Saturday 7th September 2013 RAF Leuchars Airshow

[vassylad]

ADU Software Log Report

Saturday, 7 RAF Leuchars
07/09/2013

Reg/Code Type C/n Airline/Operator/O
11 Dassault Rafale M 11 French Navy
304 General Dynamics F-16 F6L-4 Royal Norwegian Air Forc
38 Dassault Rafale M 38 French Navy
4519 Panavia Tornado IDS GS167 German Air Force
672 General Dynamics F-16 F6K-44 Royal Norwegian Air Forc
7L-WD Eurofighter Typhoon AS004 Austrian Air Force
7L-WE Eurofighter Typhoon AS005 Austrian Air Force
8T-CA Lockheed Hercules C-1304198 Austrian Air Force
E-607 General Dynamics F-16 F6F-42 Royal Danish Air Force
ET-022 General Dynamics F-16 F6G-17 Royal Danish Air Force
G-BWSG British Aircraft CorporEEP/JP/988 Private
G-BZFN Scottish Aviation BulldB.120-325 Private
G-FFOX Hawker Hunter T.7B 41H-670792 Private
G-FRAW Dassault Falcon 20 EW 114 Cobham Aviation Services
G-MAJG British Aerospace Jetst41009 Eastern Airways
G-PBYA Canadian Vickers CataliCV283 Catalina Aircraft Ltd
G-SASD Beech Super King Air B2BL-151 Gama Aviation
G-SOAF British Aircraft CorporPS.376 Private
G-WINI Scottish Aviation BulldB.120-238 Private
J-002 General Dynamics F-16 F6D-158 Royal Netherlands Air Fo
J-628 General Dynamics F-16 F6D-60 Royal Netherlands Air Fo
MM7286 Eurofighter Typhoon EF2IS018 Italian Air Force
MM7300 Eurofighter Typhoon EF2IS032 Italian Air Force
SE-DXG SAAB Sk-60 E MT 60140 Private
SE-DXN SAAB Viggen AJS-37 37098 Swedish Air Force Histor
SE-DXT de Havilland Vampire T.972 Swedish Air Force Histor
T-264 Douglas DC-10 KDC-10 46985 Royal Netherlands Air Fo
XR713 English Electric Lightn95196 Royal Air Force
XS111 Folland Gnat T.1 FL605 Royal Air Force
XV582 McDonnell Douglas F-4 P3253 Royal Air Force
XX219 Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.41H-312055 Royal Air Force
XX227 Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.41H-312063 Royal Air Force
XX242 Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.41H-312078 Royal Air Force
XX263 Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.41H-312099 Royal Air Force
XX310 Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.41H-312135 Royal Air Force
XX311 Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.41H-312136 Royal Air Force
XX319 Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.41H-312144 Royal Air Force
XX321 Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.41H-312146 Royal Air Force
XX323 Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.41H-312148 Royal Air Force
XX325 Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.41H-312150 Royal Air Force
XZ588 Westland Sea King HAR.3WA854 Royal Air Force
ZA147 Vickers VC-10 K.3 882 Royal Air Force
ZA400 Panavia Tornado GR.4A BS067 Royal Air Force
ZA492 Panavia Tornado GR.4 BS108 Royal Air Force
ZE700 BAe 146 CC.2 E1021 Royal Air Force
ZF239 Short Tucano T.1 T39 Royal Air Force
ZH101 Boeing B.707 E-3D 24109 Royal Air Force
ZH839 EH Industries EH.101 Me50081 Royal Navy
ZJ275 Eurocopter Squirrel AS.3013 Defence Helicopter Flyin
ZJ692 Bombardier Global Expre9131 Royal Air Force
ZJ708 Bell 412 Griffin HT.1 36301 Defence Helicopter Flyin
ZK306 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS057 Royal Air Force
ZK310 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS063 Royal Air Force
ZK311 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS064 Royal Air Force
ZK313 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS070 Royal Air Force
ZK314 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS071 Royal Air Force
ZK316 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS075 Royal Air Force
ZK320 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS081 Royal Air Force
ZK327 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS088 Royal Air Force
ZK329 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS090 Royal Air Force
ZK331 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS092 Royal Air Force
ZK334 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS095 Royal Air Force
ZK336 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS097 Royal Air Force
ZK339 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS100 Royal Air Force
ZK342 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS103 Royal Air Force
ZK344 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS105 Royal Air Force
ZK346 Eurofighter Typhoon FGRBS107 Royal Air Force
ZK381 Eurofighter Typhoon T.3BT026 Royal Air Force
ZK459 Hawker Beechcraft Corp BY-36 Royal Air Force
ZZ335 Airbus A330 243MRTT 1334 Royal Air Force
ZZ501 Hawker Beechcraft Corp FL-618 Royal Navy

