HL F-35's

[luke28]

Are they leaving Tuesday by chance? I've kind of lost track if their are currently any ROMA's at Mildenhall to drag them back.

Many Thanks

[pgcomputing]

ROMA77 departed back to the states on Thursday chickless

[Chris76]

Does anyone know if there is an update on departures for F35 HL tomorrow
Thanks

[luke28]

Couple of Facebook posts suggest tomorrow morning but I'm not sure if thats definate or presumption.

[JPXN458]

two Blues went into Mildenhall this morning, I beleive, but I have no idea what they are there for

[Davem245]

Roma 71 was a single kc135, so unlikely 2× kc10 will be dragging the F35., unless there are part of something else.

[luke28]

I thought that aswell but I'm pretty sure that two KC-10's took the two Vermont F-35's back a few weeks back. I guess we'll find out tomorrow, fingers crossed.

[rh226]

Luke,

It was 2x KC-135s (37992 and 80084) that took the VTs back.

There are two separate ALTRVs up for tomorrow, so 1x KC-10 for each. One of them has height blocks appropriate for Tornados. As for the other, your guess is as good as mine, but my instinct is that the HLs will not be involved (BLUE callsign instead of ROMA).

[luke28]

Thanks Bob, Well I've chanced it and got a hotel for the night so we'll see what happens

[slogen51]

Already mentioned that Roma 77 went home chickless on 16/6 but also significantly Roma 78 61-0276 went back to Lincoln Nebraska from Bangor on 18/6 according to https://www.ads-b.nl/

Although not conclusive according to https://www.ads-b.nl/ there has not been a Roma flight since Roma 78 went to home plate.

It is of course not impossible for a 100ARW tanker to fly as a Roma ## but I should have thought there would be a Roma somewhere on the eastern seaboard to take over?

Of course the ALTRV looks tantalising and hard to resist but would the stragglers coronet switch to Blue?

[TeeJay]

Luke,

It was 2x KC-135s (37992 and 80084) that took the VTs back.

There are two separate ALTRVs up for tomorrow, so 1x KC-10 for each. One of them has height blocks appropriate for Tornados. As for the other, your guess is as good as mine, but my instinct is that the HLs will not be involved (BLUE callsign instead of ROMA).

Hi Bob

Hope you are good

First altrv, the more northern one @FL250-270 suggests HL F35 but as you say no tanker at Mildenhall unless they use a based one but there is no return track on the altrv.
So maybe nothing will come of this one tomorrow

Second one agree on Tornado altitude and often BLUE is used for German coronets: two cells Luftwaffe Tornado to RF3-21 maybe? With the two KC10 BLUE61/71.

[luke28]

Im not really good with ALTRV's, what time do they suggest the tankers would take off from Mildenhall? (If indeed thats what they are for)

[Malcolm]

First altrv, the more northern one @FL250-270 suggests HL F35 but as you say no tanker at Mildenhall unless they use a based one but there is no return track on the altrv.
So maybe nothing will come of this one tomorrow

All conjecture, but....

Perhaps 100ARW tankers past 30W into Gander Airspace, rendezvous with stateside tankers, and after handing off the chicks the Mildenhall ones then climb to FL390 and RTB. They wouldn't need an ALTRV to RTB if they break formation in Gander Airspace and then return via a 'normal' flight plan.

If it all went belly up stateside the Mildenhall tankers would have to be capable of taking the chicks all the way. Might suggest as many as 3 KC-135s launching from Mildenhall. One for the initial drag to the oceanic boundary, then the two others onwards.

What could possibly go wrong

[Malcolm]

Im not really good with ALTRV's, what time do they suggest the tankers would take off from Mildenhall? (If indeed thats what they are for)

BALIX not before 11:22Z, which is 12:22BST. It's About an hour from Lakenheath to BALIX, so earliest launch is somewhen between 11:00 and 11:30AM. You might get a lie in and a full English

[TeeJay]

Im not really good with ALTRV's, what time do they suggest the tankers would take off from Mildenhall? (If indeed thats what they are for)

Depend where they are to rendezvous with chicks. And indeed depending on what the chicks are and where they are from. So a bit of a job to say.
But if the BLUE KC10 are for German Tonka, I’d guess first BLUE would be airborne around 10:30z. To meet start of the altrv timings. Assume second 30-60 minutes after.

I’m referring to G0237 Malcom referring to G0236 if it’s for HL of course. But tbh I can’t see them launching three K35 when the original plan was only one K35 in ROMA77.
But we shall see

[rh226]

Hi Trev,

All good thank you. Trust you are too?

My personal guess for the 1st one is for GAF EUFIs and, yes, to RF21-3.
______________

Luke,

It will be about 1h15m to 1h30m from Mildenhall to BALIX

Earliest times would be 1st ALTRV tanker 10.55-11.10BST and 2nd ALTRV tanker 11.45-12.00BST

[luke28]

Thanks chaps

[TeeJay]

Hi Trev,

All good thank you. Trust you are too?

My personal guess for the 1st one is for GAF EUFIs and, yes, to RF21-3.
______________

Luke,

It will be about 1h15m to 1h30m from Mildenhall to BALIX

Earliest times would be 1st tanker 10.55-11.10BST and 2nd tanker 11.45-12.00BST

All good here too, thanks Bob. Hopefully catch you at johns soon

[eagle driver]

Im not really good with ALTRV's, what time do they suggest the tankers would take off from Mildenhall? (If indeed thats what they are for)

Depend where they are to rendezvous with chicks. And indeed depending on what the chicks are and where they are from. So a bit of a job to say.
But if the BLUE KC10 are for German Tonka, I’d guess first BLUE would be airborne around 10:30z. To meet start of the altrv timings. Assume second 30-60 minutes after.

I’m referring to G0237 Malcom referring to G0236 if it’s for HL of course. But tbh I can’t see them launching three K35 when the original plan was only one K35 in ROMA77.
But we shall see

Info coming in saying German Tonka,s and Typhoon,s going stateside,
air spares into Lossiemouth also C-160 into Lossiemouth.

[TeeJay]

Cheers
Looks like Bob’s call with German Eurofighters for first altrv looks good then, HL F35 stuck here a while longer then