log:Woodvale 12/7/2015 1050-1240

[mikes]

* denotes new airframe spotted
Reg'n Aircraft Type C/No. Operator Notes

*G-BGPJ Piper PA-28 Cherokee 161 Warrior II28-7916288 Private
*G-BSKW Piper PA-28 Cherokee 181 Archer II2890138 Air Navigation & Trading Ltd over flight
*G-CGKE Grob G-115 E Tutor 82305/E Ministry of Defence/10AEF Hangered
G-CGKL Grob G-115 E Tutor 82312/E Ministry of Defence/10AEF
G-CGKT Grob G-115 E Tutor 82319/E Ministry of Defence/10AEF callsign "UAM10"
G-CGKU Grob G-115 E Tutor 82320/E Ministry of Defence/10AEF callsign "U49"
G-CGKW Grob G-115 E Tutor 82322/E Ministry of Defence/10AEF callsign "UAM42"
G-CGKX Grob G-115 E Tutor 82323/E Ministry of Defence/10AEF Hangered
G-DCAM Aerospatiale Twin Squirrel AS.355 NP5750 Cameron Charters LLP Over flight
*G-FKNH Piper PA-15 Vagabond Vagabond 15-291 Michael  Mothershaw hangered
G-GORV Vans RV- 8 LAA 303-14847 G-GORV Group
*G-JDBC Piper PA-34 Seneca 200T Seneca II 34-7570150 Private over flight
*XW420 Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.5A  Royal Air Force 1FTS Markings
*ZH124 Grob G 109 Vigilant T.1 6517 Royal Air Force/631VGS Hangered

[viscount]

I was briefly past there in May and recorded G-CGKS, G-CGKT, G-CGKV, G-CGKX lined up outside. No civilians in sight.

However, a correction, as the gate guard at RAF Woodvale is a BAC Jet Provost T.5A XW420, coded 83 MU.

I thought that for some time now, the six RAF Woodvale Tutors were G-CGKF, G-CGKS, G-CGKT, G-CGKU, G-CGKV, G-CGKX. Very little change, if any, since these aircraft arrived several years ago having a different cockpit fit to the earlier G-BY** Tutors

M.A.M. 2015 (which could be upto a year out of date now) has G-CGKE at Cosford and G-CGKL at Leuchars. So are these visitors, out of date listings or mistaken data base entries? Odd that the data base being used refer to the aircraft as 10AEF when they are more usually referred to by their University Air Squadron attachment?

Good to have confirmation that Vigilant ZH124/TK is still at RAF Woodvale with No.631 VGS, I have ZH119/TE, ZH184/TW, ZH193/UF and ZJ968/SN as there too, but no recent sightings noted.

[mikes]

Thanks for the feedback viscount
pressed the wrong button for the JP,I Just assumed the tutors were all based as i am not from the area according to planebase KL Is based and was seen by myself ott Ainsdale on 7th july,as for KW It was also seen ott Ainsdale on 11july
regards
mike

[viscount]

Woodvale is remarkably unreported on. Quite how many visitors, both civilian and military go there is a mystery to me due to a lack of reports. Presumably there are some visitors, but reports are few and far between it is difficult to know - which is why "Mikes's" list is of interest to compare with the possibly out of datebase (both paper and the internet) listings.

[Jonathan Gallagher]

Where would one go to spot here?
Is there anywhere to park here or is a train job and spot from the train line side


Thanks
Jonny

[mikes]

HI Jonny,
i went by the railway line last year,its rubbish! you're too far away to read any numbers especialy in the heat haze.
so this year i took the no 49 woodvale circular bus from Ainsdale at Kenilworth road,and got off at woodvale road,a 15min walk takes you to the front gate, there is a 4 foot high fence infront of the perimeter fence with a 3 ft gap between them making impossible to takes pics from the perimeter unless you climb the 4 ft fence which i was reluctent to do so i kept walking ,the small fence comes to an end and is replaced with a hedge row where i found a large gap manouvered through the barbed wire fence jumped a few more fences and headed back towards the base there is a dissused road and a small field with nothing more than a small fence between you and a taxiway, the tutors on the runway you need not much more than a 300mm lens,i was there for an hour odd and had no visits from security or police
regrds mike
here is a couple of pics from  the small field
G-CGKW ,Woodvale 12.7.15 by Mike stanners, on Flickr
G-CGKU,Woodvale,12.7.15 by Mike stanners, on Flickr
G-CGKT,Woodvale,12.7.15 by Mike stanners, on Flickr

[Biggles]

I think after several serious security breaches on this RAF station over the years, highlighting an access point could well just have closed it for any future "incursions". It has never been the easiest place to spot due to the high speed road and virtually nowhere to park a vehicle without breaking some traffic regulation. I am not clear these days as to access for veiwing from the side of the airfield opposite the main road side i.e (sea side)and wooded area, I fear creeping around that area could attract Security attention though.