Herc's at CBG November 2023

[STN RAMP RAT]

99-5481 arr. 27th March 19. Bangladesh ex ZH883 (stored).
ZH888 arr. 8th December 20 RAF (stored).
ZH875 arr. 7th April 22. RAF (stored).
84006 arr. 6th July 22 Sweden.
ZH874 arr. 12th September 22 RAF (stored).
ZH878 arr. 19th December 22 RAF (stored).
ZH877 arr. 30th January 23 RAF (stored).
ZH872 arr. 9th February 23 RAF (stored).
ZH879 arr. 28th February 23 RAF (stored).
ZH866 arr. 20th March 23 RAF (stored).
ZH865 arr. 16th May 23 RAF (stored).
ZH869 arr. 24th May 23 RAF (stored).
84002 arr. 5th June 23. Sweden.
G-781 arr. 9th June 23. Netherlands.
ZH889 arr. 16th June23 RAF (stored).
B-536 arr. 19th June23 Denmark.
ZH868 arr. 20th June23 RAF (stored).
ZH871 arr. 21st June23 RAF (stored).
ZH867 arr. 28th June23 RAF (stored).
ZH870 arr. 28th June23 RAF (stored).
MAJ arr. 24th July 23 Qatar.
KC-3805 arr. 7th August 23 India.
409 arr. 11th August 23 South Africa.
169227 arr. 28th September 23 USMC.
505 arr. 16th October 23 Oman.
170037 arr. 23th October 23 USMC.
167111 arr. 6th November 23 USMC.
170039 arr. 10th November 23 USMC.
166473 arr. 29th November 23 USMC.

List updated on 29th November to add 166473 USMC which arrived today and to delete 168066 which departed today having arrived on the 18th October 2023.

[STN RAMP RAT]

List updated on 6th November to add 167111 which arrived this morning.

[STN RAMP RAT]

List updated on 10th November to add 170039 USMC which arrived this morning.

[BA77]

Evening Gents, there was a suggestion that 170039 may remain outside over the weekend after her arrival today? Can anyone advise if that is the case please ?

[Warren]

As of 10.30am Saturday 11th Nov 170039 BH is still outside

[fraserB]

Can easily been seen from the building site entrance.

Here is a precise what3words address, made of 3 random words. Every 3 metre square in the world has its own unique what3words address.

///hidden.speak.admit
https://w3w.co/hidden.speak.admit

[simongrigor]

Still outside on Sunday morning.

[eagle driver]

Reported to be still outside this morning is 170039
Nothing else out at 07.30.

[Halo]

There is currently a Bangladesh J outside. Just seen while passing.

Very long off picture, but looks like S3-AGH

[Trailspotter]

There is currently a Bangladesh J outside. Just seen while passing.

Very long off picture, but looks like S3-AGH

It is. BAF 99-5481, ex ZH883, apparently ready for pre-delivery tests.

[binbrook32]

Can anyone advise if this is still currently outside, and is there any sign of activity around it? Thank you.

[STN RAMP RAT]

I believe it was a couple of hours ago.

[Professor_M]

I believe it was a couple of hours ago.

It wasn't visible outside at around 1400 today.

409 South African was parked to the west end of the airfield (as usual), currently (as for the last couple of weeks) parked with nose pointing South(ish) so mildly good for photos.

Regarding 170039, this is still true...

Can easily been seen from the building site entrance.

Here is a precise what3words address, made of 3 random words. Every 3 metre square in the world has its own unique what3words address.

///hidden.speak.admit
https://w3w.co/hidden.speak.admit

[binbrook32]

Thank you both.

Saved me a wasted trip. From where is the South African C-130 photographable please?

[Professor_M]

Thank you both.

Saved me a wasted trip. From where is the South African C-130 photographable please?

Coldham's Lane, between Sainsbury's and the Toyota Garage. CB1 3FF.

[binbrook32]

Thank you Professor_M for your quick reply.

Good to know, I'll check it out if I get up there.

[RJB]

I made a bit of a rash decision to try for Cambridge after work (at LHR) yesterday afternoon (Thursday 16/11).

Got there just before the darkness closed in, but the airfield was covered in low cloud & rain, making visibility dreadful.

Saw what looked like a darker green C-130 among the RAF cluster pointing nose-out in a SE direction at approximately 52.208264, 0.171504. In the abysmal conditions I couldn’t get enough light to confirm if it definitely was the Bangladesh AF one (though it looked like it was).

Two C-130’s were outside the big western hangar. The one on the left was grey. Couldn’t see the tell-tale USMC code at the sharp angle I viewed it from, so assumed it was the Swedish one that arrived earlier. Position was approximately 52.205952, 0.168578

If anyone more local can confirm (or otherwise) the location of the Bangladesh and 170039, it would be very helpful (if only to finally put the whole sorry experience to rest!).

Thanks and Best Regards,

Richard

[Wobs58]

Richard

Not a local but this may help. Friday 17th at about 08:00 the Bangladesh C-130 was parked at 52.208878, 0.169804. This is the area behind the control tower and could be seen behind two ex RAF machines from the crash gate at the end of Church Road. It was dragged out for compass swinging which it was undertaking when I left at about 10:30.
170039 was approx 52.208878, 0.169804. I left before the Swedish arrived.

Wobs

[Professor_M]

I made a bit of a rash decision to try for Cambridge after work (at LHR) yesterday afternoon (Thursday 16/11).

Got there just before the darkness closed in, but the airfield was covered in low cloud & rain, making visibility dreadful.

Saw what looked like a darker green C-130 among the RAF cluster pointing nose-out in a SE direction at approximately 52.208264, 0.171504. In the abysmal conditions I couldn’t get enough light to confirm if it definitely was the Bangladesh AF one (though it looked like it was).

Two C-130’s were outside the big western hangar. The one on the left was grey. Couldn’t see the tell-tale USMC code at the sharp angle I viewed it from, so assumed it was the Swedish one that arrived earlier. Position was approximately 52.205952, 0.168578

If anyone more local can confirm (or otherwise) the location of the Bangladesh and 170039, it would be very helpful (if only to finally put the whole sorry experience to rest!).

Thanks and Best Regards,

Richard

Grey one was probably 409 SAAF, Swede was only a brief visitor earlier in the day.

[RJB]

Wobs & Professor M,

Thank you very kindly for taking the time to clarify the parking locations of the Bangladeshi & USMC C-130's.

I did indeed view that area (including from the crash gate). It was the first place I stopped. Saw everything. But the clag was so bad it was impossible to see markings on the cluster of Herc's.

One of those deeply frustrating spotting quandaries, when you know you've seen something but feel that it's fudging if you take it!!

Will retire to a weekend of nothing in my local mil dead-zone near LHR. But will keep an eye on what's happening at CBG and make sure I don't leave any later than 1300 next time, if undertaking an attempted mission.

Still need 170037 too. So plenty of reasons to keep monitoring things.

Thanks again gents.

Kind Regards

Richard