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17/09 - 23/09

A weekly feature bringing you the highlights of any interesting or unusual photos/movements from the week just gone.
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Flyingmonster
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Posts: 13588
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 4:16 pm
Location: Skipton, North Yorkshire

17/09 - 23/09

Post by Flyingmonster » Mon Sep 24, 2012 2:00 pm

This Weeks Highlights
17/09 - 23/09

Aircraft - Raytheon Sentinel R1 (BD700 Global Express)
Serial - ZJ691 (C/N 9123)
Operator - Royal Air Force (RAF) Squadron - 5 (AC) Squadron
Date and Location - 19/08 - Norwich International Airport (EGSH)

Further Information

The aircraft is one of 5 on strength with the RAF in Battlefield surveillance (ISTAR) Role with 5 (AC) Squadron. The Aircraft is a Bombardier Global Express jet, modified as an airborne battlefield and ground surveillance platform and is interoperable with other allied systems such as JSTARS and the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system. Powered by two Rolls-Royce Deutschland BR710 turbofan engines, the programme involved five aircraft and eight mobile ground stations (six on wheeled all terrain vehicles and two in air transportable containers), and a training facility at RAF Waddington. The first flight of the modified prototype was in August 2001, which validated the modifications required for the ASTOR system. The first production Sentinel R1 made its 4.4 hour maiden flight on 26 May 2004. The aircraft entered operational service with V (Army Co-operation) Squadron and flew its first operational sortie in Afghanistan in February 2009. The Sentinel cockpit has a centrally housed, pull-down screen capable of displaying a moving map, Link 16 datalink information and defensive aids subsystem (DASS) data. The DASS comprises a towed radar decoy, missile approach warning system and chaff and flare dispensers and can be operated in automatic, semi-automatic or manual mode. It is crewed by a pilot, a co-pilot, an Airborne Mission Commander (AMC) and two image analysts. Mission endurance are around about nine hours. While the image analysts can analyse the images on board the aircraft it is expected that, unlike the JSTARS, the actual battle management will occur on the ground. 5 Squadron was formed on 26 July 1913 at Farnborough and have been operating the R1 since 1 December 2008. The aircraft was present at Air Livery from the 19th August for a Re-spray.

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Keithnewsome
Aircraft - Antonov An-124-100 'Ruslan' (NATO reporting name: Condor)
Serial - UR-82029 (C/N19530502630)
Operator - Antonov ASTC (Ukraine) Division - Antonov Airlines
Date and Location - 18/08 - RAF Leuchars (EGQL)

Further Information

One of 7 AN124's opearted by Antonov Airlines, the aircraft is a strategic airlift jet aircraft designed by the Antonov design bureau in the Ukrainian SSR, then part of the Soviet Union. The An-124 is the world's second largest serially manufactured cargo airplane and world's third largest operating cargo aircraft, behind the one-off Antonov An-225 and the Boeing 747-8F. Externally, the An-124 is similar to the American Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but has a 25% larger payload, and instead of the Galaxy's T-tail, the An-124 uses a conventional empennage, similar in design to that of the Boeing 747. Up to 150 tonnes of cargo can be carried in a military An-124; it can also carry 88 passengers in an upper deck behind the wing centre section. The cargo compartment of An-124 is 36 m x 6.4 m x 4.4 m, ca, making it 20% larger than the main cargo compartment of C-5 Galaxy, which has a size of 36.91 m x 5.79 m x 4.09 m. However, due to limited pressurization in the main cargo compartment it seldom carries paratroopers, but has been used by the Russian's in this role. First flown on the 26 December 1982, the aircraft was introduced in 1986 and is crewed by 6, with a range of some 5,400 km. Antonov Airlines (a division of the Antonov ASTC) is a Ukrainian cargo airline. It operates international charter services in the world oversized cargo market. Its main base is Gostomel Airport near Kiev. The company also uses the only existing Antonov An-225 among its fleet. Among the most notable cargo delivered by Antonov Airlines are the following - An 88 ton water turbine for the Tashtakumska Hydroelectric Plant from Kharkov to Tashkent; A 102 ton locomotive from London, Canada to Dublin, Ireland and a 187.6 ton power plant generator from Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, Germany to Yerevan. Civil certification for the type was issued on 30 December 1992, amd over 40 are in service (26 civilian models with airlines and 10 firm orders in place) and 20 were in commercial use in 1998 in Ukraine, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Libya.