Mike Vass

[viscount]

Just home from a week in Scotland following Leuchars, but away from a wifi connection, so impossible to send my list of the day. While ADU software is great for organising lists, the lack of detail (such as colour schemes, codes etc) and the way it changes the serial to one not displayed externally on the aircraft means that I still sort my list the old fashioned way, even down to using MAM and CAM!

INTRODUCTION

Despite the best efforts of the BBC Weathermen, the predicted heavy rain until mid-morning, followed by frequent heavy showers some prolonged turned out to be extended periods of sunshine with fairly quickly moving cloud at a variety of heights. The one thing that both forecast and actual weather shared was a fair breeze from the south-east.

R.A.F. LEUCHARS, SATURDAY 7th SEPTEMBER 2013
- the final RAF Battle of Britain 'At Home' Station Air Dsiplay

STATIC AIRCRAFT PARK (including a few just on the airfield side of the barrier too!)

G-AJAJ           Auster J/1N Alpha            RAF markings and green/earth camouflage
G-BDPA          PA-28-151 Warrior
G-BKCW         Jodel D.120
G-BSFE          PA-28-112 Tomahawk      AST, Perth.  Hidden away amongst tents
G-BVHE          Grob G.115D Heron         Tayside Aviation
G-BXOJ          PA-28-161 Warrior III
G-CDBC         MBB Bo.105DBS-4            SCAA (Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance)   Departed during the afternoon operationally
G-CFEV          P&M Pegasus Quick 912S  (a flexiform microlight)
G-CFNW         EV97 Team Eurostar UK
G-CFWV         Van's RV-7
G-CGKJ/KJ     Grob G.115E Tutor            Babcock, 3 FTS badge on tail.
G-CWFB         PA-38-112 Tomahawk       COCKPIT section only on road trailer, 2163 Sqdn ATC simulator.  Hangar Display
G-DRAM         Cessna FR.172F Floatplane
G-EVIE           PA-28-181 Warrior II        Tayside Aviation
G-FAJM          Robinson R.44 II
G-FRAW         Dassault Falcon 20ECM      Cobham
G-GBVX         Robin DR.400/120A           Leuchars F.G.
G-KHRE         MS.893E Rallye 150SV
G-RRRZ         Van's RV-8                        74 Sqdn 'tiger' style colours "Hard to be Humble"
G-SASD         Beech 200C King Air          Scottish Ambulance Service titles, all yellow. Departed during the afternoon operationally
G-SPAO         Eurocopter EC-135            POLICE.  Active before the show, departed during the afternoon operationally
G-SUEB         PA-28-181 Archer III
N66CN          Robinson R.66                   'HeliAir.com'
-----/IJ:H (G-CGWI)  Spitfire Mk.26         RAF style camouflage period colours.  No external serial.
XX546/03 (G-WINI)  SA Bulldog 120/121 RAF red/white training colours
XX667/16 (G-BZFN)  SA Bulldog 120/121 RAF red/white training colours, plus RAFC blue band
"169" IAC (G-ARGG)  DHC-1 Chipmunk     Irish Air Corps period colours
"170" IAC (G-BDRJ)  DHC-1 Chipmunk     Irish Air Corps period colours (must be a very recent respray)
Also seen a web check-list with G-DBDB a VPM M-16 Tandem Trainer (a gyrocopter) and G-BYIP Pitts S-2 are listed, but not noted by myself.

