learned something new, so my day wasnt totally waisted lol
i didnt know there were different types.. found out accidentally while looking around the hunting forum.. it seems there is some controversy and maybe a bit of mud slinging on both sides.... but i dont know enough about the breed to say one way or another. i just like the idea that many of these dogs are still doing their jobs .. and not just prancing round a show ring or lining someone's pockets at a pet store.
Redline Airedales
Quote from the above website:
"Take a look at the "redline" coat a minute. Here's what the Airedale Standard says about coats:
"Should
be hard, dense, and wiry, lying straight and close, covering the dog
well over the body and legs. Some of the hardest are crinkling or just
slightly waved. At the base of the hard very stiff hair should be a
shorter growth of softer hair termed the “undercoat."
That's all it says. Not a word about long flowing beards and
pillow-like fluffed-out leg furnishings. In my mind there is no
question about it.
The "redline" type Airedale has a coat much closer to the Airedale Standard
than the modern show line dog does. Sure, some show line dogs have excellent
coats. But a lot of what looks like a good coat on the modern show dog is
just the product of cosmetic doctoring and if you breed to that dog there
is a good chance you will not get a good natural Airedale coat."
http://www.texterterriers.com/cgi/airedale_info.php
Quote from the above website:
There are a few other “variant” forms of “Airedale”. There is a "redline" strain of short haired Airedale, “black Airedale”, and even red Airedale.
Most of these variations have only one or two significant advocates and
are of minor significance in the breed. Occasionally, a different pup
will appear in a litter even of well bred dogs. It will grow bigger
than average or have less coat or have more black or less black than
average. (It would be genetically extraordinary for a whole litter to
have some unique trait that had not been previously selected for.) If
you select those different pups to continue breeding, you will see more
of those traits in subsequent litters. However, if you continue to pick
atypical traits, at some point you have very large, short coated, black
dogs and they are not Airedale. They are a new breed. In the case of “black Airedale”,
they are not eligible for AKC registration. The national breed club has
a standard that describes what an Airedale is and quality breeders tend
to try to select for traits consistent with that description and
de-emphasize dogs that fail to adhere to the standard.
Like most Airedale breeders, Texter Kennel breeds to the national standard for the breed.
seems to me that the two different camps are mainly hunters and kennel clubs.
All i know is my grandad had a black airedale when he was a teen ager (back in the 30s/40s) and this dog could do anything.. point, tree, track, retrieve.... of course this was back before i had internet.. i never really bothered to look up anything about this breed and i always figured that Blacky was probably just some beared mutt... but low and behold there is indeed a black strain.. and a red one, and a smooth one.. and a rough one...
According to this site - http://www.hkairedales.com/index.htm
the black ones have been dated back to WW1.. mainly used as night time messenger dogs for obvious reasons.
seems that the only people who care about the looks are the ones who breed for show. i've been mildly intrigued by them - from a sporting perspective - and i still am.. especially since this evening.
i'm not making my mind up either way as to which one is the proper terrier.... i just felt like sharing what i found 
i'm also not advocating anyone buying a redline, solid red or solid black airedale unless they want to do some serious hunting and catch work or send secret messages to their friends at night... 
i'm still perfectly happy with my bullies!
so... feel free to discuss or ignore 