Legendary Moments in Military Aviation: AdlA

Showing posts with label AdlA. Show all posts

Thursday, November 6, 2025

Polish Airforce Sukhoi SU-22M4 Fitters visit Reims Champagne flying local missions with the AdlA Mirage F1CRs Summer 2006

June 2006 marked the arrival of jets at , located approximately 130 kilometres Northeast of Paris, France. They were deployed for approximately three weeks and flew missions with the home-based Reconnaissance-based from and . I cannot be certain of the Polish base from which they deployed, as four tactical air squadrons operated the type at the time. They were the 8 ELT (Squadron) from 12 BLOT (Air Base) at , from , and and operating from at .

The weather during their last week of deployment was glorious, although taking photographs in these beautiful conditions caused problems with .

The last week of their deployment coincided with the at , located further north of Reims. A bonus during this final week at Reims was the deployment of and a couple of transiting from or to airbase in the Southwest of France.

All great memories from a super-base in its day, and even more poignant with this year's final withdrawal from service of this great aircraft from the Polish Air Force. They also looked different in their nineteen years ago; they finished their active service in a grey scheme in October 2025.

Polish Air Force.

This aircraft flew to the end of the type's operational service with the Polish Air Force in October 2025.

8309 SU-22M-4 Visited the 2023 at , not in this 2006 camouflage scheme.

8309 awaits clearance to runway 25.

8920 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force.

Status: It was withdrawn from service in 2014; its fate is unknown.

8920 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force, cleared to line up for its mission.

Arriving back at BA112 Reims Champagne.

Status: To the civil register as .

Polish Air Force, arriving back at Reims.

Status: Withdrawn from use in 2023; again, its fate is unknown.

642 33-NC Mirage F1CR lands after escorting 3817 back to Reims.

640 33-NV Mirage F1CR taking off at BA

8920 SU-22M-4 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force taxies from runway 07 at Reims Champagne.

8920 SU-22M-4 close up.

651 33-NB Mirage F1CR with the iconic landscape backdrop at .

606,616, and 662 line up on the last chance.

3817 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force.

3817 SU-22M-4.

610 33-CI Mirage F1CR 1/33 Belfort 'Red Lion'

Status: 118-CI to an Instructional Airframe at .

Today, an MQ-9 Drone squadron.

653 33-CV Mirage F1CR 1/33 Belfort 'Petit Prince'

Status: Today, in the .

The 'Petit Prince today operates at BA709 Cognac/Châteabernard.

647 33-NF Mirage F1CR.

Status: Another one transferred to an instructional airframe at Base Aérienne 721 Rochefort as 118-CI.

640 33-NV Mirage F1CR.

Status: Stored in the USA.

653 33-CZ Mirage F1CR.

Status: registered with the US Civil register as N645AX.

and FB-12 from 1 sqn 2 Wing Belgian Air Force.

FA-56 and FB-15 31 Sqn OCU 10 Wing BAF from .

and ST19 SF-260MB 5 Sqn 1Wing BAF at .

518 30-SR Mirage F1B EC.01.030. .

Status: Preserved at the , coded 5-OM.

Great Memories.

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

RAF Waddington hosts French Air Force invasion of Mirage 2000Ns and Jaguar Jets seeking a splash and dash during Brilliant Foil 1994 Exercise

was held at the beginning of October 1994, coinciding with the deployment of at and a deployment of at . It was the first Brilliant Foil exercise, replacing and . The , , flew multiple missions to the UK during Brilliant Foil 1994 with , , and from the French Tactical Air Commands , EC.4, and EC.11, as well as Mirage F-1Cs from .

On October 4th, 5th, and 6th, they made quick turnaround landings at RAF Waddington for a before heading home to their home bases. RAF Waddington was the preferred base for refuelling the Brilliant Foil 1994 participating French jets, as French Air Force ground crews were already present for the that was in progress.

For the few aviation photographers and enthusiasts who lined the perimeter hedge at the runway 21 end (20 Today) on those October mornings, it was an exciting wait to see these multi-camouflaged jets, as many were still wearing their 1991 .

I photographed two from at RAF Waddington, as they were also there for ACMI training. They were not from the five seen at RAF Coningsby from , which were observed during the same period.

Just to complete the picture, down the road at and up at were all participating in Brilliant Foil 1994.

The images below were taken on and were mainly captured on October 4th, in some reasonable sunshine. The Mirage F-1Cs from EC.33 were on the 6th and not photographed. I hope you will enjoy a look back at those great times.

342/4-AG Mirage 2000N EC.4 Armée de l'Air.

335/4-BJ Mirage 2000N EC.4 Armée de l'Air.

336/4-BP Mirage 2000N EC.4 Armée de l'Air.

In the jelly zone and one away.

Number two rolling.

Number two is airborne, number three is rolling, and I'm moving before number four re-heats.

What a great time that was!

Happy Days, and thanks for looking.

Monday, October 3, 2022

Israeli F-15 jets make a star appearance at RAF Waddington's airshow 2001.

Expectations for the 2001 RAF airshow at RAF Waddington had been running high. By the time the aircraft began their arrivals, the atmosphere among spotters and photographers alike had reached a frenzy of rumours. In fact, unlike today, this is a rumour that has become an actual piece of folklore.

This is how I remember people telling it. The then-prime minister of Britain, Tony Blair, had been briefed that an Israeli Air Force detachment of F-15s, Boeing KC-707s and C-130 Hercules was airborne from Israel and headed for the UK. In reply to his shocked response, he was informed that they were participating in the RAF Waddington Airshow on Saturday, June 30, 2001, and Sunday, July 1, 2001.

Whether that is true or an old wives' tale, there is no disputing that they certainly did appear and what a great moment for all of us enthusiasts.

The RAF Waddington airshow team had once again pulled off a mega coup. Still, as time had proved, 2001 would feature a multitude of great military aircraft types, including USAF B-2Bs, E-8A, Spanish Navy AV-8s, Greek and French Mirage 2000s, P-3 Orions from Norway and the Netherlands, and more, marking a truly memorable moment in UK airshows.

It is all captured here on the Fuji Velvia slide film.