Translate

Showing posts with label RAF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RAF. Show all posts

Monday, August 14, 2023

Exercise "Cobra Warrior" (CW2023/1) full photo report on the UKs premier Military Aviation Exercise.

For weeks, the aviation social media sites have been full of what is now firmly the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force's most significant major exercise, and Cobra Warrior (CW23-1) was not going to disappoint.  

Early March saw the participants arriving at RAF Waddington and Connigsby, both in Lincolnshire, and this first stage of the 2023 exercise would feature three new airforces. Five India Mirage 2000s from 40 Wing at Gwalior air base would join Finnish Air Force F/A-18c's Hornets from HavLLv 31 at Kuopio-Rissala. They were joined at Waddington by previous participants, the Belgian Air Force, with six F-16AMs visiting from 10 Wing at Florennes.

The final first-time participants came from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, arriving at RAF Conningsby in late February. The RSAF bought six Eurofighter Typhoons from the 10 Wing at Taif/King Fahd Air Base. They were made up of five single-seat Typhoons and a two-seat Typhoon T.

The weather was the usual miserable English: damp, grey, and cold. Yellow, no parking cones lined the local roads. The A-15 crawled with continuous bumper-to-bumper juggernauts, and while the Wave cafe and parking swelled daily to beyond bursting, the fast jet action made it all well worth the visit.

So here it is.

 The weather was very mixed on all the days I attended.

  KT208 Mirage 2000TI Indian Air Force

KT208 Mirage 2000TI of the Indian Air Force from 40 Wing at Gwalior/Maharajpur Airbase. 

KT211 Mirage 2000TI Indian Air Force

KT211 Mirage 2000TI following KT208 for take-off on Waddingtons runway 03.

KT211 Mirage 200TI re-heating on take off at RAF Waddington

You cannot beat a Mirage 2000TI taking off, especially when they are Indian Air Force machines.

HN-422/22 F/A-18C Finnish Air Force From HävLLv at Kuopio-Rissala Airbase

HN422/22 F/A-18C of the Finnish Air Force, one of the six participating from HävLLv 31 at Kuopio-Rissala Airbase.

HN424/24 F/A-18C HävLLv 31 Finnish Air Force

HN424/24 F/A-18C HävLLv 31 with sqadron marks.
 
KF112 Mirage 2000I Indian Air Force taxis at RAF Waddington

KF112 Mirage 2000I taxis to 03.

KF118 Mirage 2000I seen Taxiing RAF Waddington

KF118 Mirage 2000I of 40 Wing "Bharatiya Vayu Sena" Indian Air Force.

KF112 Mirage 2000I Idian Air Force

Indian Air Force Mirage 2000I Rolling on runway 03.

FA-77 F-16AM Belgian Air Force seen RAF Waddington

FA-77 F-16AM, BAF. from Florennes Airbase.

FA-116 F-16AM BAF with special Anniversary marks

FA-116 F-16AM BAF with its two-sided 80th-anniversary scheme.

KT211 Mirage 2000TI Indian Air Force

KT211 makes a low pass as it escorts KT208 for an emergency landing.

KT208 Mirage 2000TI Indian Air Force seen landing RAF Waddington

KT208 prepares for an emergency landing after declaring a technical issue. After a visual check, the emergency services were stood down.

KT211 Mirage 2000TI Indian Air Force making a high speed pass at RAF Waddington

KT211 Mirage 2000TI picks up some beautiful light against a very grey sky.


KT211 makes some low and fast passes as it awaits permission to land following KT208's technical issue.


KT211 Mirage 2000TI taxing in after the runway is changed to 21.


FA-116 F-16AM BAF shows its artwork from the opposite side.


FA-136 F-16AM "The X Tiger" wears another dramatic colour scheme to mark 70 years of the Belgium Airforce 31Squadron and 60 years of the NATO Tiger.  


KF211 Mirage 2000I Indian Airforce.


KF118 Mirage 2000I "Bharatiya Vayu Sena" Indian Air Force.


HN424/24, HN406/06, and HN422/22 are on the break for landing runway 21 at RAF Waddington.



FA-134 F-16AM BAF.


By the afternoon, sortie, the weather is not playing ball.


In fact, it was like a nighttime sky.


ZZ419 Shadow R1+ 14 Sqn RAF. Another day and better weather.

Red Arrows arial demonstration team from the Royal Air Force

Early morning entertainment at RAF Waddington.


Two Royal Saudi Airforce Typhoon F.2 arrived at RAF Waddington from RAF Coningsby.

1019 Typhoon F.2 From the Royal Saudi Air Force seen Landin RAF Waddington

1019 Typhoon F.2 Royal Saudi Airforce. 

8019 Typhoon F.2 RSAF approaching RAF Waddington

8019 Typhoon F.2 Royal Saudi Airforce lands at RAF Waddington.

Meanwhile, across at RAF Coningsby, it's swift-moving.

ZK318/318 Typhoon FGR.4 RAF re-heat take off at RAF Coningsby

ZK318/318 Typhoon FGR.4 RAF.


ZK432/432 Typhoon FGR.4, 6 Sqn. RAF.

ZK432/432 Typhoon FGR.4 6 Sqn RAF. Reaching for the sky

ZK432/432 Typhoon FGR.4, 6 Sqn. RAF.


1019 Typhoon 10 Sqn Royal Saudi Airforce from  10 Wing at Taif/King Fahd.


Happy Days?

