Main Navigation

On Task

 

2005 On Task Archive

Welcome to On Task. This is Fighter Control's very own Military Aviation Webzine, with articles and reports created by some of the most dedicated enthusiasts within the United Kingdom.


December
On Friday 16th December 2005, the Imperial War Museum unveiled their newly restored British Aircraft Corporation [BAC] TSR-2 in the presence of specially invited guests. The TSR-2, serial number XR222, was officially unveiled by former test pilots James [‘Jimmy’] Dell & Don Knight.

One of Fighter Control’s Photographic Editors, Mick Freer, was at Duxford to record the event.
Find out [What Might Have Been?]
 
October
Harvesting normally takes place in the month of September but the county of Suffolk in England saw some unusual harvesting, just a month later, in October.
Two of Fighter Control's Photographic Editors, Mick and Stuart Freer visited RAF Mildenhall, to witness a [Cosmic Harvester]
 
August
Fighter Control's photographic editor James Shelbourn, visited RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, home of the 48th Fighter Wing, on August 17-18, where the USAFE contingent involved in the Exercise, were operating from, together with photographic assistance from another member of our editorial team, Stuart Freer, who visited departures day on August 20.
Find out who was [put to the sword]
 
Thursday August 11, 2005 saw a Photo-Call being held at RAF Valley. One of Fighter Control’s photographers/reporters, James Shelbourn, visited the event and reports from what was an enjoyable day out at the [VAS Charity Match!]
 
July
From his local airfield of RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, one of our intrepid Fighter Control photographic editors, Stuart Freer, reports on whether the Royal International Air Tattoo or otherwise known as RIAT got it [‘riat’] this year, with additional text and images from Chief Photographic Editor, Rick Sleight.
 
Fighter Control's Chief Photographic Editor Rick Sleight, sampled the treats offered by the 2005 air display event at his local airfield of RAF Waddington, find out what [delights] Rick was served up with.
 
June
Fighter Control’s resident Chief Photographic Editor [and for this trip, minibus driver too!] Rick Sleight, reports from the 7th Belgian Heliday, which took place at Liege Bierset on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th June 2005. Here is full account of the trip from [Lincoln to Liege - & back!]
 
May
On Saturday May 7th and Sunday May 8th, the Imperial War Museum at Duxford near Cambridge commemorated the 60th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day - the official ending of the Second World War in Europe. Fighter Control was privileged to attend this historic occasion on a [Day of Reflection]
 
April
A welcome visitor to the shores of the United Kingdom in early Spring 2005 was the United States Navy (USN) aircraft carrier, USS Harry S Truman (CVN-75), which made a brief stop in Stokes Bay, Portsmouth from April 4 to 10, 2005, whilst en route home from her recent Gulf deployment. Fighter Control’s Chief Photographic Editor, Rick Sleight [reports from onboard].
 
Since the last Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft departed from their home base at RAF Bentwaters in Suffolk in 1993, the once familiar sight of these unusual shaped aircraft has been extremely rare in the county in this Eastern corner of England. For almost the entire month of April 2005, anyone in the East coast area could have been forgiven for thinking they had entered a time warp, as the skies of Suffolk were again graced by these wonderful aircraft. Fighter Control's Photographic Editor's Mick and Stuart Freer were there to see the [Bolts from the Blue].
 
Most aviation enthusiasts will have paid a visit to the Fleet Air Arm Museum (FAAM) at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton at some time or other but they will probably have not had the opportunity to check out what treasures are lurking in the Aladdins Cave,that is the FAAM Reserve Store at Cobham Hall. Fighter Control's Chief Photographic Editor, Rick Sleight made a recent visit to find out [What's In Store?]
 
March
After weeks of preparation, the inaugural Fighter Control [FC] visit took place at the Royal Naval Air Engineering and Survival School [RNAESS] at HMS Sultan in Gosport on Tuesday 29th March 2005. Rick Sleight takes us through the process of how the trip was organised.
 
February
One of Fighter Control’s resident Photography Team, Mick Freer, recently visited Duxford airfield, to witness the culmination of an exciting project on an aircraft, which he has a personal involvement with. Mosquito TT.35, serial number TA719 was unveiled to the Press at 1100 hours on Wednesday, February 9th 2005. In attendance for this historic occasion were several ex Mosquito aircrew to see the the [Mossie Unveiled].