"IR206"/IR     Typhoon road worthy model  RAF Recruiting aid, 3 Sqdn markings.  Hangar display
"IR808"         Chinook road worthy model  RAF Recruiting aid.  Hangar display

XE597           Hawker Hunter FGA.9              NOSE  & COCKPIT section on road trailer.  1 Sqdn badge
XR713/C        EE Lightning F.3                 111 Sqdn colours
XS176           H. Jet Provost T.4               NOSE & COCKPIT section on road trailer.  Red/white training colours
XV240/40      Nimrod MR.2                      NOSE & FORWARD SECTION on road trailer.  Hemp scheme.
XV582/M       F-4K Phantom FG.1             111 Sqdn colours, all black scheme
XV321/CI      BAe. Hawk T.1A                  100 Sqdn marks
ZA147/F        V. Super VC-10, K.3            101 Sqdn marks
ZA400/011    Tornado GR.4A                    2 Sqdn marks
ZA492/-        Tornado GR.4                      617 Sqdn marks with special anniversary tail marks (code 033 not worn)
ZE533/VV      Grob G.103 Viking T.1         Air Cadets, Hangar display
ZH839/--       Merlin HM.1                        Royal Navy.  No code on nose, but a cartoon whale outline! Ops with 820 Sqdn.
ZJ275/75       AS.350B Squirrel HT.1         DHFS, black/yellow colours
ZJ692            Bombardier Sentinel R.1      5 Sqdn marks with special anniversary tail colours
ZJ708/K         Bell 412 EP Griffin HT.1       DHFS, black /yellow colours
ZK310/EL       Typhoon FGR.4                  marked in "3 Sqdn" colours
ZK311/EK       Typhoon FGR.4                  marked in "29 Sqdn" colours
ZK314/EO       Typhoon FGR.4                  6 Sqdn (genuine)
ZK320/EV       Typhoon FGR.4                  marked in "41 Sqdn" colours
ZK327/EJ        Typhoon FGR.4                  6 Sqdn (genuine)
ZK334/FB        Typhoon FGR.4                 marked in "11 sqdn" colours
ZK339/FG        Typhoon FGR.4                 1 Sqdn (genuine)
ZK381/EX        Typhoon T.3                      6 Sqdn
ZK459/X          King Air B.200GT              45 (R) Sqdn marks
ZZ335/-           A.330 Voyager KC.3            no unit markings yet acquired
ZZ501/-          King Air 200                      Royal Navy, no 750 Sqdn unit code/markings yet acquired

E-607, 803607 F-16A                               R. Danish A.F.
ET-022, 87022 F-16B                               R. Danish A.F.
11                   Rafale-M                           Aeronavale 'Marine' Unit 12F
38                   Rafale-M                           Aeronavale 'Marine' Unit 12F
45+19             Tornado strike                   German Air Force JbG 33 badge, also 'Einsatzgeschwader Mazor-E'Sharif' logo
mm7286/36-02 Eurofighter F.2000A          Italian A.F.
mm7300/36-12 Eurofighter F-2000A          Italian A.F.
J-002               F-16AM                            R. Netherlands A.F., special archer tail colours, 65 years
J-628               F-16AM                            R. Netherlands A.F., a parrot badge on tail unit colours
T-264               KDC-10                           R. Netherlands A.F., 334 Sqdn badge.  "Prins Bernhard" name
304                  F-16B                              R. Norwegian A.F.
672                  F-16A                              R. Norwegian A.F.

GATE GUARDIANS

Although not in the public area of the base, the gate guardian Phantom and Tornado F.3 were briefly seen from the bus back to a remote car park.

FLIGHT LINES (Most flew) Some arrived/departed as the flying programme progressed

