Variety is the Spice of Life
Posted by: Fast Air Photography
Tags:
OSD, Out of Service Date, SDSR
Posted date:
December 22, 2010
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No comment
2010 has seen the Harrier, Nimrod MR2, Nimrod MRA4 and Jetstream being withdrawn and in 2011 they will be joined by the Dominie, Tornado F-3, Nimrod R1 and a reduction in the number of Tornado GR4s.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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