JULY 2012 ISSUE No
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MILITARY AVIATION REVIEW JULY 2012 ISSUE No. 296 EDITORIAL TEAM COORDINATING EDITOR - BRIAN PICKERING WESTFIELD LODGE, ASLACKBY, SLEAFORD, LINCS NG34 0HG TEL NO. 01778 440760 E-MAIL”[email protected]” BRITISH REVIEW - MICK BOULANGER 27 Tudor Road, Heath Town, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV10 0LT TEL NO. 0770 1070537 EMail "[email protected]" FOREIGN FORCES - BRIAN PICKERING (see Co-ordinating Editor above for address details) US FORCES - BRIAN PICKERING (COORDINATING) (see above for address details) STATESIDE: MORAY PICKERING 18 MILLPIT FURLONG, LITTLEPORT, ELY, CAMBRIDGESHIRE, CB6 1HT E Mail “[email protected]” EUROPE: BRIAN PICKERING OUTSIDE USA: BRIAN PICKERING See address details above OUT OF SERVICE - ANDY MARDEN 6 CAISTOR DRIVE, BRACEBRIDGE HEATH, LINCOLN LN4 2TA E-MAIL "[email protected]" MEMBERSHIP/DISTRIBUTION - BRIAN PICKERING MAP, WESTFIELD LODGE, ASLACKBY, SLEAFORD, LINCS NG34 0HG TEL NO. 01778 440760 E-MAIL.”[email protected]” ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION (Jan-Dec 2012) UK £40 EUROPE £48 ELSEWHERE £50 @MAR £20 (EMail/Internet Only) MAR PDF £20 (EMail/Internet Only) Cheques payable to “MAP” - ALL CARDS ACCEPTED - Subscribe via “www.mar.co.uk” ABBREVIATIONS USED * OVERSHOOT f/n FIRST NOTED l/n LAST NOTED n/n NOT NOTED u/m UNMARKED w/o WRITTEN OFF wfu WITHDRAWN FROM USE n/s NIGHTSTOPPED INFORMATION MAY BE REPRODUCED FROM “MAR” WITH DUE CREDIT EDITORIAL As happened last month, we have had to hold many Foreign Forces reports over to the next issue - but still managed to get 15 pages of European reports in! Hopefully, the August issue will allow more pages for the Foreign Section and allow us to catch up with all the non European reports that are building up. I expect the UK Section next month will be somewhat reduced (and for the September issue as well) as we only have the Farnborough Show of any size to report on and then we are into the Olympics and the summer holidays when, traditionally, movements at bases are much reduced. Of course, if we had an internet based magazine then we could easily add extra pages to ensure all the reports received were included each month. However, we do not and we are restricted by page numbers and weight of the magazine to 64 pages for the paper version of MAR. Much as I would like to stop the paper version of MAR, I do realise that a large number of our readers prefer the paper version - either by choice or because they do not have internet access - and as a result of our production change earlier this year we will be able to continue producing a paper version. As I said last month, the rates for Europe and Outside Europe will have to rise due to the significantly increased postage charges, however, I expect the UK rates will be kept at the same levels as for 2012! Again, an apology for the lack of credits this month due to a lack of free space for them - they are all being added together and, hopefully, they will appear in the August magazine. Not a lot more to say this month - please keep sending all the extra photographs as these are very welcome, readers of the paper MAR may not benefit but you do see more pictures in the PDF version. COVER PHOTOGRAPH: A rare Cessna 208B carrying a US serial “86022” arriving at Prestwick on June 21st as “Grey 38” on its ferry flight back to Florida, USA - note the nose mission symbols (John Wilson) Closing date for the August issue is 08.08.12 Brian Pickering 15.07.12 354 BRITISH REVIEW I start this section this month with the sad news that on 03rd July two Tornado GR.4s from 15(F) Sqn crashed in bad weather in the Moray Firth, 25 miles south of Wick. Sadly two crew members are missing presumed dead. While the second crew ejected and were rescued but one crew member later died of his injuries. The remaining crew member is seriously ill in hospital and at this time our thoughts are with him and all the families involved. Another aircraft type has finally gone during July, without ceremony that is, are the last four Tornado F.3s ZE203/GA, ZE794/FL, ZE961/HB and ZH552/HW from QinetiQ Boscombe Down they arrived at Leeming for reduction to spares and produce. The Armed Forces Minister has announced that the Red Arrows will remain at Scampton; they were going to move to Waddington during 2014. It was announced at this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford that the A.400M transport aircraft, of