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Log at Valley 5/5/21

Please post movements and activities to do with RAF Valley here.
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Neil-Mercia
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Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 11:42 am

Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Neil-Mercia » Wed May 05, 2021 8:46 am

Walked along the beach at 6.20am on Texan ramp
ZM324/26/27/28/29/30/31.
In hangar ZM325/32/343 on left side
ZM340/41/42 on right side.
Helicopter ramp ZM498/500 they did not come out till later
Hawks ZK012/19/23/25/27/28/30/32/35.
Hope this helps fellow spotters Texan hangar was closed up at again at 6.55am
Neil.

Doughnut
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Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 10:21 am

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Doughnut » Wed May 05, 2021 10:27 am

Anybody able to help with advice for viewing at RAF Valley ?
Planning to drop in a couple of times over the summer months and would appreciate some help.

I can see from FR24 that most days about a dozen aircraft are active each day
What is the earliest they usually start flying and depending on the wind direction is there a good place to stand and photograph departures
Understand training flights varies with some aircraft departing to RAF Mona but what are the photo opportunities / locations like at Valley ?
Do most aircraft return for a lunch break and fly again in the afternoon ? Assume NOTAMs will identify late evening night flying. Any locals have a rough idea of these times ?

Thanks in advance. Paul

Neil-Mercia
Posts: 126
Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 11:42 am

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Neil-Mercia » Wed May 05, 2021 12:01 pm

Hi Paul if you follow the road round from the Main gate to the sand dunes
You will come to a crash gate you can park there for take off and landings
You can see the Texan and Hawk ramps and walk through dunes for better
Views and helicopters.
Neil.

Red Dragon
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Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Red Dragon » Wed May 05, 2021 1:36 pm

Deleted post
Last edited by Red Dragon on Wed May 05, 2021 1:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all...

Red Dragon
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Location: On the sofa, with a JD & Coke

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Red Dragon » Wed May 05, 2021 1:44 pm

Doughnut wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 10:27 am
Anybody able to help with advice for viewing at RAF Valley ?
Planning to drop in a couple of times over the summer months and would appreciate some help.

I can see from FR24 that most days about a dozen aircraft are active each day
What is the earliest they usually start flying and depending on the wind direction is there a good place to stand and photograph departures
Understand training flights varies with some aircraft departing to RAF Mona but what are the photo opportunities / locations like at Valley ?
Do most aircraft return for a lunch break and fly again in the afternoon ? Assume NOTAMs will identify late evening night flying. Any locals have a rough idea of these times ?

Thanks in advance. Paul
Most days ***weather dependent*** they will go up anytime from 0800. Flying will finish (again dependent on pilots/ weather etc) if all goes to plan last flight should land about 1700-1800. Also keep in mind that some pilots do "land aways" so they might not return until the following day.

As for photo opportunites, 31 end (rhosneigr end) and 13 end (holyhead end) are the best locations. If you go to the 31 end, if you turn to your left you can walk all the way along the beach to 13 end. However, be aware of high tides that can close you off, adders in the sand dunes AND the fact that every so often, beware where the fenceline is, as the sand will obscure the fence at some locations, so beware of where you tread.

"Lunch breaks" tend to be somewhere between 1200 - 1400.

As for parking, you can park on the common land (31 end), there (drive down the track between the golf club overflow car park and the golf club its self) however beware that some cars have had problems with the road having potholes.

Parking at 13 end is available, however it is a rather narrow road with high bushes along it, and there have been over the years a few collisions of boy racers/ photographers zooming around corners to meet head on with cars/ pedestrians/ horse riders around the corner.

As for Mona, if you drive into the Industrial estate, drive to the far end you'll see an access cate (not a crash gate) where you can photograph from, but to be honest, Valley is better location.

As for the crash gates, make sure you park clear of the crash gates at all times.

Ant other questions feel free to ask and if i know the answer I'll tell you :-)
If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all...

100arw
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Location: North East

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by 100arw » Thu May 06, 2021 9:23 am

A very nice and helpful reply.
It is such a shame the "resident" Aviation Society are not as helpful.

Red Dragon
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Location: On the sofa, with a JD & Coke

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Red Dragon » Thu May 06, 2021 11:06 am

100arw wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 9:23 am
A very nice and helpful reply.
It is such a shame the "resident" Aviation Society are not as helpful.
Shame you don't know us then.
If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all...

