Coningsby Exercise History

[reaper493]

Evening chaps.

Cogs have started turning on another book project, this time for Coningsby.

Looking for information on any exercises and detachments in the past 20-30yrs, maybe even 40 if it was special.

From memory/my photos I've got the following -

Cobra Warrior 23-1 - Saudi Typhoons.
Cobra Warrior 2017 - Luftwaffe Tornado and Typhoon.
Cobra Warrior 2018 - Luftwaffe??
Indradhanush 2015 - Su-30Mki
2009 - LN 493rd working with 3 Sqn - Any name from the exercise or was this a TDY?
2010 - French Rafales, short visit, what were they hear for?

2021 - Italian Tornado to use the ranges.

???? Saudi Tornado and Typhoons previous visits, at least one if not two prior to CW?

Captain has also provided these that I wasn't aware of

Swedish Gripens, Danish F-16s, Luftwaffe F-4 (test wing?), Spanish Typhoons....


Anyone able to fill in the blanks or have anything to add?

Cheers

Mike

[mdobuk21]

Norwegian F16s August 1994 and May 1997

[rebel14]

Hi Mike

The Norwegians in 1997 were for Brilliant Foil.

Exercise Green Flag in 2013 for the Saudi Typhoons and Tornados

French Navy Crusaders in 1994 on exchange with 29 Sqn

Spanish Mirage F1s with Harriers from Cottesmore in July 2001.

Also some ACMI traffic, I remember FAF Mirage 2000 once when Waddington was closed and E3s were operating out of Coningsby

Just outside of your time frame but 1989 saw Swedish Viggens on a week long stay

[reaper493]

Wow - all of those sound rather special, do you have any images from any of the above?

[rebel14]

Yes, I will have somewhere apart from the Viggens, before I could drive unfortunately

[reaper493]

If you're able to locate them, and happy to share I'd love to see them - currently in the research and image collation phase so early days.

Cheers

Mike

[roughcutter]

Most of these will likely be in BARG archives, but from what I can recall off the top of my head, July 1985 a pair of Italian F-104s deployed (which later following weekend turned up in the static at the IAT Fairford).
Other's that I can think of are; May 1988 CAF CF-188s, August 89 Swedish AF Viggens, June 92 CAF CF-188s, August 92 (93?) 57th FIS F-15s, and August 1994 FN F-8E Crusaders (sorry, no photos of them I'm afraid, they were departing as I arrived).

[Yorker]

Around 8 July 1971 4 Canadian Starfighters.

104668,104770,104776,104862.

Maybe an exchange with one of the based Phantom squadrons.

[3Greens]

Hi Mike,
got German RF-4E from Akg.51 for starters who brought 6 jets on exchange with 41 Sqd in April 1976.
Have a real selection of F-104's and F-4F's from Germany, and F-104's from Canada, Italy and Denmark with some on base visits during squadron exchanges.
Viggens, F-16's from Holland,
got a few to go at mate
best regards
Keith (3Greens)

[MKR]

Hi Mike
I think the 493rd F-15’s were at Coningsby because Lakenheath were having some runway repairs .
I don’t know about 2010 but on the 11th of may 2012 4 French Rafales and 2 Dutch F-16’s turned up for 3 squadron’s centenary event .
This was a Friday and they left the following Monday.
Hope this helps.
Mike

[Vulture 01]

Reaper,
I've visited Coningsby a few times over the years, first off when they had Phantoms. I've some images if you might want them. Drop me a pm with dates and types and I'll see what I might find for you.