MK356/UF:Q                  Spitfire LF.IXc          BBMF
PA474/KC:A                   Lancaster B.1          BBMF, 617 Sqdn marks, "Thumper"
PS853/C (G-RRGN)         Spitfire PR.XIX        Rolls Royce
PZ865/EG:S                   Hurricane IIc           BBMF, SEAC markings
VX281/120:VL (G-RNHF) Sea Fury T.20S        RNHF
WV318/- (G-FFOX)          H. Hunter T.7B       all black. Departed to display, but according to commentator 'landed elsewhere'
XR538/01 (G-RORI)        F. Gnat T.1            4 FTS markings, red/white training colours
"XS111" (G-TIMM)          F. Gnat T.1             'Red Arrows' scarlet period colours
XW324/U (G-BWSG)       Jet Provost T.5        CFS markings, red/white training colours
XX219, XX227, XX242, XX310, XX311, XX319, XX323, XX325 plus spare XX263 (=9)   BAe. Hawk T.1   'Red Arrows' team
XZ588/-                        Sea King HAR.3        202 Sqdn badge (in theory coded 'D', but is not applied)
ZA404/013                    Tornado GR.4          617 Sqdn with special tail markings (code '017' not worn)
ZA412/-                        Tornado GR.4A        617 Sqdn marks on fin tip and nose, spare a/c
ZE700                           BAe.146 CC.2          32(R) Sqdn in VIP gloss scheme, departed towards end of the show
ZF239/RA:F                   Tucano T.1              1 FTS, special two tone brown camouflage colours, solo aerobatics
ZH101/01                      E-3D Sentry AEW.1 8 Sqdn FLYPAST ONLY, with Typhoons /ER and /FA
ZK306/BT                      Typhoon FGR.4       29 Sqdn, spare a/c, departed towards end of the afternoon
ZK316/FA                      Typhoon FGR.4       1 Sqdn
ZK329/FH                      Typhoon FGR.4       1 Sqdn
ZK331/FE                      Typhoon FGR.4        1 Sqdn
ZK342/ED                     Typhoon FGR.4        6 Sqdn
ZK344/BQ                     Typhoon FGR.4       29 Sqdn, but not wearing unit colours. Solo demonstration aircraft
ZK346/ER                      Typhoon FGR.4        6 Sqdn
  plus a futher 6 Sqdn Typhoon, possibly coded 'EM' noted in the HAS area, a spare aircraft.  No spare Tucano T.1 noted (out of sight on flight-line?) 

7L-WD                           Eurofighter EF.2000 Austrian A.F.
7L-WE                           Eurofighter EF.2000 Austrian A.F., and again later as a solo demonstration
8T-CA                            C-130K Hercules     Austrian A.F.
51-7545/N14113/no.119 NA T-28S Fennec    French A.F. period desert markings
425 in Arabic(G-SOAF)    Strikemaster 82A    Sultan of Oman Air Force colours
140-5/SE-DXG               Saab 105                Swedish Air Force colours
52-7/SE-DXN                 Saab AJS.37 Viggen  Swedish Air Force colours
A-8/SE-DXT                   DH.115 Vampire T.   Swedish Air Force colours
433915/G-PBYA             PBY-5A Catalina       USAF markings, white colours, "Miss Pick Up"
30146/146 (G-BSXD)       Soko P.2 Kraguj       Yugoslavian Air Force, period colours

G-DIII & G-ZIII              Pitts S-2B               "The Wildcats" team
G-EDGJ                         Zivko Edge 360       flying with "The Wildcats" team
G-MAJG                         BAe. Jetstream 41   Eastern Airways, presumed a charter flight. Parked with flight-line aircraft
G-HILZ & G-RVMZ          Van's RV-8              "The RV8tors" team 'Fly2Help'
G-OFFO/3, G-ZEXL/1, G-ZXEL/2 & G-ZXLL/4  Extra EA.300/L  "The Blades" team
G-PARG                         Pitts S-1c Special     Richard pargeter aerobatics, all red scheme
G-TYAK                         Yak-52                    "Betsy", Red Star markings.

No shows:  Saab J-29F Tunnen (Barrel) - tech - replaced by the Swedish Vampire
Avro Vulcan - tech, with well documented fuel cell problem - partially replaced by the Yak 52 and Kraguj combo.
Breitling Wing Walkers with their pair of Stearman - weather in southern part of England
'Falcons' free fall parachute team - weather
'Blackcat' Lynx of the Royal Navy - combination of tech then en route weather
The Royal Navy Prestwick Rescue Sea King was replaced by a RAF Rescue example
also 'missing' (well not seen by me) was the regular static item of the local ATC Squadron Harrier T.4 cockpit section.

