diff --git a/bin/foamNewCase b/bin/foamNewCase
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..5030426a1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/foamNewCase
@@ -0,0 +1,224 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# =========                 |
+# \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+#  \\    /   O peration     |
+#   \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2010-2010 OpenCFD Ltd.
+#    \\/     M anipulation  |
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# License
+#     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+#
+#     OpenFOAM is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+#     under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+#     Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your
+#     option) any later version.
+#
+#     OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+#     ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+#     FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+#     for more details.
+#
+#     You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+#     along with OpenFOAM; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+#     Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
+#
+# Script
+#     foamNewCase
+#
+# Description
+#     Create a new case from a template for particular applications
+#     - requires rsync
+#
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+siteDir=${WM_PROJECT_INST_DIR:-unknown}/site
+userDir=$HOME/.OpenFOAM
+version=${WM_PROJECT_VERSION:-unknown}
+templateDir="appTemplates"
+
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+usage() {
+    while [ "$#" -ge 1 ]; do echo "$1"; shift; done
+    cat<<USAGE
+
+Usage: ${0##*/} [OPTION]
+options:
+  -app <name>       specify the application to use
+  -case <dir>       specify alternative case directory, default is the cwd
+  -list             list the applications available
+  -version <ver>    specify an alternative version (default: '$WM_PROJECT_VERSION')
+
+clone initial application settings to the specified case from
+    $userDir/$templateDir/{$version,}/<APP>
+    $siteDir/$templateDir/{$version,}/<APP>
+
+USAGE
+    exit 1
+}
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+unset appName caseName listOpt
+
+# parse options
+while [ "$#" -gt 0 ]
+do
+    case "$1" in
+    -h | -help)
+        usage
+        ;;
+    -app)
+        [ "$#" -ge 2 ] || usage "'$1' option requires an argument"
+        appName="$2"
+        shift 2
+        ;;
+    -case)
+        [ "$#" -ge 2 ] || usage "'$1' option requires an argument"
+        caseName="$2"
+        shift 2
+        ;;
+    -l | -list)
+        listOpt=true
+        shift
+        ;;
+    -v | -ver | -version)
+        [ "$#" -ge 2 ] || usage "'$1' option requires an argument"
+        version="$2"
+        shift 2
+        ;;
+    *)
+        usage "unknown option/argument: '$*'"
+        ;;
+    esac
+done
+
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+[ -n "$version" ] || {
+    echo "Error: no -version specified and \$WM_PROJECT_VERSION is not set"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+#
+# find apps in current directory
+# considered an app if it has constant/ and system/ directories
+#
+findApps()
+{
+    for app in $(/bin/ls -d * 2>/dev/null)
+    do
+        [ -d "$app/constant" -a -d "$app/system" ] && echo $app
+    done
+}
+
+
+appList=$(
+    for dir in $userDir/$templateDir $siteDir/$templateDir
+    do
+        if cd $dir 2>/dev/null
+        then
+            findApps                              ## generic
+            cd $version 2>/dev/null && findApps   ## version-specific
+        fi
+    done | sort | uniq
+)
+
+
+listApps()
+{
+    echo
+    echo "applications available:"
+    for i in $appList
+    do
+        echo "    $i"
+    done
+    echo
+}
+
+
+if [ "$listOpt" = true ]
+then
+    listApps
+    exit 0
+elif [ "$(echo $appList | wc -w)" -eq 0 ]
+then
+    echo "Error: no applications available"
+    exit 1
+elif [ -z "$appName" ]
+then
+    echo "Error: no -app specified"
+    listApps
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+
+# get the corresponding srcDir name
+srcDir=$(
+    for dir in $userDir/$templateDir $siteDir/$templateDir
+    do
+        if [ -d $dir ]
+        then
+            for appDir in $dir/$version/$appName $dir/$appName
+            do
+                if [ -d $appDir -a -d $appDir/constant -a -d $appDir/system ]
+                then
+                    echo "$appDir"
+                    break 2
+                fi
+            done
+        fi
+    done
+)
+
+
+[ -d "$srcDir" ] || {
+    echo "Error: could not find template for $appName"
+    listApps
+    exit 1
+}
+
+
+# adjust for caseName as required
+if [ -n "$caseName" ]
+then
+    [ -d "$caseName" ] || mkdir -p "$caseName"
+    cd "$caseName" 2>/dev/null || usage "directory does not exist:  '$caseName'"
+fi
+newDir=$PWD
+
+
+[ -d "$newDir" -a -w "$newDir" ] || {
+    echo "Error: target directory does not exists or is unwritable"
+    echo "    $newDir"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+# add some useful subdirs:
+mkdir -p $newDir/postPro
+
+
+echo "    application   $appName"
+echo "    source        $srcDir"
+echo "    target        $newDir"
+
+echo "    syncing ..."
+# sync updated files only, itemize changes so we know what is going on
+rsync -aui $srcDir/ $newDir
+
+
+#
+# reuse or create new FOAM_SETTINGS (useful for queuing systems)
+#
+if [ -e "$newDir/FOAM_SETTINGS" ]
+then
+    echo "    retaining     FOAM_SETTINGS"
+else
+    echo "    creating      FOAM_SETTINGS"
+    cat << SETTINGS > "$newDir/FOAM_SETTINGS"
+APPLICATION=$appName
+FOAM_VERSION=OpenFOAM-$version
+SETTINGS
+fi
+
+echo Done
+
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------