Mallet Blow exercises ??

[F3]

Thanks Andy. I'm familiar with that. They actually had their reporter on the exercise in a Jag T2 on the last day. It was from his report that I learnt of the furball over Barnard Castle. It would seem from his report that on that occasion they did the route anti-clockwise.

[Andyph]

Thanks Andy. I'm familiar with that. They actually had their reporter on the exercise in a Jag T2 on the last day. It was from his report that I learnt of the furball over Barnard Castle. It would seem from his report that on that occasion they did the route anti-clockwise.

It was my recollection it was like a small MB so they probably did swap direction each day - don't remember anti clockwise though.

Ah yes - and is there an Air-Air pic of a Jag over Ferrybridge cooling towers in flight? my memory pushing near 40 years ago!

[F3]

Can't say I remember that Andy and think I would have as Ferrybridge is literally just up the road from me.

[Lossie]

Bought the Low Down guide which was brilliant and was a great source of info. Before that went to Spade a few times and air bases during Elder Forests etc and saw lots of great low-level airfield attacks - B-52 low-level attacks on Leuchars were particularly memorable.
Great to hear the memories from those days and see some of the photos and videos. Would love to see more videos and landlocked photos of some of the foreign participants - brilliant to see the Canadian Hornet shot. I commissioned an article on the 1986 Waddington TFM with contribution from aircrew and also an article by an RAF exercise planner about organising one of the big 1990s exercises. Both are in Aviation News, if anyone wants to know the issues drop me a PM and I can direct you.
Keep the memories and photos videos coming - is superb to see them and bring back memories from those days.

[Andyph]

Bought the Low Down guide which was brilliant and was a great source of info. Before that went to Spade a few times and air bases during Elder Forests etc and saw lots of great low-level airfield attacks - B-52 low-level attacks on Leuchars were particularly memorable.
Great to hear the memories from those days and see some of the photos and videos. Would love to see more videos and landlocked photos of some of the foreign participants - brilliant to see the Canadian Hornet shot. I commissioned an article on the 1986 Waddington TFM with contribution from aircrew and also an article by an RAF exercise planner about organising one of the big 1990s exercises. Both are in Aviation News, if anyone wants to know the issues drop me a PM and I can direct you.
Keep the memories and photos videos coming - is superb to see them and bring back memories from those days.

They certainly were the best of times to be out and watching low level.
The Canadians at MB 89/2 were a case in point - ten ship attack on the airfield and they looked like they were taking a far off track out of the range when they turned and came back and dived into the Alwinton valley just in front of us- turning low aircraft everywhere - just pure awesomeness. Like often in these situations you can only frame one aircraft in the camera when there are 9 others in sight and worth watching!
Mallet Blows At Alwinton were one of the few exercises or places where you would see other spotters. Otherwise it was a rarity to see someone else.
In the pre internet age It took a while to gain the knowledge that was in Lowdown . I did feel a bit sorry for the lads that didn't get past spotting at airfields - many of them just didn't know these things were happening and how visible and great they were - that's why I titled the first guide as "Unseen Airshows".So I'm glad you enjoyed lowdown - we were surprised how many we sold and what great feedback we got.

[Lossie]

I grew up in Aberdeen and for most of the 80s was too young to drive. Did give a little thought at the time to low level but there are hundreds of valleys in Scotland and not knowing the routes the thought was you could sit on a random hill for days and see nothing. Plus Lossie, Kinloss and Leuchars (which you could get to by public transport or sometimes go in the car with my brother) were so busy and had so many foreign visitors it was fantastic. Went to Rosehearty range to watch the F-111s one day as my brother had said it was great but the day I went the range was not open. Of course no access to Notams then.
Did see lots of low level attacks at airfields, the siren would go off on base and you'd know there was a raid inbound and you would get big formations of foreign fast jets attacking from various angles too. Remember watching the Hawks providing airfield defence for Leuchars and interceping some of the raids. I missed seeing the advert of Unseen Airshows at the time and I really wish I had. Happy days though.

[Blackcat1]

Was it only 30 aircraft only allowed into an LFA at any one time ? I remember just after New Year’s Day when I was kid & seeing 25 aircraft of all RAF types all over the place in my local area in the southern part of LFA7 during 2 minutes, they came from every direction ! You’re lucky to see that many over a few years now!

[Andyph]

Was it only 30 aircraft only allowed into an LFA at any one time ? I remember just after New Year’s Day when I was kid & seeing 25 aircraft of all RAF types all over the place in my local area in the southern part of LFA7 during 2 minutes, they came from every direction ! You’re lucky to see that many over a few years now!

30 was the limit for LFA7 - it varies for each LFA - I think for example LFA 17 (the Lakes) is 20 .

