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Variety is the Spice of Life

Posted by: Fast Air Photography    Tags:  OSD, Out of Service Date, SDSR    Posted date:  December 22, 2010  |  No comment

The short URL of the present article is: https://www.fast-air.co.uk/aBQXV

2010 has seen the Harrier, Nimrod MR2, Nimrod MRA4 and Jetstream being withdrawn and in 2011 they will be joined by the Dominie, Tornado F-3, Nimrod R1 and a reduction in the number of Tornado GR4s.

This reduction in variety of military aircraft and the closing of the associated RAF stations is a big blow for all concerned. Speaking from a photographer’s point of view it means less places to shoot from, less options when the wind is in the ‘wrong’ direction or the weather is poor in one part of the country, less variety of aircraft flying in the low level training areas or at air shows and with only a small number of new aircraft types being introduced it isn’t likely to improve.

Plotting out the future with a list of aircraft that will be in service and out of service you can see the variety being reduced at an alarming rate.

NOTE: Contains a few assumptions.


In Service Out of Service
2010 Jetstream
Nimrod MR2
Nimrod MRA4
Harrier
Dominie
Tornado F-3
Nimrod R1
Islander AL1
C-130K
VC-10
Tucano
Islander CC2
Sentinel R1
Shadow R1
Tristar
Hawk T1
Tornado GR4
BAE 125
BAE 146
E-3D Sentry
Typhoon
C-17
Defender
Hawk T2
2011 Islander AL1 Jetstream
C-130K Nimrod MR2
VC-10 Nimrod MRA4
Tucano Harrier
Islander CC2 Dominie
Sentinel R1 Tornado F-3
Shadow R1 Nimrod R1
Tristar
Hawk T1
Tornado GR4
BAE 125
BAE 146
E-3D Sentry
Typhoon
C-17
Defender
Hawk T2
King Air 350
A330
2015 Tristar Jetstream
Hawk T1 Nimrod MR2
Tornado GR4 Nimrod MRA4
BAE 125 Harrier
BAE 146 Dominie
E-3D Sentry Tornado F-3
Typhoon Nimrod R1
RC-135 Islander AL1
C-17 C-130K
Defender VC-10
Hawk T2 Tucano
King Air 350 Islander CC2
A330 Sentinel R1
A400M Shadow R1
2019 Tornado GR4 Jetstream
BAE 125 Nimrod MR2
BAE 146 Nimrod MRA4
E-3D Sentry Harrier
Typhoon Dominie
RC-135 Tornado F-3
C-17 Nimrod R1
Defender Islander AL1
Hawk T2 C-130K
King Air 350 VC-10
A330 Tucano
A400M Islander CC2
F-35C Sentinel R1
Shadow R1
Tristar
Hawk T1
2023 E-3D Sentry Jetstream
Typhoon Nimrod MR2
RC-135 Nimrod MRA4
C-17 Harrier
Defender Dominie
Hawk T2 Tornado F-3
King Air 350 Nimrod R1
A330 Islander AL1
A400M C-130K
F-35C VC-10
Tucano
Islander CC2
Sentinel R1
Shadow R1
Tristar
Hawk T1
Tornado GR4
BAE 125
BAE 146

The push to reduce both aircraft types and numbers will change military aviation photography; I have no doubt about that. Exactly how it will change it is unclear. We might see a reduction in the number of people doing it. We might see people being forced to be more creative. We might see the introduction of UAVs could ultimately end up killing it but there is nothing I can do about that. I’ll keep shooting and trying to produce interesting photos for as long as I can and try to turn into one of those people who keep harping on about the ‘good old days’.


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