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RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

A forum for the discussion of Military aviation and RAF Station heritage
DavidT
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RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by DavidT » Sat Nov 26, 2016 5:20 pm

Can anyone recall use of the HAS sites RAF Honington. Tornados of 13 Sqd and previously probably 9 Sqd were housed in the site at the NW end while TWCU operated from the ASP. So, was the HAS site at the NE end actually ever used ?

Thanks for any info.

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andrewn
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by andrewn » Sat Nov 26, 2016 7:45 pm

Never knew there were 2 HAS sites till you pointed it out! Just looking at the site on Google maps and it seems in lovely condition, would suit a couple of extra Typhoon sqns just nicely :)

14meggy
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by 14meggy » Sat Nov 26, 2016 8:55 pm

The NE HAS site was home to IX(B) Squadron when they became the first operational Tornado GR.1 Squadron, you are correct that TWCU operated from the main ASP and much later when the NW HAS site was built that was home to XIII Squadron operating the Tornado GR.1A.

Hope this helps.

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Richard B
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by Richard B » Sat Nov 26, 2016 10:20 pm

06 end was used, you could drive down to the crash gate and see Tornadoes parked up outside.

DavidT
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by DavidT » Sat Nov 26, 2016 10:58 pm

Thank you all for the quick and very helpful replies. I never visited Honington 82-86 to see IX(B) Sqd but well remember that HAS area when photographing the XV(R) Tornados at the 24 end in 93. What a waste of a great operational station. Cheers again.

14meggy
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by 14meggy » Sat Nov 26, 2016 11:17 pm

RAF Honington's runway was 27 and 09, but yes you could drive down to the crash gate and photograph XIII Squadron in the HAS site, you could also take a nice long walk up to 27 and photograph the Tornado's taxiing out and on approach, in it's hay day Honington was a great place to visit, sadly missed.

rh226
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by rh226 » Sat Nov 26, 2016 11:31 pm

We used to drive up the road on the North side of the airfield right up to the farm by the NE HAS when 9 sqdn were there....and also look across to the ASP for the Buccs and Hunters.
Cheers, Bob

phantom6
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by phantom6 » Sun Nov 27, 2016 10:33 am

I have video taken at Honington back in the ninties 13s and french airforce,i could run a copy off if anyone is interested

Unknown74
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by Unknown74 » Sun May 21, 2017 8:11 am

Possibly being kept ready for F-35 Ops? From Marham and/or Lakenheath?

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Thunderbolt II
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by Thunderbolt II » Sun May 21, 2017 8:27 am

Unknown74 wrote:Possibly being kept ready for F-35 Ops? From Marham and/or Lakenheath?
More likely it's more than a little difficult and expensive to demolish and remove a HAS site, particularly when there's no particular need to.

stuie492
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by stuie492 » Sun May 21, 2017 10:42 am

Remember going there when coltishall deployed it's jags...was quite with only a few launches...so we went to lakenheath as it was wall to wall

Precinct7
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by Precinct7 » Sun May 21, 2017 8:35 pm

Lakenheath F-15's used it as a bolt hole think it was 1993 , long line of F-15 on the ramp Mildenhall Fete weekend

page_verify
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by page_verify » Mon May 22, 2017 7:45 am

Didn't the Honington HASs have special vaults? You never know when you might need them again.

graham luxton
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by graham luxton » Mon May 22, 2017 8:12 pm

Saw Marham Victor's bolthole there in '66 when it was a standby base. Got stationed there in '69 when it was reactivated for Bucc's and Hunter's. The next year saw Comet's, Canberra's and Victor B(SR)2's operating from there for many month's while Wyton's runway received attention - consequently it wasn't a base which welcomed people with binoculars and camera's lingering outside. After Wyton's a/c departed Shackleton's moved in, having been displaced from Ballykelly - a very interesting few years.
Last edited by graham luxton on Tue May 23, 2017 7:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Phoon
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by Phoon » Tue May 23, 2017 11:11 am

The Eagles from LN used Honington during the summer of 1995 whilst runway repairs were undertaken at there own base. Drove down to the NW HAS site which was being used by the F15s that summer.

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Thunder
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by Thunder » Sat Jul 22, 2017 11:06 am

page_verify wrote:Didn't the Honington HASs have special vaults? You never know when you might need them again.
Don't think any of the RAF stations had the vaults built within the HAS's, happy to be corrected though.

Proteus
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by Proteus » Sat Jul 22, 2017 11:51 am

You are talking about WS3 vaults, some at Marham, and of course LN.

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Thunder
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by Thunder » Sat Jul 22, 2017 12:53 pm

Didn't realise Marham had them installed.

Proteus
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by Proteus » Sat Jul 22, 2017 2:54 pm

Bit long winded and as you will read it was classified but our colonial cousins accidentally released this to the public.......

http://www.basicint.org/sites/default/f ... 010297.pdf

SCARECROW
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Re: RAF HONINGTON HAS SITES

Post by SCARECROW » Sat Jul 22, 2017 3:02 pm

Saw the other HAS site used a few times by Italian Torns, French Mirages and when we had our airshow as well.

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