Exercise Cooperative Bear 1998 featured significant para drops across the Salisbury plain, and many former Eastern block transport aircraft participated alongside their NATO partners.
"Cooperative Bear 98."
A NATO Medevac/humanitarian aid exercise, running from the 4th to the 13th of September 1998.
I must have been slow in going forward! First, I visited Salisbury Plain drop zones, then a trip to RAF Keevil, another drop zone. The result was nothing other than a Polish AN-26 at Keevil.
So, it's time for action. I departed for the exercise's main operating base at RAF St Mawgan.
Yes, it was a long drive, but it was rewarded with some great aircraft. The number one position had to go to the Latvian Air Force LET-410, but there were some lovely pickings enhanced by the Cornish clear light, as you can see below.
2506 An-26 call sign "Bear 0809B" with stunning grey, black, and white camouflage.
955 C-130H RNorAF from 355 Skvadron based at Oslo/Gardermoen Airport.
Red 145 Let 410T Latvian Air Force, from the 3rd Tranporta Eskadrilla based at Lielvarde.
1603 An-26 PolAF 13 plt from Krakow/Balice.
114/62-IJ CN-235 Escadron de Transport 01.062 "Varcors" from Creil airbase near Paris.
955 C-130H RnorAF landing back at RAF St Mawgan.
XV306/306 Hercules C.1 LTW/RAF Lyneham, callsign "Bear 0813."
U-03 Fokker 60U 334 Squadron RNLAF based at Eindhoven.
U-03 Fokker 60U RNLAF.
84005/845 TP84 Hercules Swedish Air Force from F7 at Satenas airbase.
84005/845 TP84 Hercules Swedish Air Force.
114/62-IJ CN.235 French Air Force.
955 C-130H RNorAF Taxies.
G-FRAS Falcon 20C FR Aviation from Bournemouth/Hurn airport.
XV300/300 Lockheed Hercules C.1 from LTW/RAF Lyneham callsign "Bear 0814".
XV300/300 Lockheed Hercules C.1 RAF.
2409 An-26 CzechAF arrived from the 6 Základna Dopravniho Leteckva (6 ZDL) at Kbely.
6150 C130B Hercules Romanian Air Force serving with the 90ATB at Otopeni/Bucharest.
XV306/306 Hercules C.1 RAF landing back at RAF St Mawgan.
ZE396 BAe 125 CC3. RAF Landing from RAF Northolt. Today preserved at Landgoed Groot Bentveld.
145 L410T Latvian Air Force.
ZH658/106 Harrier T10 1 Squadron RAF.
ZD435/47 Harrier GR.9 1Squadron RAF from RAF Wittering.
XX205 Hawk T1A Royal Navy, low pass from RN Culdrose.
XZ585/A Sea King HAR3 departs on a local mission. Today, it is preserved at the RAF Museum at Hendon.
ZE369/S Sea King HAR3 RAF departing RAF St Mawgan on a training mission.
Unfortunately, I did not get to photograph the participating Lithuanian Air Force An-26 as it had gone tech before my visit.
Happy Days!
