FighterControl

Having seen the photos of the Puma at Coningsby, also taken on Weds 19th it appears it was the day to get photos of RAF Helicopters out and about ! The weather in Lincolnshire appears to have been considerably nicer than it was in deepest Shropshire however!

Kukri 01 (ZA704) and Kukri 02 (ZA679) arrived at Sleap at approx 1535 for a pre-planned 'rotors running' fuel stop, on their way home from Warton, where they had been shooting approaches. Those nice chaps at Shropshire Aero Club also provided some MacDonalds take out for the crews as well !

Apologies for the grey background, but it truly was a claggy old day!

1-Kukri 1 and 2-Sleap-190225 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

4-ZA704 Chinook Kukri 1-Sleap-190225 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

09-ZA704 Chinook Kukri 1-Sleap-190225 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

14-ZA704 Chinook Kukri 1-Sleap-190225 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

15-ZA704 Chinook Kukri 1-Sleap-190225 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

16-ZA679-Chinook - Kukri 02-Sleap-190225 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

18-ZA679-Chinook - Kukri 02-Sleap-190225 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

22-ZA679-Chinook - Kukri 02-Sleap-190225 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

27-ZA679-Chinook - Kukri 02-Sleap-190225 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

28a-Kukri 01 and 02-Sleap Airfield-190225 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

31-ZA679-Chinook - Kukri 02-Sleap-190225 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

32-ZA704-Chinook - Kukri 1-Sleap-190225 by Jon Wickenden, on Flickr

These guys were actually returning from nearly two weeks spent at Leuchars, where they'd been part of Exercise Kukri Dawn (hence the call sign).

Great shots! And nice visitors to Sleap. Does anyone know why they prefer to drop in there instead of Shawbury? I've noticed a few other mil helos preferring to do this...

The airforce has a deal with Sleap which is very similar to the one they had with Eshott before Northumbria Council bowed to a local objector and stopped it.

Basically it comes down to economics

Ah think I saw these over Edinburgh funnily enough on Wednesday so probably them on the way home from Leuchars.....

Huh, there’s always one johnwickenden isn’t there….? Usually a Minister or a Teacher..
..

Great set, thanks for sharing
Pune