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Ianto31
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Location: Caernarfon, Gwynedd

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Ianto31 » Thu May 06, 2021 11:42 am

100arw wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 9:23 am
A very nice and helpful reply.
It is such a shame the "resident" Aviation Society are not as helpful.
bit of a bold statement :@

CHESTER_DRAWERS
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Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 8:48 pm

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by CHESTER_DRAWERS » Mon May 10, 2021 9:21 pm

Im not so nimble on my feet (permanent crutches) would you recommend the 31 end please Red Dragon ?

thanks in advance

CD

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Ianto31
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Location: Caernarfon, Gwynedd

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Ianto31 » Wed May 12, 2021 5:52 am

CHESTER_DRAWERS wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 9:21 pm
Im not so nimble on my feet (permanent crutches) would you recommend the 31 end please Red Dragon ?

thanks in advance

CD
Hi, i'd say yes and no. You can drive down the track to the end of the runway and still have a good vantage point as they come over you to land.
I say no because to get even closer it is fair walk to either side to get an even better view. Also the when the tide comes in, it near impossible to walk over and then becomes boggy.

With you saying you are on crutches, i'd say stay by your car, the jets do come quite close overhead.

Hope this helps. :thumb:

Ian (VAS)

Red Dragon
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Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Red Dragon » Wed May 12, 2021 2:16 pm

CHESTER_DRAWERS wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 9:21 pm
Im not so nimble on my feet (permanent crutches) would you recommend the 31 end please Red Dragon ?

thanks in advance

CD
Hi Chester, Ianto has given you the perfect explanation :thumb:

Red Dragon (VAS)
If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all...

CHESTER_DRAWERS
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Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 8:48 pm

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by CHESTER_DRAWERS » Wed May 12, 2021 8:08 pm

Thanks Guys - much appreciated

Dick Johnston
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Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2014 3:02 pm
Location: South Wales

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Dick Johnston » Thu May 13, 2021 2:25 pm

A quick question if I may - which end of the Texan hangar do they open? ... or, in other words, where is the best place (co-ordinates if possible) from which to look into the open hangar?

Many thanks.
DickJ

Neil-Mercia
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Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 11:42 am

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Neil-Mercia » Thu May 13, 2021 3:20 pm

Hi, Dick
The hangar opens towards the sea, best viewed from sand dunes along the beach you have to be early 6am
sorry no co-ordinates its all in my head.
Neil.

Dick Johnston
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Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2014 3:02 pm
Location: South Wales

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Dick Johnston » Sat May 15, 2021 9:38 am

Thanks Neil - that's what I suspected but thought it worth a check. Cheers.
DickJ

Dick Johnston
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Location: South Wales

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Dick Johnston » Tue May 18, 2021 3:31 pm

Using the info kindly provided above, I made the trip up to Valley from South Wales in the early hours of this morning. Hangar was opened on the dot of 0600 and was closed again at 0653 as soon as the last of 8 had been towed out on to the line.

Those towed out were, in order: 328, 332, 330, 329, 326, 324, 331 and 327 leaving still in the hangar 325 in front slot on the left with I think one behind (there were definitely at least two more on the left but the last one towed out (327) came from the left and the cover was pulled down over the hangar front as soon as 327 had cleared the door line so I couldn't recheck how many were still there. First one out (328) came from the first slot on the right allowing 342 to be read in the next slot with another two behind it. There was insufficient light in the hangar to see or read serials for these. From the first post in this thread, I think I can assume that 343 was the one on the left and 340/341 were the other two on the right as they are unlikely to have moved.

The only one not noted (323) was also not reported on 5 May - are any of the locals able to confirm the whereabouts of 323? My guess would be across on the main site under maintenance.

By about 0745 Jupiters 496 and 498 were out on the SAR ramp.

DickJ

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teeonefixer
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Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by teeonefixer » Mon May 24, 2021 3:04 pm

Interesting report, thanks.
I doubt very much the remaining Texan was on the far side. The Hawks are operated and maintained under the HIOS contract with BAE Systems, the Texans are run separately

MartynClem
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Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by MartynClem » Sat Jun 05, 2021 9:42 am

Noted on Tuesday 1st June inside through the open Affinity hangar door:

343 was on the right, still carrying G- reg.
340, 341 and 342 were on the left as looking from the end of the runway. Large codes on front fuse, couldn't see enough of the rear fuse to see if carrying ZM or G-. None of these 4 emerged from the hangar over our 2 day stay.

No sign of 323 either.

Red Dragon
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Location: On the sofa, with a JD & Coke

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by Red Dragon » Sat Jun 05, 2021 11:18 pm

I *think* that 323 is the squadron hangar queen? I'm not at my main PC at the moment (I work away from home) but 323 is rarely seen at all.
If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all...

nichnt
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Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:24 pm

Re: Log at Valley 5/5/21

Post by nichnt » Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:53 am

I’m planning on visiting tomorrow & appreciate all the info provided above. Just to note as I type ZM323 is plotting over the lakes on plane finder.

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