Post by viscount on Oct 29, 2009 23:35:40 GMT 1
A nice warm late October day, slight south-easterly breeze up the long runway 13 ensured that observations from 'suicide hill' could be made all day. Fortunately rain in the morning gave way to afternoon sunshine.
As usual, a day (0920-1545) at Valley throws up some unexpected sightings.
............/.......-LQ Alpha Jet, French Air Force G/A 13 at 0935 Regns/codes supplied by dubmaster, reply #3
............/705-MS Alpha Jet, French Air Force G/A 13 at 0938
XX261 BAe.Hawk T.1 'Fly Navy 100' special tail colours. 0936-1403, parked VAS. Call-sign not heard.
ZF240/240 Tucano T.1 arrived and departed as a pair,
ZF135/135 Tucano T.1 formation call-sign "Aries", 1128-1410, parked VAS.
ZJ692 Sentinel R.1 "Sachet 1" (or similar), G/A 13 at 1503
A dirty lens prevented a clear image of the Alpha Jets, and reading off the codes or serials with any certainty. Never heard of '705' as a unit. Both had the same circular blue badge on the tail with a white swimming swan (not a stork). They may have operated from IAC Baldonnel.
The call-sign of the Sentinel could be open to correction. Thanks to Beemer and others on e-mail for the correction, reply #2. No No.5 Sqdn badge on the tail yet, indeed was thought to be out of Chester, but Beemer (who was there all afternoon) did not note it (qv his report on the Hawarden section).
Resident helicopters were very active.
No less than 6 yellow Sea King HAR.3s, showing that HQ flight has well and truely moved in from St.Mawgan. XZ585/A, XZ586/B, XZ587/C, XZ597/M, ZE370/T & another that departed to Brize Norton at 1005. Only /B wore a unit badge (a seahorse of 203 (R) Sqdn).
Griffin HT.1s ZJ240/U, ZJ241/L and AW.139 ZR326/F. Both the Griffins and AW.139 operate from the hangar/apron on the south west beach side of the airfield.
Noted 25 active resident Hawk T.1s. Not a single T.2 observed. The only Hawks not in squadron (19 or 208) markings were: XX244, tail code 244, no sqdn colours but appeared to be with 208 Sqdn and XX324, neither tail code or squadron marks, operating with 19 Sqdn. Formation call-signs in use: Thunder, Python, Dervish and Jester, all by 19 Sqdn; with Mustang by 208 Sqdn.
As usual, a day (0920-1545) at Valley throws up some unexpected sightings.
............/.......-LQ Alpha Jet, French Air Force G/A 13 at 0935 Regns/codes supplied by dubmaster, reply #3
............/705-MS Alpha Jet, French Air Force G/A 13 at 0938
XX261 BAe.Hawk T.1 'Fly Navy 100' special tail colours. 0936-1403, parked VAS. Call-sign not heard.
ZF240/240 Tucano T.1 arrived and departed as a pair,
ZF135/135 Tucano T.1 formation call-sign "Aries", 1128-1410, parked VAS.
ZJ692 Sentinel R.1 "Sachet 1" (or similar), G/A 13 at 1503
A dirty lens prevented a clear image of the Alpha Jets, and reading off the codes or serials with any certainty. Never heard of '705' as a unit. Both had the same circular blue badge on the tail with a white swimming swan (not a stork). They may have operated from IAC Baldonnel.
The call-sign of the Sentinel could be open to correction. Thanks to Beemer and others on e-mail for the correction, reply #2. No No.5 Sqdn badge on the tail yet, indeed was thought to be out of Chester, but Beemer (who was there all afternoon) did not note it (qv his report on the Hawarden section).
Resident helicopters were very active.
No less than 6 yellow Sea King HAR.3s, showing that HQ flight has well and truely moved in from St.Mawgan. XZ585/A, XZ586/B, XZ587/C, XZ597/M, ZE370/T & another that departed to Brize Norton at 1005. Only /B wore a unit badge (a seahorse of 203 (R) Sqdn).
Griffin HT.1s ZJ240/U, ZJ241/L and AW.139 ZR326/F. Both the Griffins and AW.139 operate from the hangar/apron on the south west beach side of the airfield.
Noted 25 active resident Hawk T.1s. Not a single T.2 observed. The only Hawks not in squadron (19 or 208) markings were: XX244, tail code 244, no sqdn colours but appeared to be with 208 Sqdn and XX324, neither tail code or squadron marks, operating with 19 Sqdn. Formation call-signs in use: Thunder, Python, Dervish and Jester, all by 19 Sqdn; with Mustang by 208 Sqdn.
