The end of RAF Cottesmore!?!

[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?

[SteveS]

I think it may just mean closed on Fridays having looked up the codes....

Steve

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?

[SteveS]

Hang on, I'll post it in the main section...

[jagmadandy]

So does anyone know if 4 squadron will be disbanding on friday? will there be a flypast or much activity? as im planning a day off work to go down to cottesmore

thanks in advance,

Andy

[SteveS]

The NOTAM appears to, as suspected, suggest that Cott will be closed on Fridays until the new year at least. I thought most RAF bases were shut on Poets day anyway...

Steve

[Blackcat1]

Poets day havent heard that expression for years!! for our new members who perhaps didnt know the meaning (pee Off Early Tomorrows Saturday)

Most bases shut lunchtime-3pm on a Friday, gives the ground crews/maintenance guys to sort out any problems aircraft have so they can get back in the air on the following Monday.

Cheers