Star of Waddington

[stevejb]

OK, so its another Cobra Warrior thread, but this time it's covering THE star - the Israeli 707 tanker. Taken on Monday, it launched into a dull grey overcast sky, although the picture makes the conditions look a lot better then they actually were.



Recovering via a pass at RAF Marham, it arrived overhead Waddington as the F15s arrived back giving a good view of the underside,



After all the fast jets had landed it then came in on a long approach





If you've got this far, here are a couple of bonus F15 shots and an Italian Typhoon breaking into the circuit.







Thanks for looking, comments and criticisms welcome

Steve

[Yammer]

Brilliant photos of the old KC707 - top draw aircraft and images

[paddyboy]

Hi Steve

Bet that 707 sounded awesome

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[BOLLO]

You want to get ip there today for the other one arriving.

[matt e]

nice set,especially #1

[Freeman Lowell]

Yes, nice photos.
Does anyone know what the circular ports ahead of the wing roots are for?
Freeman

[CHINOOKER]

Think the ports are possibly "Negative Pressure" inlet ports....The aircraft was originally built as a passenger aircraft,so differs from the KC135 conversions etc in this regard!.....The red outline around the ports probably has a "do not cover/block this port" decal on or adjacent to it if viewed close up!. However could well be proved wrong on this,only a closer view/photo will give a definitive answer

[Freeman Lowell]

A very plausible suggestion, but '264' doesn't appear to have these and won't be looking to do overshoots at Marham and Warton.
Are we sure '272' isn't taking holiday snaps?
Freeman

[T_J]

A very plausible suggestion, but '264' doesn't appear to have these and won't be looking to do overshoots at Marham and Warton.
Are we sure '272' isn't taking holiday snaps?
Freeman

They do look like camera ports.

https://live.staticflickr.com/3788/1256 ... 720e_b.jpg

[Supra]

Not that old 'smoke & mirrors' routine? Send a second tanker 707 covered in aerials (264) whilst all the time the alleged '272' is harmlessly doing multiple random visits to interesting locations for holiday snaps!
Paranoid?...not really, well they didn't shoot an approach into Linton did they?

[TAFFEVANS]

Not that old 'smoke & mirrors' routine? Send a second tanker 707 covered in aerials (264) whilst all the time the alleged '272' is harmlessly doing multiple random visits to interesting locations for holiday snaps!
Paranoid?...not really, well they didn't shoot an approach into Linton did they?

Linton’s closing so no need to

[Supra]

Good point! Those Special Op's Tucano's are so yesterday Tech' too!

[Vulcanone]

Hardly likely they need anything, the IDF/AF F-35s are probably Light years better than ours gadgets wise... Cloaking device on...

[T_J]

Looking back the history of 272 it was in service with Dubai Air Wing - United Arab Emirates as A6-HRM

You can see that the feature is present on this 1991 image.

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/58005

Feature not present when in service with British Caledonian.

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/6222296

So it appears that the fit was made when it was in service with the United Arab Emirates.

http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDos ... rial=53965

Starboard side of UAE A6-HRM showing the feature in 1993.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... 717543.jpg

[JAD01]

What a great aircraft the B707 was/is, super post.

[CHINOOKER]

Regarding my earlier post re 272, I showed a colleague at work who worked on B707s many eons ago and he believes that the "negative pressure port",i spoke of earlier is the ovoid one between the nose gear and the port in question!....think you can make out the area markings and decals in T_J's close up photo. With regard the port in question,it does have a large doubler/strengthening plate around it,so is definately some form of modification...either a viewing window or photo port. Looking at the original underside photo,it looks as both ports may be offset to each other?,although this could be down to camera angle/aircraft attitude.
Both ports are located in the underfloor cargo compartment,towards the rear bulkhead of that compartment....space there was not at a premium,so anyone in there would at best be kneeling/laying down. One thing we noticed,but cannot work out are the other three smaller ports,(outlined in red),below the main deck cargo door!. Aircraft has sustained some impact damage at one time or another,as that is some "scab patch" in the lower belly!
With regard to 272 being some sort of "covert spy plane",then surely this would have been known about for some time by our security forces....must be someone out there who must have had a closer look whist the aircraft was on the ground. Just my take on a rather interesting bit of kit!

[Blackcat1]

Can't beat a smokey 707! Other than a Smokey Phantom

[Sea_Harrier_FA2]

Regarding 264, this was in a charcoal grey colour in Jan 2018, does anyone know when it was repainted back to white?
Bob

[Dave934]

And the bump of the year award goes to.....