Spadeadam 2011/2014

[catkins]

What sort of altitude did they work at, and much joy with visuals/photo opportunities?

[dannyboyo20]

Hi mate, unfortunately I wasn't actually at Spade, at home with scanner on. I'm guessing they must have been quite high as maintained comms quite clearly from Newcastle.


Regards, Danny

[johnhowe]

http://www.theoldoaktree.net/Acorn/Acorn_1987.pdf

With the deployment of B2s * B52s to RAF Fairford I was reminded that B52s usually visit Spadeadam on their deployments. A B2 flew to Spade several years ago on a
Friday afternoon and was on the range from 2.30pm through to 3.15pm. Whilst researching the net I came across the above amazing site which has references to D 510 and
about everything else, reads like a boys own novel.

[CATCH22]

Geoff the Norwegian 333A on ranges Wednesday 11/6 was in fact a P-3 Orion (3297)
It came in to Lossiemouth "armed" . Chaff actually.

[johnhowe]

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... un2014.pdf
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 27_Jun.pdf

On recent Tuesdays we have had USAF Helicopters, last week it was F 15s perhaps this week we might have B52s.

[NorthSouth]

Those timetables are for Operational Low Flying, which is flying at less than 250 feet. That's only done by the RAF. B1s, B2s and B52s are no longer allowed to fly at less than 2000 ft agl over any part of the UK, except, with special MoD authorisation, down to 1000ft agl in LFA 14 only. Fair enough really, given that low level ops are no part of B1/B52 ops these days and never were for B2s. Low level over the UK for these guys was never more than a sight-seeing trip.

[johnhowe]

Log for Tues 17th, June, 2014, fantastic sunny weather quite warm no wind, Rebel 84 Tornado doing high level EW for a hour or so later joined by Typhoons even higher.

In the afternoon a T2 Hawk flew a single low level sortie from the sutheast to the northwest and that was it.

[Lossie]

B-52s had a low level role in the 1980s and used to do low level airfield attacks during big exercises, saw numerous attacks on Leuchars. If a B-52 had to get through the USSR's air defence network low-level would have been its best chance.

[johnhowe]

Notam H 2837/14 A large scale release and ignition of natural gas within 2 nautical miles of 550242N and 0023526W RAF Spadeadam
A fireball up to 3500 feet above mean sea level with hot gasses up to 35,000 feet AMSL From 12th, July, 2014 to 13th, July, 2014 from
09.00BST throu 19.00 BST.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/hall_s_dark ... e_1_688154 my family retreat
This is Spectacular, last time I saw this was on a Thursday mid week.

[Blackcat1]

B1s still do a lot of low level work in the USA, down to 500 feet, especially in the Desert MOA's, the local MOAs close to Ellsworth and also when on long range sorties to the Yukon range.

Cheers

[johnhowe]

FAC at Wiley Syke Tuesday the 15th, July, 2014 long sunny periods today which is good as it is St Swithins Day.

10.30am through to 11.00am. Spider 1 & 2 Royal Navy T1 Hawks with their distinctive naval emblem on the tail.
mostly low level control from the Wiley Syke Compound attacking the Afghan Village lots of interesting comms.

Interestingly they were informed that a Drone (UAV) was operating on the Range.

As there was going to be a gap of three hours or so I went off to Otterburn the forestry route for lunch at Kielder.

14.30pm a Single Chinook arrived from Leeming and disappeared in the general direction of White Preston it was

joined by two more Chinooks. I had been informed earlier that an Oshkosh had been seen trundling along local

roads in the general direction of Spadeadam.

16.30pm Spider 1 & 2 Returned for more FAC work this time they were either at Greymare or Prior Lancey
because they were describing that the target was in the close proximity of the Blue Steel Revettments.
for 25 minutes the Spiders were at medium level, but for the last sortie it was going to be low level with a pull up
into the vertical and then tipping in to drop simulted Paveways.

