtube.com/watch?v=WlymgfgSMJc&mode=related&search= I suggest you watch the rest too. happy viewing. |
| “NEVER WAS SO MUCH OWED BY SO MANY TO SO FEW” Prime Minister Winston Churchill | |
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| Cygnus | Apr 6 2007, 05:48 PM Post #3 |
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Guys, there is so much more projects out there that are not known to the public. PASF alone has several [almost 20 designs] projects for fixed wing aircraft. I have someof the files at home but just to busy to post most in the net. In college we had one of our plates, a design of an advance trainer. It looked like an s-211. I never forgot how it look like, but when I became part of PASF. I immidiately recognized the aircraft in the PASF files. I'm not sure if it was a joint project with teh PAF R&D. I got a freind who had his ojt in the PAF R&D, and he claims we have a design for a jet fighter. He was not a military enthusiast, so it may be posible that what he saw was a design for an advance trainer. In the PAF Museum, there is a model of the aircraft known as asian eagle. This aircraft is a design by the PAF R&D. Just think of the designs they have that never took of due to no suport of the GRP. It may be posible that the asian eagle was about to take off when the plug was pulled. Another great project that almost flew in 1989 was the "Norlindo Project" [yes designed by Norlind himself, the guy in the pic in timawa site, the original member of PASF,when Capt Villaruel was the undersec of DOTC or ATO... |
| Providing cover, from your rear (",) | |
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| pilok2007 | Apr 6 2007, 08:24 PM Post #4 |
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Hi Cgynus, if you have time, care to share your stuff? thanks |
| “NEVER WAS SO MUCH OWED BY SO MANY TO SO FEW” Prime Minister Winston Churchill | |
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| Cygnus | Jul 29 2007, 12:36 AM Post #5 |
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Asian Eagle![]() This was displayed at the original PAF Museum, taken by yours truly... It was suppose to be the PAFs trainer. Project abandoned due to lack of funds. By this week I'll be including the image or illustration of the Tinyaban Advance Trainer of the PAF R&D. I'll scan it palang, and I'll have it up this week also in this thread. Its a Jet Trainer... Sumpak MRLS ![]() This 12 round MRLS is a project of the PAF R&D, shot was taken in Aerospace [PAF] Museum. They must be looking for a place to put this thing. |
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| Cygnus | Jul 29 2007, 11:47 AM Post #6 |
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Super Pinto or Cali T-610 / TT-1![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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| Cygnus | Jul 29 2007, 12:43 PM Post #7 |
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Not from the PAF R&D but from PADC and PASF. Captain Panfilo Villaruel's Humming Bird ![]() ![]() |
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8:52 AM Jul 11