COMMENT

A highly enjoyable show.  Static park was more varied, with a greater variety of European Air Arms than I anticipated, the pair of French Navy Rafale Ms particularly noteable, along with the Italian Eurofighters, and F-16s from Denmark, Netherlands and Norway, not to miss out the German Tornado.  The static park was split into two sections, the military on the main hangars apron, then all the food and sales outlets and show stands, with the civil and helicopters, along with the Phantom, Lightning and Typhoon T.3 way up the taxiway.  Certainly the Americans were very noticeable by the their absence, although their space was well occupied by the KDC-10, Voyager and VC-10. Even RAF representation was 'thin' with no Tucano, Hawk T.2, Puma, Chinook or Merlin in the static park, as there were no static Typhoons from Conningsby units, so the base had marked their own aircraft in the colours of the other 4 units!

With a number of 'no shows' there were two noticeable gaps in the flying programme.  Somehow I always seemed to be in the wrong place for the mixed aircraft formations.  The Austrians really showed the resident RAF how the Typhoon should be displayed. The single pass by the Sentry and a pair of based Typhoons was reminicent of the B of B shows in the past with 'touring' aircraft. Enjoyed the Swedish Historical Flight input - watching the Viggen was especially enjoyable.  Rest of the show was fairly standard, the Catalina looked good, the BBMF, RN Sea Fury and the solo RR Spitfire immaculate. The 'Red Arrows' displayed without 'Red 9' as his wife had had their first child the night before. As always with Leuchars, the sun plays havoc with photograph being 'in your face' until late afternoon, however with so many images taken, some must be decent (I hope).

[acklington]

Many thanks for those lists Viscount and Vassylad.

I've got a few additions to add, but not till this afternoon. I did get the spare Tucano landing (in special RAFBF markings) but was disappointed not to find it anywhere on view on the 7th. I think that it may indeed have been on the far end of the flight line, with only the wheels visible if you looked hard enough!

[vassylad]

Fantastic log and detail Viscount well done..

And yes it was a brilliant last air show for Leuchars

I am so glad I was there.

Michael

[viscount]

Really did think that others would beat me, by a margin, to posting images from the Leuchars show. However, I appear to be the first to get organised, 10 days or so after the event, so here goes with the first post featuring mostly Typhoons and Eurofighters.







Cursed myself for not anticipating the announced arrival of the Red Arrows team would be a mixed formation with four of the 'home team'. Although well away from the runway, fortunately found I was just close enough to a static park Typhoon to make the image more than just distant dots.



You can well see the midday problem of shooting near into sun leaving the aircraft as silhouettes rather than colourful pictures.



The Austrian pair of Eurofighters performed a role demonstration early in the display programme. Highly entertaining, interesting angles and by far the best demonstration of the aircraft's agility I've yet seen. Sorry R.A.F., but the 'away team' put on a much better performance for the crowd.







The Austrians flew during a spell of bright sunshine, tight manoeuvres sending out rainbow bursts of moisture.

















The solo aerobatic display was performed by a 29 Sqdn pilot from Coningsby. His display co-incided with a cloud cover, so the photos are rather grey compared to the brilliant hues off the Austrian pair earlier.









In comparison to the Austrian's interception and forcing the Hercules to land role demonstration routine, the RAF's scramble departure role demonstration was a little tame, although noisy!





The scrambled pair, did reappear later in the afternoon, formated closely on a 'friend', a E-3D Sentry AEW.1 of 8 Sqdn, Waddington.





The 29 Sqdn solo demonstration aircraft and the 'spare' departed during the afternoon. This is the 'spare' departing in full 29 Sqdn colours



The Austrian's also performed a solo routine with one of their Euroflighters. Seemed to be a tighter display than the RAF one earlier, but perhaps a little less precise.



No.1 Sqdn aircraft performed a closing flypast in company with a 617 Sqdn Tornado GR.4. Here seen landing, this Typhoon brought to a close the final RAF Battle of Britain Air Display.



Just one more for this section, one of those silly photos you end up with by sheer accident. Indeed an exceptionally rare photo this of a little known project to extend the capabilities of the Typhoon in the interceptor role. The 'White Fez' radar dome modification is attached to the Typhoon fleet to enable them to perform interceptions without the aid of an AWACS aircraft.

