B1b RAF Fairford

[CJF0210]

B1 just approached Fairford visual South of Cirencester

[Wobs58]

Is the B-1 still outside?

TIA

Wobs

[robert harris]

As of 11:57 still parked in front of the B2 hangars, with U2 079 just about to depart.
Regards,
Robert Harris.

[Wobs58]

Thank you Robert.

[alarm1]

I saw it yesterday heading towards the runway. Is there a deployment at the moment? I can't find a link to it.

[Rubberneck]

Diverted in, so was an unplanned visit.

[alarm1]

Thanks Rubberneck.
Where did it come from?

[Supra]

From the USA with a tour via Stockholm Sweden where it performed a fly-over with a B-52 from CONUS also. I believe the Bomber pair were flanked by a Swedish Gripen each side to mark Sweden's entry into NATO.
There were enough AAR tankers to see the Bombers straight back to the US, so I guess the B-1 broke somehow? Most unusual!

[zero_gravity]

More on this here viewtopic.php?f=8&t=241329

[Jodelflyer]

Hi I always scared of sounding thick or stupid navigating this brilliant web site. How did anyone know of the existence of this topic in zero gravitys post above, must admit that I normally just go to the main FFD part of the this web site and wonder why there have been very little postings maybe I am looking in the wrong place. Any advice appreciated, thanks, Chris

[POL]

That is a very, very big can of worms.

In short, the forum is meant to be used with any movements for any airfield or bit of sky being in Heads Up & OTT. Once something is on the ground, its departure and/or arrival time and any other notes can be posted in the airfield's section.

[smokey707uk]

Any departure info for the B-1?

[Professor_M]

That is a very, very big can of worms.

In short, the forum is meant to be used with any movements for any airfield or bit of sky being in Heads Up & OTT. Once something is on the ground, its departure and/or arrival time and any other notes can be posted in the airfield's section.

Simply speaking - if the aircraft IS in the air and you are looking at it/listening to it on the radio when you post then it should be in heads up/ott, if it WAS in the air in the past then in the airfield logs section.

We appreciate that some may wish to post a ‘heads up’ in a particular airfield section regarding a live movement however this really should be posted within the ‘heads up/ott’ section at this time. The reasoning behind this is that aircraft still in the air can obviously transit many bases at one time. This could lead to, for example, a RAF Northolt flight shooting approaches at Brize, Valley, Waddington and then Lakenheath before returning to base. If live movements are then posted in each airfield section then that leads to 5 posts for the same flight along with a thread in ‘heads up/ott’ which covers the real time monitoring of the entire flight. This duplication of information can make it very confusing and there is no benefit to have 6 threads monitoring the same aircrafts flight.

The subject of splitting heads up/ott into a looser geographical organisation has been discussed in the past by the team and also with some members. Whilst it might help in some regards, the nature of an aircrafts movement around the country means a moderator would have to continually move the thread around the sections as the aircraft moves into them – something that just isn’t viable for a team that is all volunteers.

viewtopic.php?f=6&p=690454#p690454

[Goldstar31]

Any departure info for the B-1?

To use the proverbial "how long is a piece of string" analogy.....when it's fixed and if it requires AAR for its transatlantic trip that there's a tanker available

Cheers

Eccie

[raameagle]

It was actually the B-1s tanker that broke as I know somebody who should have flown in it. The B-1 then had to divert which was handy for those who needed it. I know of two people who needed 095 as their last B-1 so myself and Andy are both very happy that it did divert in (I read it off just before 1am this morning after driving straight there from Gatwick after landing from Spain!).
Regards
Mark

From the USA with a tour via Stockholm Sweden where it performed a fly-over with a B-52 from CONUS also. I believe the Bomber pair were flanked by a Swedish Gripen each side to mark Sweden's entry into NATO.
There were enough AAR tankers to see the Bombers straight back to the US, so I guess the B-1 broke somehow? Most unusual!

[Supra]

Thanks for the info' rameagle, however this opens another train of thought! If the B-1 was/is serviceable, why hasn't it filled-up with locally available fuel & gone home?
An extended crew-rest doesn't seem necessary on what was in effect just a GAPM? Just asking, not denying your source.

[RJB]

86-0095 EL B-1
Outside B-2 hangars
80-1096 BB U-2
Outside U-2 hangar

Both easily visible from road overlooking base.

Regards,

Richard

[raameagle]

Pass, but I have since been told that the fire engines met the Bone on arrival so maybe it is tech too. The tanker definitely broke though. My friend sent me a message from the base in ‘Scandinavia’ that he was at.
Regardless, I’m glad that it hadn’t departed!
Regards
Mark

Thanks for the info' rameagle, however this opens another train of thought! If the B-1 was/is serviceable, why hasn't it filled-up with locally available fuel & gone home?
An extended crew-rest doesn't seem necessary on what was in effect just a GAPM? Just asking, not denying your source.

[D1scafellpike]

For what it's worth, I watched it land. When it reached 27 end it turned off the runway and stopped and the front wheels were chocked. Three fire engines attended. I didn't pay much attention for the next few minutes but the chocks were removed by two fire crew before it taxiied to the front of the hangars followed by two fire engines.

[Alf]

Anyone able to confirm the B-1 is still there and outside? Hope to make it down there this weekend. Thanks.