Exercise Taurus Mountain 3

Scramble, Scamble, Scramble

The Typhoons of RAF Coningsby took part in Exercise TAURUS MOUNTAIN 3 this week. The exercise is the third in a series that aim to test the Air Security Plan for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Four Typhoons performed practice scambles using the QRA format call sign of Delta 2 India flight and each air frame allocated a number from 33 to 36. The first pair held at the side of the runway until ATC gave them the order to scramble. The second pair scrambling straight away.

Once in the air they performed an unrestricted climb and were vectored to their intercept.

Delta 2 India 33	Delta 2 India 34

Delta 2 India 35	Delta 2 India 36

Delta 2 India 36

Gunfighter and Rockstar

As well as the QRA scrambles Typhoon using Gunfighter and Rockstar call signs of 29(R) Squadron also took part in the exercise. Working with Cranwell 42 (a Grob Tutor which have been used on the exercise to simulate slow moving light aircraft for intercept purposes) and being controlled by an E-3D AWAC from RAF Waddington using the Magic call sign.

RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZK328 – Rockstar Flight

RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZK307 – Rockstar Flight	RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZK308 – Gunfighter 1

29(R) Squadron – Typhoon OCU

The Typhoon training squadron was busy with flights from Triplex, Shocker, Reflex and under Typhoon call signs. A new batch of students were introduced to the Typhoon with performance take offs and single engine overshoots taking place throughout the day.

RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZJ911 – Triplex Flight

RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZJ915 – Relax 1	RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZJ815 – Typhoon 05	RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZJ800 – Relax 1

RAF Typhoon T3 ZKJ815 – Typhoon 05

3(F) Squadron and 17(R) Squadron

Both 3(F) Squadron and 17(R) Squadron both also flew but not in large numbers.

RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZJ12 – Typhoon 17

RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZJ917 – 3(F) Sqn	RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZJ920 – 3(F) Sqn

Other Flying

41(R) Squadron flew a sortie with their Tornado GR4 which is still sporting 617 Sqn markings, the BBMF air tested their Lancaster and a privately owned Bulldog made a fuel stop.

RAF Tornado GR4 ZA601 – Rebel 84

BBMF Lancaster B1 PA474	Bulldog 120 XX551 G-BZDP