It was very spectacular just like The JFATSU Hawks from Leeming, obviously Carl J (RTD) trained them well.

I was informed that there will be FACs all week but not necessarily at Wiley Syke with Typhoon and GR4s involved. BDSTM.

Did anybody witness or photo Sat/Suns Big Bang.

[johnhowe]

Any active frequencies now. ?

The Spade ICF 308.775 & 282.050.

[johnhowe]

Just for a change, I' m on a Base visit to Spade with RAES Warton Branch hopeing for some action its a morning visit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QXskKB ... 377.162235

[johnhowe]

Spadeadam visit 24th, July, 2014, after booking in at the Guardroom, we met our host for the visit it was The Station Commander, Wing Commander Matt Lawrence.

Wg Cmd Lawrence gave a presentation on how Spadeadam evolved from The Blue Streak Rocket era , taken over by the Army as an artillerry range for a few years,

until it finally became solely used by aircraft from the USAF and RAF For Electronic Warfare with Nato type visiting on Exercises.


We travelled around the range on a 29 seater coach from Coastal Coaches of Warton, Matt showed us all the various weaponry which is deployed

throughout the range, most of the equipment can be seen via the net on RAF Spadeadam's internet sight unfortunately we could'nt go to Kolinski to see SU 22 due

to the uneven surface and lack of 4x4s available which were being used by service personell.

We visited Grey Mare Hill and Prior Lancey to photograph the Blue Streak Rocket Testing site these structures have been listed as graded buildings by the authorities.

Whilst at Grey Mare Hill a Tornado GR4 flew a low level sortie very close to our position, arranged by Matt.

Unfortunately the Wg Comd explained that on tuesday and wednesday there had been FAC Exercises and it had been due to continue on thursday too but

due to the fantastic weather of recent days most of the training missions had been completed. As we travelled around the range we were impressed by the

amazing amount of equipment that has been assembled to present military type targets for the attacking airforces


One of the interesting areas is R8 this has just been completed and it can hold up to 7 Chinooks for refuelling there is also another small existing area for two more

Chinooks. We finished our tour at The HQ at Berry Hill, where we had a briefing of how the aircraft are controlled and how Electronic Warfare works.

We finished our tour with two group photographs one next to the Blue Steak and one by The SA 6.

At 2.0pm we went to The Solway Aviation Museum which had been specially opened up for us, what made is specially interesting was the exhibition relating to

Spadeadam, Now as most of the group are aircraft engineers they had worked on the Hunter, Lightning, Canberra, JP, Phantom, they had more photos for their albums.

[johnhowe]

Notams for D510 & D510A RAF Spadeadam both Ranges are deactivated fron the 1st,September 2014, through to the 5th, September 2014 from 09.00am to 13.00 hours

but they are both additionally active from 16.00 BST to 18.00 BST again from the 1st Sept through to the 5th September, 2014.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ6i0UWLcM0CloseA2AMig 29.
There is a seperate Notam for Demolition of Explosives from the 1st September through to the 19th September 2014 Notam reads planned explosions and large scale
vertical jet fires wi 2 NM of Spadeadam Significant jetfire up to 350 feet. and other effects upto 3000 feet. Better warn the buzzards and other raptors.

[H.A.Bucken]

Early this week local radio said don't be alarmed if one sees flames 'up to 3000' high'; some onsite contractors would be testing the integrity of some pressure- pipes.

[johnhowe]

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafspadeadam/ Further Update + The Boss

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2648645

[johnhowe]

https://www.facebook.com/events/756989801026982/ Hopefully some of the assets may use the Range and Carlisle Airport.

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-la ... nt-warrior

[johnhowe]

D510 Deactivated from 15/9/14 to 19/9/14 from 09.00.BST to 16.00.BST thats the bad news, the good news is

that it is reactivated from 15/9/14 to 19/9/14 from 17.00BST to 03.00. BST

[warrior2035]

John, does that mean flares at night, maybe?