Did you go on the Highland Cardinal/ OSEX / Welsh Clerics gigs?

Was usually a Highland Cardinal as a FAC exercise near Rhayader for a week. Mainly for A-10s, Harriers Jaguars
Then OSEX (Offensive support Exercise) was larger and the Muds had to get through a CAP around Bala before heading to their targets-

The targets - rubber tanks were moved everyday and it was a bit of fun finding them during the first few attacks -

Russian Army T-72s advance in mid Wales by Andy Heap, on Flickr

[Blackcat1]

Was it only 30 aircraft only allowed into an LFA at any one time ? I remember just after New Year’s Day when I was kid & seeing 25 aircraft of all RAF types all over the place in my local area in the southern part of LFA7 during 2 minutes, they came from every direction ! You’re lucky to see that many over a few years now!

30 was the limit for LFA7 - it varies for each LFA - I think for example LFA 17 (the Lakes) is 20 .

Did you go on the Highland Cardinal/ OSEX / Welsh Clerics gigs?

Was usually a Highland Cardinal as a FAC exercise near Rhayader for a week. Mainly for A-10s, Harriers Jaguars
Then OSEX (Offensive support Exercise) was larger and the Muds had to get through a CAP around Bala before heading to their targets-

The targets - rubber tanks were moved everyday and it was a bit of fun finding them during the first few attacks -

Russian Army T-72s advance in mid Wales by Andy Heap, on Flickr

Yes used to visit Rhyader during Welsh Clerics/ Cardinal. Great memories of the Jags & Harriers. When those exercises were running we used to get smaller usually 2 day exercises up on Sennybridge with the A10s, Harriers & Belgian F16s on a couple of occasions . Always very low level profiles. Great days.

[Unknown74]

One disappointment I always had was on my father and I's trips South from Scotland to various Air Events we always stopped off in or at Otterburn but never really saw anything, I believe I once saw a 617 Sqdn Tornado nearby but not using the Range unfortunately.

[Andyph]

One disappointment I always had was on my father and I's trips South from Scotland to various Air Events we always stopped off in or at Otterburn but never really saw anything, I believe I once saw a 617 Sqdn Tornado nearby but not using the Range unfortunately.

Otterburn was rarely used for aircraft - it is mainly an army range.
Although it had two sets of targets for aircraft used in MB's
There was a armoured unit crossing a bridge - used the the Tuesday/Thursdays route
and the airfield target at the head of the croquet valley - you could see it from the hillock at Alwinton.
not sure what happened to the targets but they are long gone.

[F3]

Was it only 30 aircraft only allowed into an LFA at any one time ? I remember just after New Year’s Day when I was kid & seeing 25 aircraft of all RAF types all over the place in my local area in the southern part of LFA7 during 2 minutes, they came from every direction ! You’re lucky to see that many over a few years now!

I remember that Airex in the first week of the New Year which was either '79 or '80. I was at work doing site visits in York and a Phantom in the new Barley Grey camo went OTT. It was a Priory Exercise and may have been the one when a 29 Sqn Phantom crashed in Wensleydale. There is a pic of it in the Crowood book on the type. I could nt believe that they would schedule an exercise for 'Plough Monday' but things were different at the height of the Cold War.

[Blackcat1]

Was it only 30 aircraft only allowed into an LFA at any one time ? I remember just after New Year’s Day when I was kid & seeing 25 aircraft of all RAF types all over the place in my local area in the southern part of LFA7 during 2 minutes, they came from every direction ! You’re lucky to see that many over a few years now!

I remember that Airex in the first week of the New Year which was either '79 or '80. I was at work doing site visits in York and a Phantom in the new Barley Grey camo went OTT. It was a Priory Exercise and may have been the one when a 29 Sqn Phantom crashed in Wensleydale. There is a pic of it in the Crowood book on the type. I could nt believe that they would schedule an exercise for 'Plough Monday' but things were different at the height of the Cold War.

I wasn't born until 81 my experience was early 90s so probably Gulf war work up.

[F3]

In which case I'm stumped Gareth. As far as I recall the Gulf War work ups took place in late August/early September '90. I know for a fact as I witnessed one of them @ Leeming on a Saturday! It was unheard of for the RAF to fly on w/ends back then so we knew it was deadly serious. Thereafter there were so many assets in theatre that all scheduled exercises were cancelled and only restarted after the end of the Gulf War the following Spring, with Elder Joust which was really Elder Forest Light. Hence I'm at a loss to explain the air activity you witnessed but would take an educated guess that it was pre '91 and almost certainly earlier than you remember i.e. late '80s. In all likelihood one of the last Priory Exercises which we know took place at that time of year. Failing that it could have been a Station Taceval type exercise aimed at generating a 'maximum effort'.