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Adamc8rd
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Adamc8rd
Aircraft - Lockheed LC130H 'Pride of Clifton Park '
Serial - 83-0490(C/N 382-5007)
Operator - United States Air Force (USAF) Squadron - 109th AW/ New York Air National Guard (NYANG)
Date and Location - 20/09 - Prestwick International Airport (EGPK)

Further Information

The Lockheed LC-130 is a ski-equipped United States Air Force variant of the C-130 Hercules used in the Arctic and Antarctic. The USAF currently have 10 of the type (In 2 versions) in service, Seven LC-130H-2's and Three LC-130H-3's. The primary mission of the LC-130 is supporting the scientific effort in Antarctica by transporting cargo and personnel from the McMurdo Station to field stations and camps, including the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. The aircraft are equipped with retractable skis that allow the aircraft to land on snow and ice as well as on conventional runways. All aircraft of the type have provisions for using jet-assisted-takeoff (JATO) rockets, four on each side of the fuselage, that are used when the type operates from rough, unprepared snow surfaces or when shorter takeoff runs are needed. Originally the expended rocket bottles were jettisonable, however, due to several accidents which occurred when a bottle detached from the aircraft during takeoff, the mounting provisions were changed so that the bottles could not be released in the air. Currently all LC-130 aircraft are operated by the New York Air National Guard and are based at the Air National Guard's facility at Schenectady County Airport. The LC-130 is the largest aircraft to be fitted with retractable ski-wheels. The main skis are 20 ft (5.1 m) long and 5.5 ft (1.7 m) wide. The nose ski is 10 ft (3 m) long and 5.5 ft (1.7 m) wide. The complete ski set weighs 2.8 tons (2.5 tonne). The original ski installation was first test-flown in 1957 and completed in 1958; twelve modified aircraft were delivered to the USAF in the first order. In its present form the C-130 ski-wheel modification is not a simple retrofit but rather a major modification of the gear and airframe. For aircraft bigger and faster than the C-130, ski modification seems unattractive and probably prohibitively expensive. The United States Air Force's 109th Airlift Wing (109 AW) is an Air Mobility Command (AMC) gained tactical airlift unit of the New York Air National Guard. The unit is located at Stratton ANGB/Schenectady County Airport, New York and operates both conventional C-130 Hercules aircraft and specially modified LC-130s used for Arctic and Antarctic transport and support missions. In addition to its combat airlift mission, particularly when placed in a Federalized status, the wing also provides domestic-related functions commonly associated with Air National Guard units, such as disaster or hurricane relief. The New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing brought home the Royal International Air Tattoo 2000's Concourse d'Elegance Trophy for the best kept aircraft in attendance at the show.

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Watson
Aircraft - Socata TBM-700B
Serial - 136-ABR (C/N 136)
Operator - French Army Light Aviation - (French Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (ALAT)) - Squadron - EAAT (Escadrille Avions de l'ALAT)
Date and Location - 20/09 - Ronaldsway International Airport (EGNS)

Further Information

The aircarft is one of 11 of the type in ALAT service in the VIP and Utility Transport Role. The SOCATA TBM 700 is a very high performance single engine turboprop light business and utility aircraft manufactured by SOCATA. The TBM 700 was offered until 2006, when the TBM 850 was introduced. Operated by a crew of 2, plus a capacity of 4-6 passengers, the aircraft has a range of some 2,813 km at a maximum speed of 593 km/h. The aircraft is constructed ofmainly aluminium and steel construction, but with the tail surfaces built of Nomex honeycomb and powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-64 engine delivering 700 shp (522 kW). First flying in July 1988, there are some 600 of the type in both civilian and military service across the world. Based at Rennes/Saint Jacques airbase, the unit is responsible for all of the ALAT (Both A and B versions) of the type. The Escadrille Avions de l' Armée de Terre (EAAT) is the fixed wing unit of the ALAT and equipped with a number of TBM700's and Cessna F406 Caravan II's (As fixed wing assets) in various light transport and surveillance roles. The unit makes up part of the 3 Regiments of the Escadrille Avions de l'ALAT that operate some 346 aircraft (Most of which are Helicopters) in various roles from surveillance to Anti Tank Operations. Since its creation in 1954, The ALAT has participated in almost all French military engagements and humanitaire aid deployments : the French Indochina War, the Algerian War, the Persian Gulf War of 1990-91, the Lebanese conflict, the war in Chad, the independence of Djibouti, the War in Somalia[disambiguation needed], operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Kosovo War, the Indoneisan occupation of East Timor, the Operation Licorne in Cote d'Ivoire, the humanitarian response to the December 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the War in Afghanistan and the 2011 military intervention in Libya.