316 Typhoon F.2 3 Sqn Royal Saudi Air Force

316 Typhoon F.2 3 Sqn RSAF.

8018 Typhoon F.2 80 Sqn Royal Saudi Air Force

8018 Typhoon F.2 80Sqn RSAF.


ZK342/342 Typhoon FGR.4 29(R) Sqn and ZK432/432 Typhoon FGR.4 6 Sqn lead Typhoon T.3 ZK382?382 on the break for landing back at RAF Coningsby.


ZK368/368 Typhoon FGR.4 29(R) Sqn.


Royal Saudi Airforce Typhoons in the break for landing back at RAF Coningsby.

8019 Typhoon F.2 80 Sqn Royal Saudi Air Force

8019 Typhoon F.2 80 Sqn RSAF.

8018 Typhoon F.2 80 Sqn Royal Air Force landing RAF Coningsby

8018 Typhoon F.2 80 Sqn RSAF.
 
316 Typhoon F.2 3Sqn RSAF landing at RASF Coningsby

316 Typhoon F.2 3 Sqn RSAF.

1019 Typhoon F.2 10 Sqn Royal Saudi Air Force touching down at RAF Coningsby

1019 Typhoon F.2 10 Sqn RSAF.


8019 Typhoon F.2 RSAF. Overshoots due to runway congestion.

8019 Typhoon F.2 80 Sqn RSAF recovering to RAF Coningsby

8019 Typhoon F.2 80 Sqn RSAF.


ZJ937/937 Typhoon FGR.4 29(R) Sqn RAF.


ZK433/433 Typhoon FGR.4 41(R) TES.


ZK318/318 Typhoon FGR4.RAF departs RAF Coningsby as we do.

Happy Days!













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 aircraft began their arrivals, the atmosphere amongst spotters and photographers alike had reached a frenzy of rumour. In fact, unlike today, this is a rumour that really has become 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 were airborne from Isreal and headed for the UK. In reply to his shocked response, he was informed they were participating in the RAF Waddington Airshow on Saturday, June 30th and Sunday, July 1st 2001.

Whether that is true or an old wife's 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 have a mass of great military aircraft types that would produce USAF B-2Bs E-8A, Spanish Navy AV8s, Greek and French mirage 2000's P-3 Orions from Norway and the Netherlands and more and then more, a truly memorable moment in UK airshows.

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


267 F-15I 'Ra'am' 69 Sqn Israeli Air Force.


267 F-15I 'Ra'am' 69 Sqn Israeli Air Force.


269 F-15I 'Ra'am' 69 Sqn Israeli Air Force.


244 F-15I 'Ra'am' 69 Sqn Israeli Air Force.


264/4X-JYH KC-707 'Re'em' 120 sqn Israeli Air Force.



314/4X-FBI C-130E 'Karnaf' 103/131 Sqn Israeli Air Force.


314/4X-FBI C-130E 'Karnaf' 103/131 Sqn Israeli Air Force.


275 KC-707 Re'em 120 sqn Israeli Air Force.


275 KC-707 Re'em 120 sqn Israeli Air Force.


EMB312F's 477/312-JU and 489/312-UH, AdlA.
WJ874 "VN799" Canberra T4 39 (1PRU) Sqn. RAF.
ZH554 Tornado F3 F30EU. RAF.
ZA595/V111 Tornado GR4 13Sqn. RAF.
46+44 Tornado ECR JBG32 "Tiger C/S" GAF.


3299 P-3C Orion 333Skv NorAF.
44+42 Tornado IDS AG-51 GAF.
304 P-3C Orion MARPAT RNAF.
86-0096/EL B-1B 37th BS, "37BS" USAF.
58-0040 KC-135E 150th ARS 'NJ' ANG.


201 Mirage 2000BG 331 MPK, HAF.


 "The beasts of Marsan"
663/330-AU Mirage 2000D leads 524/330-AZ Mirage 2000B Adl. 


663/330-AU Mirage 2000D prepares to depart home to Mont de Marsan in the Southwest of France.


524/330-AZ Mirage 2000B, both showing their Tiger sqn Marks.


J-020 and J-511 F-16AM 313Sqn RNAF prepare for departure.


FA-116 F-16A BAF 31Sqn special marks, 50 years of 31Sqn and a Tiger Sqn.


XS728/E Dominie T1 from 55 (R) Sqn. RAF.


3299 P-3C Orion from 333Skv NorAF.


3299 P-3C Orion from 333Skv NorAF.


44+42 and 44+20 Tornado IDS AG-51 GAF departing home to Schleswig-Jagel.


30 Falcon 50 SURMAR from 24F at Lorient/Lann-Bihoué.


30 Falcon 50 SURMAR from 24F at Lorient/Lann-Bihoué.


477/312-JU and 489/312-UH EMB312F from DV05.312 at Salon de Provence.


477/312-JU Embraer EMB312F Tucano AdlA.


J-5014 F-18C Flst II Swiss Air Force.


J-5024 F-18C Flst II Swiss Air Force.


"Stars of ROTA"
(VA.1B-26) 01-914 AV-8B Esc009 Spanish Navy.


(VA.1A-21) 01.909 AV-8B Esc009 Spanish Navy.


U.20-1/01-914 Ce550 Esc004 Spanish Navy. Support aircraft for the AV-8s.


95-0121/WR E-8C 16th ACCS USAF.


86-0096/EL B-1B 37th BS "37BS" USAF.


86-0096/EL B-1B lines up for departure.


86-0096/EL B-1B shaking the ground at RAF Waddington.


58-0040 KC-135E 150th ARS NJ ANG.


58-0040 KC-135E 150th ARS NJ ANG.


Another great show from the bygone days.

I hope you enjoyed the retreat down memory lane.

Hope it was of interest.

Happy days!