Spadeadam 2011/2014

[toom317]

According to one Aviation Magazine, another Tac Blaze Helicopter Ex is due 14th to 28th, October, 2012 with the usual
Dutch Participants; Apaches Chinooks and Cougars, also the rumour mill has it that there is going to be a QWI Course with
Dutch Apaches. Has anybody else heard about this?

A couple of years ago there was an Apache QWI running with the Chins/Cougs on Tac Blaze. Hope this comes off as it is always a good trip down to see the action.

[markranger]

You should get teh German Tornado's on Range.

Mark.

[PeteHemsley]

You should get teh German Tornado's on Range.

Mark.

....and some Turks....

[dustybug]

By all accounts the turks went up there today they certainly went north from leeming twice!

[PeteHemsley]

They have been on twice daily missions at spade

[toom317]

Haven't seen them, but have certainly heard some unusual sounds overhead Hawick to the NW of Spade the last two days.

[johnhowe]

Ive had contact with one of the Thursday Boys, regarding yesterday the 27th, there were three (3) Turkish F16s on the range in the morning and a pair in the afternoon the callsign being used was Turkish Air Force sounded like 36 alpha, bravo, and charlie and 36 alpha and bravo in the afternoon. unfortunately all the flying was at 5,000 feet but they could be seen clearly.

On the range yesterday but operating around Berry Hill and to the north were an Apache, a Chinook, and a Lynx on trials.

Does anybody know how long the Turkish F16s are at Leeming?

[johnhowe]

http://xcweather.co.uk/forecast/gilsland" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Approx 2 miles SW of Spadeadam Wed/Thur this week fine and sunny.

[johnhowe]

As reported previously both the Polish & Turkish Air Force F16s having been conducting missions at Spadeadam info gleaned from RAF Leeming Logs for various dates.

[johnhowe]

The FACs that were active within the range last week, will be returning to Spadeadam for week commencing the 8th, October, towards the end of the week it is rumoured
that The Dutch will begin to fly into Carlisle for the TAC Blaze and Heli Course (BDSTM. HMHAG)

[johnhowe]

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/Operations/ ... nt-Warrior" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Mentions Spadeadam in the briefing.

AS mentioned in Catkins excellent report The Tornados on the range at 8.30am were German, I'm hopeing for a repeat performance tues/wed.

[johnhowe]

Notam for Tues 9th, through to Thurs 11th, October Additional Traffic will be operating between 0830am BST & 09.00am BST at D510 & D510A RAF Spadeadam SFC to 5500 feet.

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/About ... Events.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A quick resume of events. 23.10 to 2.11. Pashtun Sabre small Rotary Ex at Spadeadam and Otterburn with some FJ Activity in support.

Tac Blaze listed as 29.10. to 9.11.2012.

[johnhowe]

Notam for Tues 9th, through to Thurs 11th, October Additional Traffic will be operating between 0830am BST & 09.00am BST at D510 & D510A RAF Spadeadam SFC to 5500 feet.

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/About ... Events.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A quick resume of events. 23.10 to 2.11. Pashtun Sabre small Rotary Ex at Spadeadam and Otterburn with some FJ Activity in support.

Tac Blaze listed as 29.10. to 9.11.2012.

Nice set of photos from Tac Blaze 2012http://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... 16&t=69542

Tuesday the 9th, October, I arrived at Wiley Syke at noon to be greeted by 2 Tornado GR4s on a FRA knife edge pass over Wiley Syke at 250 feet. at 14.30pm a SF C130 appeared from the West flew over Berry Hill
banked hard right over 2nd layby again on another knife edge turn flew towards Hopealone Mast. C130 asked
by Spadeadam to clear the Range as Exercise traffic was due from the north, nothing turned up. The Notammed JW slot between 16.30 to 18.00 failed to materialise.

The early morning 8.30am slot was a single Typhoon (Havoc) he flew at about 24,000 feet only descended
low level once for a show of force over Berry Hill at 500 feet. this info from two local correspondents.