[viscount]

A selection of shots of other aircraft participating in the flying display during the afternoon.

The three aircraft of the Swedish Historical Flight were well worth watching. First up was the Vampire trainer.



An interesting mixed formation featured the Jet Provost T.5 and the aircraft that replaced them, the Tucano T.1 - this one in special solo demonstration markings and colour scheme. Again the havoc facing the sun plays with photographic images is evident.





After its post rebuild miss-hap at the end of last year, good to see the Rolls Royce ex-Woodvale THum Flight Spitfire PR.XIX back in the air, performing a really polished routine. People rave over the sound of the Merlin, but I always feel the throaty Griffon sounds better when displayed solo.



The "RV8tors" always entertain, their routine at Leuchars being no exception.



The diminutive Pitts S-1c landing following a solo aerobatic routine



Although I got a few decent shots of the Sea Fury during its routine, thought I would post this shot of the aircraft performing power checks with the wings still folded.



The T-28 Fennec's extra bulk and throaty roar always seem to promise more than the display provides, although a polished performer.



Second of the three Swedish Historic Flight to perform was the Saab 105, how well I remember the Austrian formation team using 4 of these aircraft.



The arrival formation break of the Gnat pair and Hunter T.7.









Without 'Red 9' (usually out on the left side of the formations), the 'Reds were a little lop-sided. As always though a superb routine.













A pair of aircraft brought in to 'fill-in' for the missing Vulcan, were this Yak 52 and a Kraguj. Two unusual types to see performing solo routines. Incidently the Kraguj is not the one that used to fly from Liverpool.







Usually the Sea King Rescue demonstration is provided by a Royal Navy aircraft from Prestwick, this year a 202 Sqdn aircraft from Lossiemouth performed.





The "Blades" team seem to fill the sky with their display, including some challenging passes along the crowd line in somewhat usual attitudes.





I will make no apologies for multiple images of this amazing aircraft, the Saab Viggen.









A new team (well to me at any rate) were the "Wildcats" with their pair of Pitts S-2A, plus a 'guest' for the Leuchars display, an Edge 360.





The Catalina rumbles around filling the sky well. I always end up with a good selection of images, here though late finals to land.



The pair of diminutive Gnat T.1s on take-off into their routine.



No solo demonstration by a RAF Tornado GR.4 this year, however this 617 Sqdn aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth is seen departing for formation flypasts with the BBBMF Lancaster and later with a Leuchars Typhoon.



Although not a display aircraft, 32 Sqdn BAe.146 CC.2 with RAF VIPS aboard departed shortly before the show ended



I cannot finish this post without including the BBMF appearing at what is the final RAF Station Battle of Britain air display.











Well that is a photographic summary of the final RAF Leuchars air display. The final flypast 'salute' pairing a Typhoon and the Tornado I missed, looking in the wrong direction!

I'll add a post with some of the static display aircraft tomorrow.

[captainkevey]

great really enjoyed the photos .....

[acklington]

Great photos Viscount - you must have been stood about 20 feet to the left of me, as they all look very familiar!

I like your comments too, and this was one unique occasion when I put my camera down, and just watched and listened to the BBMF performing at the last traditional B of B display.

I do have photos to post, but due to re-decorating chaos in our house, it was either that or severe wrath from SWMBO. Puts a RR Griffon to shame!

[Andy T]

Nice collection there, thanks for sharing for those who couldn't make it.

[acklington]

SWMBO went out to a meeting tonight, forgetting to leave me a list of jobs! So I've finally managed to upload some photos, all taken on the actual Display day, 7th September 2013.


I like this one, with the original Control Tower still looking splendid.


This is an Austrian rainbow, made by 'WE.


And this is 'WD getting lost while trying to find the runway hold point.


Similar to Viscount's photo, this is as near as the RAF got to sending a Hercules to the display, i.e. the former XV181.


Both Austrians on the flightline in the morning, the Reds are actually holding short of their parking spots, waiting for them to depart.


Danish F-16B ET-022 in the static, which was trying to out-compete Fairford for 'orrible garish traffic cones!


French Navy Rafale No.11 with a small badge towards the bottom of the fin.


And sistership No.38.