[Blackcat1]

In which case I'm stumped Gareth. As far as I recall the Gulf War work ups took place in late August/early September '90. I know for a fact as I witnessed one of them @ Leeming on a Saturday! It was unheard of for the RAF to fly on w/ends back then so we knew it was deadly serious. Thereafter there were so many assets in theatre that all scheduled exercises were cancelled and only restarted after the end of the Gulf War the following Spring, with Elder Joust which was really Elder Forest Light. Hence I'm at a loss to explain the air activity you witnessed but would take an educated guess that it was pre '91 and almost certainly earlier than you remember i.e. late '80s. In all likelihood one of the last Priory Exercises which we know took place at that time of year. Failing that it could have been a Station Taceval type exercise aimed at generating a 'maximum effort'.

I think it was just a very busy 10 minutes in a part of LFA7 , as there were Dominies amongst the frontline jets I remember l. But they came from all directions , never saw a sight like that again .

[Blackcat1]

In which case I'm stumped Gareth. As far as I recall the Gulf War work ups took place in late August/early September '90. I know for a fact as I witnessed one of them @ Leeming on a Saturday! It was unheard of for the RAF to fly on w/ends back then so we knew it was deadly serious. Thereafter there were so many assets in theatre that all scheduled exercises were cancelled and only restarted after the end of the Gulf War the following Spring, with Elder Joust which was really Elder Forest Light. Hence I'm at a loss to explain the air activity you witnessed but would take an educated guess that it was pre '91 and almost certainly earlier than you remember i.e. late '80s. In all likelihood one of the last Priory Exercises which we know took place at that time of year. Failing that it could have been a Station Taceval type exercise aimed at generating a 'maximum effort'.

I think it was just a very busy 10 minutes in a part of LFA7 , as there were Dominies amongst the frontline jets I remember l. But they came from all directions , never saw a sight like that again .

[F3]

Sounds like a series of near misses then Gareth. Thought there was a one way system instituted for LFAs which was put in place after the Eden Valley mid air between a Jaguar and Tornado in which John Watts was killed back in the late '80s?

[Hymermobiler]

Was it only 30 aircraft only allowed into an LFA at any one time ? I remember just after New Year’s Day when I was kid & seeing 25 aircraft of all RAF types all over the place in my local area in the southern part of LFA7 during 2 minutes, they came from every direction ! You’re lucky to see that many over a few years now!

30 was the limit for LFA7 - it varies for each LFA - I think for example LFA 17 (the Lakes) is 20 .

Did you go on the Highland Cardinal/ OSEX / Welsh Clerics gigs?

Was usually a Highland Cardinal as a FAC exercise near Rhayader for a week. Mainly for A-10s, Harriers Jaguars
Then OSEX (Offensive support Exercise) was larger and the Muds had to get through a CAP around Bala before heading to their targets-

The targets - rubber tanks were moved everyday and it was a bit of fun finding them during the first few attacks -

Russian Army T-72s advance in mid Wales by Andy Heap, on Flickr

The Lowdown 10 point guide to finding FACs and their targets is probably still good today.

1) Read the Notams - Note the general area
2) Get to area early
3) Drive around looking for targets or a mast on a likely hill while waiting for first attack
4) Hope the FAC is a) awake b) Got his radio on the right freq
5) Scan all the freqs you have with as many scanners as you can muster until you have the strike prim freq
6) Listen to the 9 line briefing given by the FAC to the attacking aircraft
7) Decode and drive to the target Co Ords in 9 line as fast as you can
8) Arrive just in time for first pass if 1-6 was done well enough
9) Chat to the locals if its after the first day they will be only too happy to moan about the mess they are making of their fields
10) If all else fails follow an Army Land Rover out of Ex HQ theres a good chance hes going to the targets or FACs

Having said that Andy and I once followed an Army Land Rover for about half an hour from Ex HQ only for him to lead us quite a way from the targets. Probably going for the gaffers breakfast :-)

I bet Andy remembers we were driving to the first attack of the day with the scanners on and an aircraft gave his position relative to the target, the cogs in our heads started to turn and we both said that means hes here just as the jet overtook us very low with a huge roar. Great times, even better when you worked it all out from limited info

[Hymermobiler]

Ive put up a short video of Jags dodging smokey sams at wiley sike and setting the moor on fire here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVNRmjPQpRA

[Tiger-G]

Ive put up a short video of Jags dodging smokey sams at wiley sike and setting the moor on fire here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVNRmjPQpRA

Loving all the vid's

Don't ever worry about quality..... it's the historical value of them that's important. Keep posting them mate....they're much appreciated by all