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3 Days at RAF Coningsby

Posted by: Fast Air Photography    Tags:  100 Sqn, 11 Sqn, 17(R) Sqn, 3 Sqn, 41(R) Sqn, BBMF, Block 8, Dakota, Harrier, Hawk, RAF Coningsby, Tornado GR4, Typhoon, Wing Commander Pennant    Posted date:  August 17, 2009  |  No comment

The short URL of the present article is: https://www.fast-air.co.uk/f2nj6
RAF Coningsby with its five squadrons and the BBMF is a busy airfield. It’s responsible for QRA (South), training pilots to fly the Typhoon, operational evaluation for the Typhoon, developing the air to ground aspect of the Typhoon, fast jet and weapons operational evaluation (for the Tornado and Harrier) and the display flying from the BBMF and also the Typhoon display team.

Currently they are adopting the new Block 8 Typhoons, preparing the the replacement of the Tornado F3 by the Typhoon in the Falklands, preparing for 6 Squadron to stand up as the fifth Typhoon squadron and preparing for moving Typhoon maintenance from BAE Warton to a new purpose build hanger at Coningsby.

17th August 2009

The fist two sorties of the day were made up of three Block 8 Typhoons and a Block 5. I cover the Block 8 Typhoons on the another post but will cover the pictures again here.

RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZJ944 unmarked

RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZJ945 unmarked

Typhoon FGR4 ZJ950 with Maltese Cross

Typhoon FGR4 ZJ944 without markings
Typhoon FGR4 ZJ945 with just tail code
Typhoon FGR4 ZJ950 with Maltese Cross

With the deliveries of the Block 8 Typhoons and there assignment to 3(F) Squadron there has been a reassignment of the Block 1,2 and 5 Typhoons among the squadrons. This means a number of the sorties had either mixed squadron marked jets or had a pilot from one squadron flying a jet marked up in another squadrons marks.

With this in mind and a scanner with flat batteries I won’t assume which squadron was operating which airframe!

Typhoon FGR4 ZJ913 17 Sqn with a Litening pod

Typhoon FGR4 ZJ913 with a Litening III targeting pod just visible

Typhoon FGR4 ZJ930 17 Sqn with a Litening pod

Typhoon FGR4 ZJ930 with a Litening III targeting pod just visible

Typhoon FGR4 ZJ941 11 Sqn with a Litening pod

Typhoon FGR4 ZJ941 with a Litening III targeting pod just visible

All three of the airframes above had the Lightning III targeting pod fitted to the centre line station. The pod provides laser designation, range finding, high resolution forward-looking infrared (FLIR) imaging and target tracking for the air to ground role.

As usual 29 Squadron was busy with lots of flying, sadly no Typhoon display practice or ‘performance’ takeoffs.

RAF Typhoon T1 ZJ812 29 Sqn #1

RAF Typhoon T1 ZJ812 29 Sqn #2

RAF Typhoon T1 ZJ813 29 Sqn

RAF Typhoon T1 ZJ812 29 Sqn #1
RAF Typhoon T1 ZJ812 29 Sqn #2
RAF Typhoon T1 ZJ813 29 Sqn

RAF Typhoon T1 ZJ810 29 Sqn

Typhoon T1 ZJ810 was involved in a lot of sorties but then it is a low hour air frame. It was involved in a landing accident in January 2006 when the nose wheel failed to lower. It spend almost two years in a hanger before returning to flight in November 2008.

RAF Hawk T1A XX203 100 Sqn

Carbon 2 on a PAN (low fuel?) into Coningsby

RAF Hawk T1A XX222 100 Sqn

Carbon 1

Visitors for the 18th came in the form of Carbon 1 and 2. A flight of two 100 Squadron Hawks came in with Carbon 1 declaring a PAN for what I believe was a low fuel state. Both left later in the afternoon along with the 100 Squadron special XX285.

18th August 2009

Another busy day with lots of flying. 29 Squadron was operating there Typhoon T3 (note the PIRATE on the nose).

RAF Typhoon T3 ZJ809 29 Sqn

RAF Typhoon T3 ZJ809 – Tripplex 2

> RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZJ933 11 Sqn

RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZJ933 17 Sqn

RAF Typhoon T3 ZJ815 17 Sqn

RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZJ933 11 Sqn – Razor 13
RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZJ933 17 Sqn – Monkey 1
RAF Typhoon T3 ZJ815 17 Sqn – Gunslinger 2

RAF Typhoon T3 ZJ815 17 Sqn – Razor 3
RAF Typhoon T1 ZJ813 29 Sqn – Tripplex 1
RAF Typhoon T1 ZJ813 29 Sqn

Three ‘performance’ take offs from the 29 Squadron T1s with unrestricted climbs.

RAF Typhoon T1 ZJ810 29 Sqn

Harrier T12 ZH659 made an overshoot on an air test as Cott 08.

RAF Harrier T12 ZH659 / 107 - 20 Sqn

Cott 08 on an air test

The BBMF were out with Dakota flying as Dakota 99 and Dakota 92.

BBMF Dakota ZA947

BBMF Dakota ZA947

BBMF Dakota ZA947

BBMF Dakota
BBMF Dakota
BBMF Dakota

41 Squadron were out with a targeting pod and a single Brimstone. I would suspect it was a dual mode Brimstone as this was released for active service to the GR4 force earlier this year after trials with 41 Sqn. Operating as Rampage 41 it returned with the Brimstone later in the day.

RAF Tornado GR4 ZA600 41 Sqn

RAF Tornado GR4 ZA600 41 Sqn returning

19th August 2009

41 Squadron again were out with the GR4 ZA600 with the same load out, a targeting pod and single Brimstone. 41 Squadron were also operating the Harrier under the Apollo 81 callsign.

RAF Harrier GR9A ZG510 41 Sqn

Victor 54 – a RN Navy FAA Hawk (despite the 208(R) Squadron markings) came in for a practice PAN with a simulated bird strike.

Hawk T1A XX325

Typhoon F2 ZJ936 deploys the chute upon landing after visiting a range. The chute wasn’t deployed as part of an emergency, it was deployed as part of the normal interval of use and repacking of the chute.

RAF Typhoon F2 ZJ936 3 Sqn with chute

RAF Typhoon T1 ZJ810 29 Sqn


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