which the RAF have ordered 22 aircraft, will be named the Atlas. The first example is expected to be delivered during 2014. The FSTA service has decided that further A330/Voyager conversions which were planned to have been performed by Cobham Aviation Services at Hurn Airport Bournemouth will instead be completed by Airbus Militarty at its Getafé plant near Madrid, Spain. Aircraft three and four will continue to be converted at Hurn, but the remaining 10 aircraft will be converted in Spain. ABINGDON AIRFIELD Resident 612 VGS Vigilant T.1 noted during June: - ZH207/UN ZH266/UY ZH268/SA ABERDEEN AIRPORT- Military visitors noted during May/June: - MAY 17 Sea King HAS.3 “Rescue137” 25 ZH854/84 Merlin HM.1 824NAS “Tiger” 19 ZZ177/177 Globemaster III 99 Sqn “RRR6613” ZH860/68 Merlin HM.1 814NAS “Tiger” 29 XZ589/E Sea King HAS.3 202Sqn D Flt JUNE “Rescue137” ALREWAS (THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM): Adding to MAR291 the two unidentified helicopters noted on 20.05 were ZD249/631 Lynx HAS.3S from 702 NAS Yeovilton and XT626/Q Scout AH.1 from the AACHF Middle Wallop. ARBORFIELD Princess Marina College/School of Electrical & Aeronautical Engineering: At an Open Day on 16.06 found the following aircraft:- Outside Scout AH.1 XP899 Gazelle AH.1 (XW888)/TAD017 Lynx AH.7 XZ172 XZ187 Apache AH.1 ZJ179 Main Hangar Scout AH.1 XP855 XT623 XT633 Lynx AH.1 TAD009 /(XW838) Lynx AH.7 XZ170 XZ188 XZ207 XZ216 XZ607 XZ666 ZE381/X Lynx CIM TAD007 TAD011 TAD012 Lynx HC.28 TAD013/(QP-30) TAD016 /(QP-32) Gazelle AH.1 XZ316/B XZ325/T XZ332 XZ333 ZA735 ZA769/K TAD015 /(ZB668) TAD019/(XW912) TAD021/(XW860) TAD023 /(XX454) Gazelle HCC.4 XZ935/(9332M) Gazelle CIM TAD001 A-109A (ZE412) Gate Guards - XP848 Scout AH.1 & ZJ449 Phoenix UAV RAF BENSON Resident notes 28/78 Sqn Merlin HC.3/3A ZJ124/H to MDMF Culdrose on 20.06 ZJ127/L returned from MDMF Culdrose on 15.06 ZK001/AF did not return to 28/78 Sqn on 01.05 as reported last month, it was still with MDMF on 21.06 but was thought to have left on this day. The aircraft was noted on display at Farnborough on 05.07. BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT- Military visitors noted during June: - 08 ZZ174/174 Globemaster III 99 Sqn “ISF19K/RRR6869” 19 139/ABS TBM.700 EAAT “FMY8044” ZJ204 Apache AH.1 3/4 Regt “Fireblade2” + 1 20 ZG996 Defender AL.1 651 Sqn “AAC510” 10 ZZ176/176 Globemaster III 99 Sqn “ISF19K/RRR6991” 99/ABO TBM.700 EAAT “FMY8045” 12 ZB667 Gazelle AH.1 5 Regt “AAC577”* 21 ZZ177/177 Globemaster III 99 Sqn “ISF19K/RRR6993” 14 ZR322 A-109E 32(TR) Sqn “RRR1511” C-172 CL-604 RDAF Esk 721 “DAF2267” 355 21 11-111 B-737-400 RTAF 904 Sqn “VM904” 27 ZD952 Tristar KC.1 216 Sqn “RRR3249” 22 ZZ177/177 Globemaster III 99 Sqn “ISF19K/RRR6995” 29 ZH536 Islander CC.2A Northolt Station Flt n/s 25 ZA674 Chinook HC.2 Odiham Wng “SHF584”* BIGGIN HILL - Military visitors noted during May: - 08 XZ609 Lynx AH.7 1 Regt 16 ZH005 Defender AL.2 651 Sqn “AAC582” XZ679/W Lynx AH.7 1 Regt 18 ZJ171 Apache AH.1 3 Regt “AAC341 XZ697/330 Lynx HMA.8SRU 815NAS Combine”* + ZJ174 ZD261/329 Lynx HMA.8SRU 815NAS 20 LF363/YB-W Hurricane IIC BoBMF “Hurricane02”* 011 Casa 295M Polish AF 13 ELTr “PLF034” 24 011 Casa 295M Polish AF 13. ELTr “PLF042” 09 ZJ133/R Merlin HC.3 28/78 Sqn “SHF318”* 30 ZD252/335WL Lynx HMA.8SRU 815NAS 15 ZG997 Defender AL.2 651 Sqn “AAC582” BOURNEMOUTH HURN AIRPORT - Military visitors noted during June: - (With thanks to BAEG) 01 ZF289/289 Tucano T.1 1 FTS “LOP71” 21 ZE701 BAe 146 CC.3 32(TR) Sqn “NOH13” 04 503 C-130H RAFO 16 Sqn “MJN293” XV303/303 Hercules C.3A 47 Sqn “RRR720” (till 06.06) 25 Apache AH.1 3 Regt “AAC307” WK518 Chipmunk T.10 B0BMF “Chippy01” n/s 27 ZK454/N King Air 200 45(R) Sqn “CWL73” ZJ277/77 Squirrel HT.1 DHFS “SYS18” (till 06.06) 28 ZZ407 Wildcat AH.1 Ag-WHL “WHL02” 05 556 A320-214X RAFO 4 Sqn “MJN524” 29 ZK330/EZ Typhoon FGR4 6 Sqn “Cannon31” n/s (till 07.06) ZK333/EH Typhoon FGR4 6 Sqn “Cannon32” 11 ZH878/878 Hercules C.4 24/30 Sqn “RRR508” ZZ407 Wildcat AH.1 Ag-WHL 12 ZZ500 Avenger T.1 750NAS “NVY807” 30 ZK330/EZ Typhoon FGR4 6 Sqn “LEU07” 14 ZH900 Chinook HC.3 18/27 Sqn “SHF537” ZE705 Tristar C.2 216 Sqn “RRR900” 19 XV303/303 Hercules C.3A 47 Sqn “RRR716” 556 A320-214X RAFO 4 Sqn “MJN530” On 5.6 the Red Arrows arrived direct from their flypast over The Mall, London with 9 Hawk T.1/T.1A as follows: “Red 1 Section” at 1552 - XX319, XX266, XX308; “Red 6 Section” - XX323, XX322; “Red 8 Section” - XX242, XX306; “Red 4 Section” - XX219, XX227.