The two 'Irish' Chippies, G-ARGG '169' and G-BDRJ '170'. Were they painted for the Irish 'Flightfest' do in Dublin?


Soko G-BXSD taxies past the BBMF. I love the genuine colour scheme which (I think) stems from the ex RAF/RCAF Sabres supplied to Yugoslavia post-war.


A wee floatplane.


G-FFOX / WV318 and G-RORI / XR538 on their arrival run & break.


G-FFOX taxies in to the flightline.


G-PARG wasn't the only one doing this smoke trick (see below).


If must be possible to take a bad photo of a Sea Fury?


G-RORI / XR538 joins a fine collection of tails on the flightline.


G-RRGN / PS853 doing a Spitfire approach.


And making a classic Leuchars photo with the Officer's Mess as a backdrop.


The two RV8s in close formation on their initial run-in.


Dutch F-16A J-002 with no cones!


The two Italian Typhoons, this is MM7300 36-12.

Another post follows with more photos .................

[acklington]

Part two of my selection of photos from the 7th;


Fennec N14113 taxies out for his display.


Norwaegian F-16B 304 in the static. The large 'muddy' mark around the gun seemed to be some sort of oily paste.


Saab 105 SE-DXG arrives with his first bounce - he is still flying in the next photo! There are four people in the cockpit of this trainer / liaison aircraft.


Viggen SE-DXN appears over the hill from the far-side taxiway. This is one of my favourite pics from the display.


And touches down on his back two tandem wheels.


Tissues please!


Vampire T.55 SE-DXT arrived with ferry tanks, but were removed on the flightline ......


........before his display slot.


Lightning F.3 XR713 was still magnificent, if a bit shabby. The light grey paint job is not in keeping with the 111 Sqdn markings, but I guess it helps to stop the correct natural metal finish from corroding.


But it is better than dismembered JP.4 XS176


Also a bit sad was Phantom XV582 'M' in all-black 111 Sqdn scheme. The canopy is on the ground underneath. Later another set of large steps were added on this side of the nose, making any chance of a decent photo impossible.


This view of the Red Arrows is included because the smoke hides the gap caused by the absent pilot.


Yes, the sky was this colour!


As Viscount has said, one pilot was absent due to the birth of his first child (public announcement). However, for the staged flypasts the full team of 9 flew. Also, I think that it was Red 8 that was missing, because the second aircraft from the end of their flightline did not move during their display proper. Thus I believe that Red 8 was XX310, seen here landing, and the pilot does not appear to have a "Red Arrows" helmet?


I went all the way from the Isle of Man, and should have cadged a lift in one of our residents, Bulldog 'XX667'.


This was the RAF's 'role demo' - delayed action bommbs, judging by the long gap between their pass, and the subsequent pyrotechnics.


The 617 Sqdn pair on the flightline early in the morning, ZA482 and ZA404 '013'.


And this is how the flightline looked later in the day.


ZF239 taxying in after his display.


This photo was NOT taken on the 7th. Rather it shows 'spare' Tucano ZF264 arriving on the 6th. Where it went afterwards remains a mystery, and also why it was not placed on public display!


Merlin ZH839 with the large Whale cartoon character on the nose.


This rather unusual static-display photo of 5 Sqdn Sentinel ZJ692 was a result of my near disastrous start to the morning - my short lens packed up and wouldn't 'talk' to the camera body. So for a frantic half hour I was taking zoom-lens shots in the static, but eventually got the short lens working, albeit that I lost the full wide-angle.


ZK306 'BT' and ZK344 'BQ' of 29 Sqdn were waiting to depart back to Coningsby as the Reds landed. They were obviously too good a 'target' to be missed by some of the Red Arrow pilots!







Final set of photos to follow shortly .............

[viscount]

............. and onto the third and final large posting of mine, concentrating on the static aircraft parks. Some photos taken around 10:30am, others around 6pm - the quality of light is quite different, as are the number of people around!