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David K
Aircraft - Boeing C-32B
Serial - 99-6143 (C/N 25494/611 )
Operator - United States Air Force (USAF) Squadron - 150th SOS
Date and Location - 23/09 - Cologne International Airport (EDDK)

Further Information

The 150th Special Operations Squadron at McGuire AFB in the USA. The 150th SOS, based at McGuire Air Force Base, has 2 modified C-32B aircraft supporting specialist worldwide airlift operations. The Boeing C-32 is a military passenger transportation version of the Boeing 757 for the United States Air Force. The aircraft is also used to provide transportation for United States leaders to locations around the world. There are only U.S Air Force C-32B in existence although both aircraft have been associated with a multiple of registrations. The USAF have 8 of the type are in service (6 x C32A and 2 x C32B). The 2 C32Bs operated by the 150th SOS are the only U.S Air Force C-32B in existence although both aircraft have been associated with a multiple of registrations and identitys. These aircraft are fitted with a generic (non-VIP) interior and 48 comfortable seats. All luggage and cargo must be fitted into the rear of the main cabin (except for a small lower cargo hold that contains spare tires/wheels along with oil and hydraulic servicing units), the forward and aft lower cargo areas housing extended range fuel cells giving her a 6,000+ NM range (the longest range of any 757 in operation).[citation needed] They have frequently been associated with the Foreign Emergency Support Team of the U.S. State Department. The Aircraft are powered by 2 Pratt & Whitney PW2040 engines and has a top speed os some 605 mph (Mach 0.8). Operated by a crew 3-4 (varies with mission) these aircraft have become illusive since entering service in their specialist role.

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Olli.J
Aircraft - Boeing TC-135S (RC-135S Cobra Ball Training Aircraft)
Serial - 62-4133 (C/N 18473)
Operator - United States Air Force (USAF) Squadron - 55th AW/45th RS/OF
Date and Location - 22/09 - RAF Mildenhall (EGUN)

Further Information

In 1985 a EC-135B (Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft) was modified into a TC-135S for use as a training aircraft for the RC-135S crews to enable them to train with the different aerodynamic effects from standard aircraft. This was due to the loss of a RC135T 'Rivet Dandy' Aircraft on on 25 February 1985 in Alsaka. The Aircraft (55-3121) crashed in Alaska during a training mission with the loss of all on board. KC-135T 55-3121 was modified to RC-135T Rivet Dandy configuration in 1971. The TC-135S, although a matching copy of the Cobra Ball aerodynamically, does not carry any mission equipment. The RC-135S Cobra Ball is a measurement and signature intelligence MASINT collector equipped with special electro-optical instruments designed to observe ballistic missile flights at long range. The Cobra Ball monitors missile-associated signals and tracks missiles during boost and re-entry phases to provide reconnaissance for treaty verification and theater ballistic missile proliferation. The aircraft are extensively modified C-135Bs. There are three aircraft in service and they are part of the 55th Wing, 45th Reconnaissance Squadron based at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Cobra Ball aircraft were originally assigned to Shemya and used to observe ballistic missile tests on the Kamchatka peninsula in conjunction with Cobra Dane and Cobra Judy. The Boeing RC-135 is a family of large reconnaissance aircraft used by the United States Air Force to support theater and national level intelligence consumers with near real-time on-scene collection, analysis and dissemination capabilities. Based on the C-135 Stratolifter airframe, various types of RC-135s have been in service since 1961. Many variants have been modified numerous times, resulting in a large variety of designations, configurations, and program names.