[johnhowe]

Wiley Syke Wed 10th, October, 2012 arrived at 8.40am two Tornados already on the Range at first the tornados were at high level doing EW, they changed the provile to diving on Targets between Prior Lancy
and the Workshops/Admin area after diving a steep climb out and back into a circular racetrack although high
clearly visible due to gin clear weather. THey were German Airforce Tornados.

These proviles went on with the tornados evading smokey sams for about an hour the parting shot was an ultra
low level Show of Force over Prior Lancey with a steep climbout with reheat engaged what a noise, on the Range for about an hour.

11am Another single German Airforce Tornado FRA directly over Wiley Syke, I think it must be the red and white caravan that presents itself as a ready target.

13.35pm Vermin (1 to 3) 3 RAF GR4s flew low level from direction of Kielder into Haltwhistle valley skirting
the range west of Hopealone flew towards Alston and reattacked from south to north and attacked R8 went
enroute, at the same time Saxon flight were flying north of Berry Hill towards White Preston.

15.20 Marham 26 exited the range RTB Home Plate.

It will be interesting to see what turns up at Spade for the 8.30am slot tomorrow.

Edit; I stayed overnight at Bush Nook Upper Denton, its high position affords a complete panoramic view of the whole of Spadeadam.
It is pricey at £40.00p B & B Single but has super facilities, an added feature is it attracts personell from a nearby Military facility.
There are a few Inns to get a good evening meal but probably the best is The Greenhead Hotel in nearby Greenhead 10oz Steak £15.00.
another interesting feature the locals work at a nearby military facility.

One interesting item I forgot to mention on Wed, as I was turning onto the A69 from The Spadeadam Road 2 Oshkosh Fuel Tankers turned
off the A69 heading towards Spadeadam.

[catkins]

Three GR4 Tornados seen flying lowish level over Colt Crag Lough area heading from NE (poss Brizlee Woods) towards SW Chollerford similar time to 13:35 ID of Vermin flight - sitting enjoying a lunch amongst trees at the time, camera kit to hand, plenty of sound but totally missed the photo op due to tree cover!! Much swearing as almost perfect conditions and a great location close-by. The three aircraft were flying about 30 seconds apart. Very quiet otherwise.

P.S. In reply to "what will turn up tomorrow early on" . . . rain, although hopefully it looks like it might be a bit later!!

[johnhowe]

Overheard in a local Inn close to Spadeadam was the interesting news that surveyors had been inspecting various parts of Spadeadam with
a view to building a hard standing and refuelling point for all the helicopters that use Spadeadam. This would cut out the need to use RAF
Leeming and Carlisle Airport.

[michael1970]

Would seem a sensible move instead of flying from Leeming to spade then off to otterburn for fuel and back to spade before departing Leeming.

[johnhowe]

A lot of radio traffic on Spadeadam ICF some sounded with propeller noise C130?. and foreign accents and I don't mean north of the border either.

http://www.scramble.nl/sis-sum.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Tac Blaze gets a mention.

[johnhowe]

Friday the 26th, October, popped round to Carlisle Airport, Dutch arriving fuller report on the Tac Blaze thread.

On radio as I arrived at Wiley Syke was a female in Marham 41 seemed to have confused Spadeadam for Otterburn.

Today was a quality day rather than a quantity day just 2 T2 Hawks & two C130s.

The two hawks Destroy 1 & 2. flew one low level FRA over Prior Lancy and headed northbound.

The first C130 was Norwegian callsign Norwegian 335 G flew medium level EW only glimpses of
low level east of Berry Hill departed after 20 minutes to home plate.

The second C130 was an RAF C130 Ascot 705 he flew so low on occasions I thought he was going to land and
do a Pembrey. On a couple of passes he was bracketted by smokey sams. As a spotter I have always had three
favourites Lighting, SR 71 and then the C130, its not very often you get to see an aerobatic display by the Pilot
of a C130. The last one was at Fairford I think it was 1986 when a Swedish C130 on arrival offered to commence
his display without authorisation the pilot looped and rolled the C130 of course the flying committee soon put a
stop to that.

Seen at Spadeadam on 1st, April.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cTOhQGdXaM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[warrior2035]

There is a photograph of today's Norwegian C130 dodging Smokey SAMs at http://www.Facebook.com/defencephotography" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;