An orderly line up of 6 Typhoons, one each from 1 Sqdn, 3 Sqdn, 6 Sqdn. 11 Sqdn, 29 Sqdn and 41 Sqdn - a representative from each of the current 6 Typhoon units (17 Sqdn has disbanded and passed on its testing and development role to 41 Sqdn) was not quite what it seemed. The individual aircraft codes show that the aircraft all come from the two Leuchars resident units, 6 Sqdn (E+ codes) and 1 Sqdn (F+ codes). If you can only count 5 aircraft in the photo and wonder where 41 Sqdn has got to, an inconsiderately parked ice-cream vendor prevented a photo of all 6 tails in a line!



The only Typhoon T.3 two-seater out on display was ZK381/EX of home based 6 Sqdn



The two Tornado GR.4s in the static were from 2 Sqdn and 617 Sqdn, the later in the same anniversary tail scheme as the one in the flying display.







Sole Hawk in the static was this 100 Sqdn example from Leeming. No RAF Valley Hawks present.



From an earlier generation, 111 Sqdn marked Lightning F.3 and Phantom FG.1







Also from the same earlier generation, but only now about to bow out of service, a Super VC-10 K.3 of 101 Sqdn, and not far away a pristine Voyager K.3

[/div]





While another relative newcomer to the RAF is this Sentinel with a special anniversary 5 Squadron tail. The grey applied to this aircraft is distinctly a different shade to the 'air superiority grey' applied to the Typhoons, Tornado and Voyager.



One of two Royal Navy aircraft in the static parks, this is a Merlin HM.1 of 820 Sqdn



Taking 'trailer mounted nose' exhibit to a new level, the forward section of Nimrod XV240, with that of Jet Provost XS176 on a regular size road trailer.








Parked between the RAF VC-10 and Voyager tankers, is this KDC-10 of the Dutch



Two French Navy Rafale-Ms in the static came as a great surprise, interloopers in the standard fare of F-16s and Eurofighters.



F-16s came from the Dutch, Belgians and Norwegians with a mix of single and two-seater variants. One of the Dutch single seaters sported a very glamorous anniversary tail.









The Italians sent two of their Eurofighters



While the Germans sent a Tornado strike from Jabo 33, with what would appear to be a detachment badge








Flying around during the morning, and leaving on an operational flight part way through the afternoon was Police EC-135 G-SPAO



An earlier MBB.105 G-CDBC in a distinctive colour scheme- SCAA being 'Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance'. This helicopter too scrambled during the afternoon, off on an operational mission.



Continuing the theme, this all yellow King Air 200 G-SASD wears cabin roof titles 'Scottish Ambulance Service'




RV-8 G-RRRZ gets a place here on account of a tiger themed, 74 Sqdn inspired scheme



Amazing to think I never really looked twice at this Chipmunk when G-ARGG and based at Blackpool for many years with ANT around the late 60s and well into the 70s. Totally false markings for the airframe, it does look good though as Irish Air Corps 169.



Another otherwise 'ordinary' aircraft that gets a place here due to the colour scheme is Rallye G-KHRE.



Auster J/1N Alpha was a mix of civilian serial and RAF period camouflage colours



Just as well the serial and titling both give this away as a Robinson R.66 as the airframe shape is little different to the piston powered, earlier R.44

[acklington]

Third and final set of photos, mostly Typhoons;


As can be seen the staged flypast had nine Reds, plus the four Leuchars Typhoons.


The four Typhoons then did their own flypast before breaking to land. They remind me of those Ducks that used to hung on living room walls! Thus the phrase "get your Ducks in a row".


Sometimes 'against the sun' photos do work - this is ZK331 'FE' of 1 Sqdn.


And ZK342 'ED' of 6 Sqdn.


RAF solo display Typhoon ZK344 'BQ' of 29 Sqdn.




General view of the flightline area late in the afternoon. Typhoons ZK316 'FA' and ZK346 'ER' were to be towed into position for the final 'sunset ceremony' together with the BBMF, and lots of bagpipes.


Finally, new Navy King Air ZZ501 in the static, devoid of any squadron marks or codes.

That's it folks, thanks for looking.

[mikes]

Ecellent logs chaps
your EM Typhoon was ZK313/EN,TUCA ZF264 Was parked next to the camo Tucano tucked away in the corner of the flightline next to the road and the hanger and easily visable from the perimeter fence where I managed to get a few pics
mike