Some awful weather at RAF Coningsby caused only a slight pause in the flying. 29(R) Squadron Typhoon T1 ZJ805 opted to use the braking chute on it’s landing but 41(R) Squadron Tornado GR4A ZA611 doesn’t have that option so opted for some good old fashioned heavy braking!

One of the aircraft that had taken off in the bad weather was 3(F) Squadron Typhoon FGR4 ZJ941 which is sporting QO-J on it’s tail to reflect 3(F) Squadron’s service in the Battle of Britain. The name under the cockpit “PO J LONSDALE RAFVR” who flew a Hurricane with 3 Squadron with the markings QO-J during the Battle of Britain.

The last operational Jaguar squadron (Number 6 Sqn) was disbanded on the 31st April 2007 but this didn’t marked the end of the road for the Jaguar. A number have been kept in taxi condition and are used by the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering at both DCAE Cosford and DCAE Cranwell.

DCAE Cranwell uses the Jaguar as part of the specialist Aerosystems (AS) training course for RAF Engineering Officers to prepare them for their first posting to an operational squadron. The 30 week course delivers technical training on aerodynamics, airframes, engines, avionics, electrics, materials, electro-optics and weapons bridging the gap between the officer’s engineering degree and the skills needed to support the equipment used by the RAF.

In weeks 24, 25 and 26 an assessment exercise is held to allow the officers to draw on all elements of their training. The exercise involves supporting and managing a fleet of five Jaguars (three single seat GR1 / GR1As and two twin seat T2 / T2As). Officers play all roles on the squadron to give them experience of all aspects of the work that is carried out on an active squadron. A Jaguar will be prepared by the officers before it taxis out onto the taxiway and on to a dispersal where it will hold until returning once again simulating a sortie.

The Jaguars operated at DCAE Cranwell

All the airframes have been repainted in black from their camo or grey operational schemes but XX965 sports yellow decals and the ‘Saint’ logo on the tail. The ‘Saint’ logo is the adopted logo of 16(R) Sqn due to their formation at Saint Omer. 16(R) Sqn are a former Jaguar squadron and are also based at Cranwell now training pilots in Elementary Flying Training (EFT) on the Grob Tutor.

Jaguar XX965 is armed by the officers with rocket pods on each wing and a laser guided bomb on the centre line is heads out for a sortie before returning once again. Whilst the officers work on XX965 they are assessed by the instructors.

Many thanks to Kate for hosting me.

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Tuesday brought a visit to RAF Waddington. The plan was to visit the Squadrons and aircraft based there but the day turned out to be a very different one than I was expecting.

I knew the photography chances would be limited due to the sensitive nature of the aircrafts and the role they carry out so didn’t expect to return with many photos and the day was going that way. Access to 51 Squadron was allowed but due to the Nimrod R1 being in deep service and too many panels being off it didn’t take place. The 5 Squadron Sentinel (ASTOR) wasn’t on base and the Air Ambulance had been called out. The E3-D AWACs were on base but photography opportunities were limited.

But as chance would have it the Indian Air Force’s Helicopter Display Team – ‘Sarang’ were on base getting ready to display at the RAF Waddington Air Show. Even better than that, they were going to practice a display routine that day.

A very impressive display!

There were some of the usual manoeuvres you would expect from a fast jet display team such as the opposing pass but I’ve never seen helicopter do them before.

They were difficult to capture as you are trying to photograph four fast moving helicopters using a slow shutter speed to get rotor blur. Add to this the large amount of smoke used in the display and the autofocus is really working hard.

I used a mix of 1/160s and 1/200s for the photos above.

With the display over and the helicopters on the ground the pilots were good enough to let us take a look around, take pictures and ask them questions.

The helicopter is the Indian made HAL Dhruv. It has a smoke generator attached to the left hand side (removed on these pictures but visible on the flying pictures) that uses a mixture of oil and dye to produce the smoke.

A great paint job on the helicopters with a peacock painted down both sides; it’s head on the door and it’s tail flowing down the side. If you are wondering why a peacock then it’s because the peacock is the national bird of India and is also the name of the team – ‘Sarang’.

I’d like to thank the pilots and the ground crew for allowing us to look around their aircraft and I look forward to seeing them again at the RAF Waddington Air Show.

Of course, you can’t go to RAF Waddington without taking a picture of Vulcan XM607 of Black Buck fame….

1 Sqn Goldstars in the Loop

10th December 2008

My last trip of the year to LFA 7 gave me a rare a visitor in the shape of G-VIVM, a Jet Provost T Mk 5P of Swords Aviation. G-VIVM is a former RAF aircraft (serial XS230) originally built as the penultimate Mk 4 aircraft in 1964 but rather than being delivered to the RAF it was upgraded to Mk 5P standard, the P denoting a prototype.

It was assigned to the Empire Test Pilots School and then to the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment at MOD Boscombe Down for trials of the Mk 5 standard.

Read the full article: 31 Sqn Goldstars in the Loop

Hawks in the Mach Loop

26th September 2008

Another slow day in LFA7 started with dense fog that didn’t lift until late morning. The afternoon brought hazy sunshine and Hawks; nothing but Hawks!

I’m sure it was the low level gods just compensating for my previous trip to LFA7 earlier this month where I didn’t see a single Hawk but I was rather hoping for a Tornado.

Plenty of waves from the aircrew today, thanks guys!