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Zymurgy661
Aircraft - Bombardier Global Express E11A
Serial - 11-9358 (C/N C/N 9358)
Operator - United States Air Force (USAF) Squadron - 653rd ELSW/653rd ELSG
Date and Location - 22/09 - RAF Mildenhall (EGUN)

Further Information

Based on the BD-700-1A10 Global Express business jet, the aircraft is one of 3 currently equipped with a Battlefield Airborne Communications Node that have bee fielded in Afghanistan in support of ongoing operations in the country. The aircraft, first used in the Thertre in 2008, the BACN system is an Internet-Protocol (IP) based communications relay and information server that links radios and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems for US Department of Defense networks. As such (and when flown at altitude - see following), BACN extends the range of line-of-sight radios, while its "forward edge tactical server" provides real-time access to situation awareness, surveillance, imagery and network management information for air- and ground-based units. Functionally, BACN is remotely controlled from the ground and its airborne executive processor assembles and manages ad-hoc IP networks and acts as a bridge between heterogeneous tactical data and voice networks. Waveforms and radios supported include SINgle Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS), Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA), Enhanced Position Location Reporting System (EPLRS)/Situation Awareness DataLink (SADL), 'Havequick' I and II, Link 16, amplitude and frequency modulated. The 3 aircraft, which the Air Force had been leasing but then decided it purchase them, are as follows 11-9355, 11-9001 ansd 11-9358. Two Global Hawk Block 20's have also had the BACN System introduced to help support the effort. The 653d Electronic Systems Wing (653 ELSW) is a wing of the United States Air Force located at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts.The Units Mission is to acquire, deliver and sustains Air Force and Joint systems to include communications, intelligence and airspace management capabilities supporting AF Global Continuous Operations. Additionally, the wing provides engineering and integration to optimize delivery of net-centric capabilities to warfighter for effects-based combat operations and support. The wing serves 9 major commands, 4 Services, 7 Combatant Commands (COCOM), 14 national agencies, and NATO. The Wing was activated in April 2006 at Hanscom Air Force Base to replace the Network Centric Operations and Integration Systems Wing.

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Dinger
Aircraft - Shorts Tucano T1
Serial - ZF511 (C/N S154/T125)
Operator - Royal Air Force (RAF) Squadron - QinetiQ/ETPS
Date and Location - 19/09 - RNAS Yeovilton (EGDY)

Further Information

The Aircraft adorned in the old red and white training scheme, is operated alongside another Tucano (ZF510) from MOD Boscombe Down. The Short Tucano T1 (S.312) is a two-seat turboprop basic trainer used by the Royal Air Force. It is a licence-built version of the Brazilian Embraer EMB-312 Tucano, and is also used by the air forces of Kenya and Kuwait.The Short Tucano was developed by the Northern Irish Short Brothers company in order to meet a requirement to replace the Jet Provost as the basic trainer for the RAF, as laid down in Air Staff Target 412. It is an adaptation of the Embraer EMB-312 Tucano fitted with the more powerful 1,100 shp (820 kW) Garrett turboprop engine in place of the EMB-312's 750 shp (560 kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 engine, to give higher climb performance. The aircraft differs somewhat to the Embraer including a strengthened airframe, a new cockpit layout similar to the Hawk advanced trainer, a four-bladed propeller, as opposed to three-bladed, a Ventral airbrake and restyled wingtips and also the fitting of Martin-Baker MB 8LC ejection seats for both crew. The aircraft are used for Spin testing, various Air-to-Air work and instrumented flying. The ETPS (Empire Test Pilot School) currently operates a varied fleet of Aircraft (Aérospatiale Gazelle, Agusta A109E,BAC One-Eleven, BAe Hawk, Beagle Basset, Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet, Hawker Siddeley Andover,North American Harvard, Short Tucano, Westland Lynx and the Westland Sea King) from its base at Boscombe Down. The Empire Test Pilot School is a British training school for test pilots and flight test engineers of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft and was established in 1943 as the first school of this type. ETPS is run by the MoD and defence contractor QinetiQ under a long-term agreement and uses the Motto "Learn to test; test to learn". It was established in 1943, the first of its type. The school moved to RAF Cranfield in October 1945, to Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough in July 1947, before returning to Boscombe Down on 29 January 1968.

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Azure Magpie
Aircraft - Lockheed F-16AM Fighting Falcon x 6
Serial - 15103 (C/N AA03)
15104 (C/N AA04)
15107 (C/N AA07)
15113 (C/N AA13)
15115 (C/N AA15)
15116 (C/N AA16)
Operator - Portugease Air Force (PoAF) (Portugease - Força Aérea Portuguesa, FAP)- Squadron - Esq 201/301
Date and Location - 17/09 - RAF Leuchars (EGQL)

