1 - IV(AC)
2 - 1(F)
3 - HMF
4 - 3(F) later NSW

Hope that helps.

The Reds need to go. They have hardly been a bastion of excellence over recent years and with Defence in the state it is, the UK should be concentrating on combat capability and not air shows. If we are to demonstrate the RAF to the public, combat aircraft (Typhoon, F35, Chinook, A400) are more repr...

Quite possibly the best executed and most interesting series of shots I have seen on here for a very long time!
Damn fine effort from the OP and the Brazilian Air Force!

These were not taken in Cawsand Bay but from the western side of The Narrows (I'm guessing from the fortifications there in Mount Edgcumbe Park?) opposite Devil's Point.
This would be the optimum place to shoot from after midday, despite the fact that we were lucky with the light on Friday.

Hi Sneezy, I use a Manfrotto full size monopod for ship photography, but when attempting to use it for even the most simple aircraft shots (like a U2 landing at Fairford) I find that it is cumbersome and does not really bring much benefit. It’s a tricky one as I am invariably using my Canon L Series...

I can confirm that the USS Paul Ignatius is carrying two MH-60Rs from HSM-79. When she was berthed on 1J @ HMNB Devonport last Sunday you could see one in the starboard hangar which it was not possible to identify and HG 725 was ranged on the flight deck.

Jon, I was an armourer on 63 Sqn from 1988-94. When I arrived we were in transition from ‘lizard’ to AD grey (with XX282 in dark grey), but I can assure you your model is beautifully accurate. If memory serves me correctly we had those head boxes till maybe 1990? Gun Pod and CBLS was the most common...

I think it was because 99th ers isn’t assigned to 9th 9rw so want to give the jets an identity while away from Beale Nope. It has always been common practice for the 'BB" tail code to be removed when U2s have been deployed overseas with any degree of longevity. None of the airframes deployed to Akr...

RTP is the acronym for ‘Reduce to Produce.’
First used when the RAF Tornado fleet was being stripped down to create a bigger inventory of spare parts to keep the remainder flying.

XX157 arrived in AMRO on the back of a truck from Shawbury today where it's been in storage since 2018. This aircraft is the latest conversion for the Red Arrows following XX295 and will be oldest airworthy UK Hawk T1 when completed. Another one of our old 63 Sqn airframes going to the Reds. I reca...

Evening all, I joined the TWU Hawk fleet during the transition from ‘Lizard’ to AD Grey. They were certainly easy to keep presentable in grey, as the Hawk is a relatively clean aeroplane (unlike Tornado which threw its own filth over it thanks to thrust reverse). When Brawdy closed and the RAF start...

Steven, Have no idea about your second question, but might be able to help with the first. The QRA load-out is that set by the National Command Authority in line with the current threat assessment. During my time on QRA with the Tornado F3, I have known loads from Gun+4xASRAAM+4xAMRAAM down to as lo...

Hmm. My point is, those platforms are exotic and very expensive. There must surely be a place for a 'workhorse' capability that is still good for 90% of missions. Which is what will happen with the USAF's planned B-21 + B-52 bomber fleet. UKdragon you are spot on here. That is also why the Royal Ai...

A JP? Never in a month of Sundays for me. But like I said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! 😂 Spot on comment here Blackcat1. I spent my career working on the Hawk, Tornado F3 and Harrier GR7/9. The Hawk, just looks right, it is a classic design. Having flown alongside the F3 many times I still think it one of the most beautiful looking aircraft to gr...

Hi all, I don't wish to put a 'dampener' on things, but Devon & Cornwall Police are all over the local news media down here and spreading the 'don't go near it' message with regard to going anywhere near St.Mawgan/NQY. Knowing the local geography as I do, it will be very easy to close off vantage po...

Many thanks all for the useful information. I think investing in a VHF scanner is sounding like a particularly good idea, although I'm pretty good at reading their Ops, having spent many happy days at Akrotiri.
I will hopefully get up there soon and will post the results if they are worthy!

Hi all, I'm looking to drive up to Fairford over the next couple of weeks from Devon in order to try my hand at getting some decent U2 shots. Aside from monitoring the NOTAMS on here, it looks like turning up for around 1600 is a good bet. I was thinking about the undershoot to 27, does anyone have ...