The end of RAF Cottesmore!?!

[Blackcat1]

What do you call 10 politicians at the bottom of the ocean????

A GOOD START!!!!!!!!

[das]

Well gents,

I know how the spotters & photter's among you are feeling! We lost both Wyton & Alconbury in close order, and i will tell you this...some 15 odd years later and you still look longingly at Alconbury approach for a headlight in the sky... not good

Ray

[rich71]

Speaking a little selfishly as a spotter (yes I know my views are not important here) why not swap and close Wittering instead of Cottesmore and Cotty be kept open?

From what I understand Wittering has to be returned to Burghley House Estates with the land in the same condition as it was before the base was built i.e parkland so if the MOD ever leave it, it will cost quite a bit of money to sort it out. I dont believe Cottesmore has the same problems so is therefore cheaper to close.

[Unknown74]

Sorry not being from that part of the World I wasn't aware of the Land Arrangements concerning places like Airfields.......

[cottesmore09]

Wont be long untill russia and other countries will get ideas!

I think the UK is getting worse off than what it was during the end of WII..

we will now have an even greater strain on the Airforce.

Atleast they could keep an Harrier airworthy for Displays would not take too much money surley?

Its ashame this is Happenig even though we all know Cottesmore has a great prospecta for Future RAF use. Also one of the best airfields for Photos to be taken

Will we be able to defend our island's if it comes to it?

What will be next?

[cottesmore09]

Speaking a little selfishly as a spotter (yes I know my views are not important here) why not swap and close Wittering instead of Cottesmore and Cotty be kept open?

From what I understand Wittering has to be returned to Burghley House Estates with the land in the same condition as it was before the base was built i.e parkland so if the MOD ever leave it, it will cost quite a bit of money to sort it out. I dont believe Cottesmore has the same problems so is therefore cheaper to close.

Yes you are correct about the Bughley estates and Wittering having to be returned to a field. But it would be used by the Army and with some tiny hope Cottesmore stays RAF?

[das]

I too had a tour around Cottesmore recently, and was told that the airfield will be on care & Maintenance again!

Ray

[headset 57]

Wont be long untill russia and other countries will get ideas!

I think the UK is getting worse off than what it was during the end of WII..

we will now have an even greater strain on the Airforce.

Atleast they could keep an Harrier airworthy for Displays would not take too much money surley?

Its ashame this is Happenig even though we all know Cottesmore has a great prospecta for Future RAF use. Also one of the best airfields for Photos to be taken

Will we be able to defend our island's if it comes to it?

What will be next?

Russia will not get ANT ideas at all!
They can't invade us and can only nuke us, for which we still have a deterrent, they would have had a pop years ago. That's why we're an island on teh edge of europe, everyone has to go through somebody else to get eher, inclusding the illegals...

[tonkatom]

The invading from enemies isnt the problem,we still have a number of more than capable fighter aircraft without the harrier,its the principle and pride that were losing with this country.Those harrier pilot just served over 5years in afghanistan fo this country and now being told there out of a job and home?wheres the fairness in that?
I do agree with the f-35 but at least lenghten the year of the harrier till at least 2015,also lets be honoust,the harrier isnt no spring chicken.Im not talking about the engine or the airframe.im talking about the name.It has been wioth us for many years but has been disbandend,with no respect or thought or dignity form the goverment as per usual.

[tonkatom]

So as we speak wittering is closing,moving the ariframes to cottesmore and then cottesmore will resume flying with all squadrons till march 2011?or the harriers are totally grounded till then?I thought they would have closed cottesmore then have final farewell at wittering being home of the harrier and all that!

[cottesmore09]

Thanks Andy for the Info,

Well its better than Cottesmore being shut straight away!

Care and Maintenance, does that mean Any operational aircraft can arrive for Maintenance and care, or just the base itself.

See what happens in 2015 then?

alittle , still feel sorry for the people at Wittering.

[roughcutter]

So if what's left of all the Harriers are now consolidating at Cottesmore then make the most of it guys, frequent the place as much as you can while they're still around...

MarkL

[Richard B]

From what i can gather the RAF as stopped flying the Harrier, just the Navy will fly them until early next year,
the RAF will disband from flying the Harrier end of this month.

[Blackcat1]

Check the SDR thread in the mess guys. 4 Sqdn and the Harrier with 41 Sqdn to disband next month. Harrier ops finished 31st March 2011 with 1 Sqdn RAF and the NSW disbanding according to the bmal website.

[Phoon]

Are they flying from Cottesmore tomorrow or is it still a shutdown?

[Richard B]

Other question to ask is how much will the Carriers cost and the JSF,
we are still many years away and every few years so far the price as gone up and the dates but back,

So in a few years time the costs will rise again as every project seems to do and the service dates will slip further,

[cottesmore09]

So as we speak wittering is closing,moving the ariframes to cottesmore and then cottesmore will resume flying with all squadrons till march 2011?or the harriers are totally grounded till then?I thought they would have closed cottesmore then have final farewell at wittering being home of the harrier and all that!

Take it from someone that is that close to RAF Wittering that I can confirm that since Tuesday at 13:30 Harrier operations at RAF Wittering have ceased. And that no Harriers have taken off or landed there.
How close to I live?
I live that close the center line of the 8 mile approach for Runway 26 when landing via PAR is right above my house.

Ref Cottesmore 2015 - IF and its a BIG IF it happens it could well become 1 Reg new home. And care and maintenance means the grass is cut, the runway is swept now and again. As far as buildings are concerned all the buildings are locked up and chained up.

These have both flown there last Harrier mission.
4(R)Sqn gone by next Friday along with 41(R)Sqn's 3 Harrier's based at Coningsby.

RAF Cottesmore (Don't you remember the un-written rule first in last out?)
1(F)Sqn to disband 31/03/11 will be given the honor of being the first ever and last ever Harrier squadron. As for its future after that at this time that is unknown.
800NAS to disband 31/01/11 will reform at a date yet to be confirmed as a F-35C squadron

I heard that the Harriers from Wittering are to be moved to Cottesmore on the 29th of this month, then to be dispanded there and then?

[garethbrum]

A very very good source tells me that nothing has been confirmed as yet. Both stations were stood down this week following the SDSR so nothing should be read in to that.

[cottesmore09]

Just to add a little caviat to the whole saga I just thought you would all like to know that there is a deed of covenant that stipulates that should the RAF wish to cease using Wittering they being the Govenment will have to pay for the site to be returned back to its former owners estate, and that is Bueleagh. And whats more after the ammount of nukes that have been there, and then decommisioned and all the other things spilt on the site, such as TNT and many other substances I fear that it will still be Cottesmore that will close first.

This is all open to conjecture, so if the writing is on the wall we will all know in due course.

I wish this wasnt happening as many good people are about to lose their jobs, and this is all Labours fault.
David Hibbert.

Witting is said to be closing as and RAF base before Cottesmore does, then to be used by the Army so the Goverment wont have to pay for it to be put back to basicly a field.

Cottesmore is suppost to be put into Care and Maintenance in November 2011 after the base is closed. But the Harriers may put out of service in December this year which may lead to both bases closing earlier.

Thanks, Cott09

[SteveS]

This NOTAM popped up this morning.

AD CLSD FRI. 26 OCT 07:22 2010 UNTIL 31 DEC 23:59 2010. CREATED: 26 OCT 07:29
2010

Am I reading this correctly?