Exercise Cooperative Bear RAF St Mawgan 1998

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!

 

F-111Ardvark's and B-52 Buff's operating from RAF Fairford 1995 Its Exercise "Salty Hammer".

Trends 11-14 and 21-24 arrived at RAF Fairford from CONUS in June 1995 for the exercise.

 "Salty Hammer" and staying over for "Central Enterprise" that followed. They were from the 27th FW/523 FS at Canon Airbase, New Mexico. All eight aircraft were F-111Fs or, as we would say to each other back then, "Swingers".

 

Serials are 70-2382,70-2391,70-2392,70-2404,70-2406, 70-2414,70-2419, and 73-0715, all "CC" Blue (Crusaders).

Central Enterprise also saw the arrival of Four B-52Hs from the 96BS/2BW at Barksdale.

Their serials are as follows: 60-0013, 61-0013, 61-0019, and 61-0024,

The following collection of transparencies was captured during the deployment. 

F-111F 70-2144 "CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped at Tucson by HVF West.  

F-111F 73-0715 "CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped.

F-111F 70-2382  "CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped.

F-111F 70-2391 "CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped.

F-111F 73-0715 "CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped.

F-111F 70-2391"CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped.

F-111F 70-2391"CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped.

F-111F 70-2392"CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped.

F-111F 73-0715 "CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped.

A three-ship launch lineup on runway 09.

F-111F 70-2391"CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped.

F-111F 73-0715 "CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped.

F-111F 70-2406 "CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped.

F-111F 70-2414 "CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped.

What a superb-looking aircraft.

F-111F 70-2406 "CC" Blue (Crusaders) 523FS USAF. Status scrapped.

A daily sight as another "Buff" gets airborne from 09.

B-52H 61-0024 "LA" 2nd BW USAF. Status current.

B-52H 61-0024 "LA" 2nd BW USAF. Status current.

It's always nice when they run the entire length of the runway.

B-52H 61-0019 "LA" 2nd BW USAF. Status current.

B-52H 61-0013 "LA" 2nd BW USAF. Status current.

B-52H 61-0013 "LA" 2nd BW USAF. Status current.

B-52H 61-0013 "LA" 2nd BW USAF. Status current.

In quieter moments, some crews found time for a few touch-and-go's. 

At other times, it was jetted in and jets out, high action indeed.

 

A three-ship run and break.

F-111F 70-2392 making a low pass.

U-2 80-1080 "BB" 9RW 

Having been relocated from RAF Alconbury, the U-2s operated from RAF Fairford whilst their new home base was upgraded at the French Armée de l'Air Base BA125 at Istre/Le Tubé in Southern France.

 "Happy Days"