Read the full article: Hawks in the Mach Loop

Army Air Corp Apaches

18th September 2008

Wattisham Airfield is the home to the British Army’s Apache helicopter gunship fleet in the form of 3 Regiment and 4 Regiment Army Air Corp (AAC). Both these regiments have been taking turns in deploying to Afghanistan as part of Op HERRICK in support of the ISFA ground forces.

The British Apache is build under license by Westland in the UK and has a number of differences from the US version. All of the fleet are the Longbow version feature the prominent fire control radar on top of the rotor….

Read the full article: Army Air Corp Apaches

RAF Dominie and QinetiQ Alphajet

12th September 2008

With a break in the recent spell of bad weather I made a long overdue visit to LFA7. The day started slowly with nothing seen until 11:32 when a C-130K C3 Hercules (XV299) turned up but stayed high and didn’t decent into the valley. Three minutes later a Dominie T1 (XS730) appeared but he also stayed high. The day wasn’t going to plan!

Another four minutes passes and the same Hercules appears again after completing it’s first lap of the loop but once again stays high.

Read the full article: RAF Dominie and QinetiQ Alphajet

RAF Waddington Air Show 2008

5th July 2008

RAF Waddington’s 2008 Air Show was the first public display of TVOC’s Avro Vulcan B2 (XH558). Receiving it’s Display Authorisation and Permit to Fly from the CAA only days before the event it was a close call but the TVOC team once again rose to the challenge!

Whilst this was the highlight of the event there was also a number of other noteworthy aircraft and displays. I especially enjoyed the display by the….

Read the full article: RAF Waddington Air Show 2008

RAF Waddington – Sarang Display Team

17th June 2008

Tuesday brought a visit to RAF Waddington. The plan was to visit the Squadrons and aircraft based there but the day turned out to be a very different one than I was expecting.

I knew the photography chances would be limited due to the sensitive nature of the aircrafts and the role they carry out so didn’t expect to return with many photos and the day was going that way. Access to 51 Squadron was allowed but due to the Nimrod R1 being in deep service and too….

Read the full article: RAF Waddington – Sarang Display Team

Harrier at RAF Cottesmore

4th June 2008

Many people consider RAF Cottesmore a quiet base but today’s activity proves that it can be very active. The three hour period I spend at the base saw 18 movements and the morning was a similar pace. This is even more impressive when you consider there are only two active squadrons (4(AC) Sqn and the Naval Strike Wing (NSW) at present with 1 Sqn currently deployed to Afghanistan).

The JUMP upgrade program that is responsible for upgrading the Harriers for GR7 standard to GR9….

Read the full article: Harrier at RAF Cottesmore

Typhoon in the Mach Loop

8th May 2009

The day held a lot of promise with lots of sun, blue skies and no cloud cover but it turned out to be a quiet day with only two French Air Force Alphajets, two Hawks and a Typhoon T1 to be seen.

The sun also caused a lot of problems in the morning with lots of haze and harsh light (which can be seen in the Alphajet photos) but much improved conditions in the afternoon in time for the Typhoon.

Read the full article: Typhoon in the Mach Loop

RAF Waddington PDA 2008

7th May 2008

Before the RAF Role Demo team can perform a public display they have to achieve their Public Display Authorisation (PDA). This is required of all display teams, both military and civvy. The military teams are approved by high ranking officers after the team has successfully demonstrated their display routine.

For the RAF Role Demo team this happened on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th May at RAF Waddington. The primary crews performed the display on the 6th….

Read the full article: RAF Waddington PDA 2008

NSW Harriers return to Cottesmore

16th April 2008

Four Harriers of the Naval Strike Wing (NSW) returned to RAF Cottesmore after being deployed to HMS Illustrious as part of Operation ORION 08.

Operation ORION 08 was a multi-national maritime Task Group led by the Royal Navy and deployed to the Indian Ocean. The Harriers flew ground attack support training missions as there part of the operation.

The returning Harriers were….

Read the full article: NSW Harriers return to Cottesmore

Vulcan XH558 Test Flight 3

16th April 2008

With TVOC (The Vulcan Operating Company) Vulcan at RAF Cottesmore for calibration of it’s navigation kit I made the trip over to catch it leaving; along with a lot of other people! I’ve never seen Cottesmore so busy but it was especially good to see people who aren’t aviation enthusiasts, photographers or spotters turn up; many with their families.

The weather was better than forecast but still far from ideal. Cloud cover was the order of the day and made it had not to underexpose the images.

Read the full article: Vulcan XH558 Test Flight 3

Photography From RAF Coningsby

10th April 2008

I made the trip to RAF Coningsby to catch the practice Typhoon display but the display didn’t happen at 08:00 to 08:30 or 12:30 to 13:00 as it had previously in the week.

17(R) Sqn are currently away in China Lake but 29(R) Sqn, 3(F) Sqn, 11 Sqn and 41(R) Sqn were all active. Unusually not many visitors to the airfield with only a single Grob Tutor noted whilst I was there.

The weather was a mixed bag with strong sunlight in….

Read the full article: Photography From RAF Coningsby

Herc, Harriers & Hawks in LFA 7

13th Feburary 2008

With unseasonably warm weather and good visibility forecast I made my first visit to Wales for 2008. The forecast also included light winds coming in from the sea; I expected this would bring low level fog for the first part of the morning burning away by mid-morning. I was absolutely stunned to arrive to crystal clear blue skies, a light breeze and a relatively warm temperature!

The light was almost perfect; It provided almost ideal conditions for shooting the Hawks on a knife-edge….

Read the full article: Herc, Harriers & Hawks in LFA 7