Saudi's

[Red Dragon]

14:30 today saw a PD by “Cluster Flight”

Royal Saudi Air Force F-15SA 12-1023 Eagle “Cluster 51”
Royal Saudi Air Force F-15SA 12-1054 Eagle “Cluster 52”

Out on a check flight I assume

[markymash]

Thanks for revealing what they were. They must have been the ones that flew over my house on the way to Valley.

[Red Dragon]

From what I've been told (I was in work at the time) They did not appear on 360 (or other VR set ups) and they came in over Amlwch for a runway 19 approach then they went into the NWMTA. No idea if they went into the loop.

[TombsRIP]

Seen arriving at LN on 23/03/18 as Retro 63/64 along with 12-1020 & 12-1022. Been in the UK a while then.. Was callsign Cluster or Custer? Latter used by 48th.

[Red Dragon]

It's thought the callsign was "Cluster" but as I said I didn't hear the actual radio comms.

[Yammer]

My ears thought they called CRUSTY 51 Flight - also did a PD at Boscombe before returning to Lakenheath via Westcott - American sounding voices

[wezgulf3]

My ears thought they called CRUSTY 51 Flight - also did a PD at Boscombe before returning to Lakenheath via Westcott - American sounding voices

Saw them on approach to Boscombe, never expected them to be Saudi!

Wes...

[Yammer]

in a JW post Derek says re above Eagles

"Does anybody know the 2 F15s that did an approach or two at Boscombe Down around 1530 local on Wed 25 Apr - presumably in connection with the exercise? I am pretty sure one was 86-0154."


Did anybody eyeball these aircraft ? 86-0154 is a somewhat different era from the new looking F-15SA Saudi 12-1023 and 12-1054 - 86-0154 wears nice large "LN" tailcode - the Saudis don't.

Factual facts welcomed from anyone who eyeballed them thanks - Saudi machines or regular "LN" machines - thanks

[Mutly]

86-0154 is away in Morroco so it definately wasn't that,, to me i thought they were calling RUSTY51 , certainly sounded like that

[Derek]

Having had another look at a rather rushed photo I took - I now believe the second one had 1054 on the tail - definitely no "LN". I was thrown by the USAF emblem below the cockpit.

[Red Dragon]

Seems they were Boeing test pilots, so I wonder if the USAF roundel were on just for the ferry flight to Saudi?

[TombsRIP]

Hi

All the 28 jets delivered (ferried) via UK so far incl these (which dep UK fri 27/4) have worn (pseudo) USAF star & bar markings. Presume the 6 that went via Lajes did also. I would imagine the political sensistivity of this order is the reason why no saudi markings/serials are worn. Obviously the "USAF" serial presentation on the fin tips plus the camo scheme give the game away so to speak without checking the serial allocations.

HTH

Cheers

[raameagle]

The correct callsign was CRUSTY51-52.
They carry stars and bars until they are officially handed over in Saudi Arabia as part of the FMS contract.
Regards

[Yammer]

My god, my ears actual heard something right for once!

""My ears thought they called CRUSTY 51 Flight - also did a PD at Boscombe before returning to Lakenheath via Westcott - American sounding voices""

[raameagle]

They will be the USAF delivery pilots.
Regards