Days out around the South

Post by **mikee115** » Fri May 14, 2021 9:44 pm

Evening all,

As it was a bank holiday weekend I decided to take the rest of the week off and travel around a few bases and places in the South.

It all started on the 1st May with a trip down to see the HMS Queen Elizabeth depart Portsmouth on its first operational deployment leading a Carrier Strike Group.

HMS Queen Elizabeth Portsmouth 1st May 2021 (31) by Mike, on Flickr

HMS Queen Elizabeth Portsmouth 1st May 2021 (16) by Mike, on Flickr

Royal Navy, RAF and USMC personnel

HMS Queen Elizabeth Portsmouth 1st May 2021 (21) by Mike, on Flickr

With the pandemic in India worsening, two Indian Air Force C-17s arrived and departed RAF Brize Norton after collecting ventilators.

Indian Air Force C17 Brize Norton May 2021 (5) by Mike, on Flickr

Indian Air Force C17 Brize Norton May 2021 (8) by Mike, on Flickr

5th May saw the departure of a BT-67 Basler from Southampton, back to Humberside after a period of maintenance

BT-67 Basler Southampton Airport May 2021 (5) by Mike, on Flickr

BT-67 Basler Southampton Airport May 2021 (9) by Mike, on Flickr

After that departure a quick visit to the SPTA catching a RAF Puma departing a FARP

RAF Puma SPTA May 2021 (3) by Mike, on Flickr

Down to Somerset on Thursday 5th for some more helo action. I wasn't disappointed with a pair of 658 SQN Dauphins making brief visits to RNAS Yeovilton along with locally flying Wildcats. A first for me were a pair of Royal Norwegian Air Force Merlins flying at Yeovil.

658 Sqn Dauphin RNAS Yeovilton May 2021 (1) by Mike, on Flickr

Wildcat RNAS Yeovilton May 2021 (5) by Mike, on Flickr

Wildcat RNAS Yeovilton May 2021 (8) by Mike, on Flickr

Royal Norwegian Air Force Merlin Yeovil May 2021 (21) by Mike, on Flickr

Royal Norwegian Air Force Merlin Yeovil May 2021 (15) by Mike, on Flickr

Friday 6th and out to RAF Brize Norton and RAF Fairford to see RAF heavies and the two U-2s returning after their missions.

RAF A400 Brize Norton May 2021 (4) by Mike, on Flickr

RAf Chinook Brize Norton May 2021 (2) by Mike, on Flickr

RAF Fairford U2 May 2021 (1) by Mike, on Flickr

RAF Fairford U2 May 2021 (5) by Mike, on Flickr

RAF Fairford U2 May 2021 (3) by Mike, on Flickr

Thanks for looking. All C&Cs welcome.

Mike