TAC Blaze 2012 - Tues 27th - Dank je again!

[catkins]

What a fabulous place Spadeadam is when the sun is out, the heat is up, the sky is blue, and the wind is stilled . . . oh, and when the Dutch are working the range. After the awful weather at the start of this exercise, things are really on the up for the last week of it.
Today saw mainly the two Chinook in the morning slot working the north part of the range with the sounds of heavy machine guns (presumed blanks) being fired. In the afternoon they were joined by the Cougar and, as usual, there was a lot more activity over the southern part of the range. I was parked up with John Howe, before and after a good lunch (thank you), at the eastern layby and while he disappeared off to the edge of the gorge, I stayed up top to watch the action.
The Chinook was on top form, with one very nice low level pass (I hope your photo came out well sir!), and several good run bys while interacting with FACs and Smokey Sams fired from Wiley Sike, and both the Cougar and the Chinook had excursions into the gorge, which worked out very well for Duane who was positioned at the western end of the gorge. I'll look forward to seeing his photos, as it all looked good from my distant vantage point.
A singleton AAC Apache, Camelot, arrived in the mid afternoon for an hour of training as part of Exercise Lightning Force from Leeming, before heading NE to Otterburn. The Dutch Chinook then reappeared for their final session working with the FACs and Smokey Sam.
With the sun moving to the west, I relocated to the western car park to wait for the reappearance of the AAC Apache, this time arriving for flare trials and anti-missile evasive manouvres based on Smokey Sam and simulated Javelin threats from Wiley Sike. Further Apache were also onsite as the early evening wore on, after my departure.