Further Information

The PoAF currently has some 29 AM and 6 BM on strength in the Fighter Aircraft role with 201 Sqn. "Falcões" (Falcons) and 301 Sqn. "Jaguares" (Jaguars) at Air Base No. 5 (BA5) in Monte Real, Leiria. The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,500 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976. The F-16A (single seat) and F-16B (two seat) were initial production variants of the Type. These variants include the Block 1, 5, 10 and 20 versions. Block 15 was the first major change to the F-16 with larger horizontal stabilizers. It is the most numerous F-16 variant with around 475 produced. Bought as a Replacement for the Air Arms ageing A7 Corsairs, the aircraft have gone through a signicant upgrade programe to bring them up to both AM and BM standards. The Fighting Falcon is a fighter with numerous innovations including a frameless bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while maneuvering, a seat reclined 30 degrees to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot, and the first use of a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire flight control system that makes it a highly nimble aircraft. The F-16 has an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and 11 locations for mounting weapons and other mission equipment. The F-16's official name is "Fighting Falcon", but "Viper" is commonly used by its pilots, due to a perceived resemblance to a viper snake as well as the Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper starfighter. The PoAF was formed on July 1, 1952, with the Aeronáutica Militar (Army Aviation) and Aviação Naval (Naval Aviation) united in a single independent Air Force, it is one of the three branches of the Portuguese Armed Forces and its origins dates back to 1912, when the military aviation began to be used in Portugal, later leading to the creation of the Army and Navy's aviation services. Two Units operate the type, 201 Squadron "Falcões" (Esquadra 201) was reactivated in 1993 and recived its first F16 in 1994, and 201 Squadron "Falcões" (Esquadra 201) who recieved their first F16 in 2005.

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Np1991
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Np1991
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Aadamc8rd
Aircraft - Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet E
Serial - E171- 705/RZ (C/N E171)
E75 - 705/AE (C/N E75)
Operator - French Air Force (FAF) French - Armée de l'Air Squadron - EAC00.314
Date and Location - 19/09 - RAF Linton On Ouse (EGXU)

Further Information

The Armée de l'Air have 120 Alpha jets on strength in the Advanced Training aircraft. The Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet is a light attack jet and advanced trainer aircraft co-manufactured by Dornier of Germany and Dassault-Breguet of France. In the early 1960s, European air forces began to consider their requirements for the coming decades. One of the results was the emergence of a new generation of jet trainers to replace such aircraft as the Lockheed T-33 and Fouga Magister. The British and French began a collaboration on development of what was supposed to be a supersonic jet aircraft in two versions: trainer and light attack aircraft. The result of this collaboration, the SEPECAT Jaguar, proved to be an excellent aircraft, but its definition had changed in the interim, and the type emerged as a full-sized, nuclear-capable strike fighter, which two-seat variants were used for operational conversion to the type, not for the general training. This left the original requirement unfulfilled and so the French began discussions with West Germany for collaboration. A joint specification was produced in 1968. The trainer was now subsonic, supersonic trainers having proven something of a dead end. A joint development and production agreement was signed in July 1969 which indicated that the two nations would buy 200 machines, each assembled in their own country. The aircraft come from the Ecole de l'aviation de chasse (EAC) 00.314 which is responsible for training student fighter pilots and weapons systems officers destined to become the crews of combat aircraft of the Air Force and French Belgian Air Component. The unit is sometimes reffered to as the Advanced Jet Training School (AJeTS) based at BA705 Tours in France.

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Flyingmonster
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Flyingmonster

Thats all for this week :thumb:
Cheers

Boo boo (aka Jamie)

'The first time I ever saw a jet, I shot it down!' - Yeager

balamorybuzzed
Posts: 1545
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2011 1:50 pm
Location: St Andrews

Re: 17/09 - 23/09

Post by balamorybuzzed » Mon Sep 24, 2012 2:31 pm

Excellent informative work as usual Jamie, grand to see Leuchars in the hi-lights package again this week! :D

Mikey

Flyingmonster
Moderator
Posts: 13588
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 4:16 pm
Location: Skipton, North Yorkshire

Re: 17/09 - 23/09

Post by Flyingmonster » Tue Sep 25, 2012 1:11 pm

balamorybuzzed wrote:Excellent informative work as usual Jamie, grand to see Leuchars in the hi-lights package again this week! :D

Mikey
Many Thanks Blackmike! :thumb: :thumb:
Cheers

Boo boo (aka Jamie)

'The first time I ever saw a jet, I shot it down!' - Yeager

Gleedaniel13
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 11:50 am

Re: 17/09 - 23/09

Post by Gleedaniel13 » Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:13 pm

That was very amazing planes to look for. I am dreaming to become a pilot someday.

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