Did you know that registration to Fighter Control is completely free and brings you lots of added features? Find out more....
R.I.P.
R.I.P.
I think the very sad sight of Wattisham dump from 1975 may have appeared in previous forums, but I've dusted mine off
and here they are - with a few of happier days included :-
Binbrook 1972
XP696 - the mount of Fl.Lt. Peter Chapman after a great days performance at Finningley B-O-B September 1974
25th June 1975 - a very premature and ill thought out exercise
I think my old mate was assessing if we could get it in the van ... sadly not
Note the JG71 Richtofen zaps on the 111Sqd aircraft
This Canberra B(1)8 XM275 ex 16 Sqd was also dumped
Sadly this old Varsity T1 WL628 was due a visit by the fire crews for practice
Our RAFP driver was proud to show off this old Meteor T7 VZ634 buried in the undergrowth
This was the immaculate Gate Guard F1a XM192 K 111 Sqd - saved from the axe and now thankfully preserved in Lincolnshire
and pictured in a separate post.
Cheers
Keith
and here they are - with a few of happier days included :-
Binbrook 1972
XP696 - the mount of Fl.Lt. Peter Chapman after a great days performance at Finningley B-O-B September 1974
25th June 1975 - a very premature and ill thought out exercise
I think my old mate was assessing if we could get it in the van ... sadly not
Note the JG71 Richtofen zaps on the 111Sqd aircraft
This Canberra B(1)8 XM275 ex 16 Sqd was also dumped
Sadly this old Varsity T1 WL628 was due a visit by the fire crews for practice
Our RAFP driver was proud to show off this old Meteor T7 VZ634 buried in the undergrowth
This was the immaculate Gate Guard F1a XM192 K 111 Sqd - saved from the axe and now thankfully preserved in Lincolnshire
and pictured in a separate post.
Cheers
Keith
Re: R.I.P.
This season, I'll be mostly wearing........A THONG!
Re: R.I.P.
Very interesting set of photo's.
Steve
Steve
- garyscott
- Posts: 3158
- Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:34 pm
- Location: DONT trust Atoms . . . . they make up everything . .
Re: R.I.P.
"...tissue please........"
Re: R.I.P.
I wonder why so many F3's were scrapped rather than upgrade to F6 standard as many others were - the Phantom and the start of the reduction in Lightning air defence squadrons?
As always, wonderful pictures Keith
As always, wonderful pictures Keith
My completed model builds......http://www.flickr.com/photos/52328347@N02/sets/
Re: R.I.P.
Sad but there's something strangely beautiful about your set of images. I don't quite know why though, perhaps it's the fact they're all sitting with their undercarriage retracted as though they're trying to get back in the air! Who knows, cracking stuff anyways.
- triplexxxf2
- Posts: 542
- Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 3:53 pm
Re: R.I.P.
Nice set Keith
Myself and Dave T sneaked in the back way but got caught took to the guardroom asked what where we doing told em it all, then both escorted back to the flight line to photograph the 23/56 sqdn lightnings lovely silver lightnings
What happened on there is another story
Terry
Myself and Dave T sneaked in the back way but got caught took to the guardroom asked what where we doing told em it all, then both escorted back to the flight line to photograph the 23/56 sqdn lightnings lovely silver lightnings
What happened on there is another story
Terry
Re: R.I.P.
oh dear..... get the kleenex!!
Great shots of these monsters
thanks for posting.
Great shots of these monsters
thanks for posting.
Re: R.I.P.
Very,very nice. They are great shots.
The Meteor is now at Newark but the Canberra & Varsity were scrapped at Wattisham !
The Meteor is now at Newark but the Canberra & Varsity were scrapped at Wattisham !
- roughcutter
- Posts: 2111
- Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 4:47 pm
- Location: Widnes, Cheshire
Re: R.I.P.
Wonderful set of pictures Keith, I wouldn't mind betting at the time of your visit (apart from feeling priviledged to be able to wander around this graveyard), the thought "could I put a bid in for one of these birds?" entered your head? I know that is what I would have pondered on, knowing full well that it could never happen... priceless moments.
Thanks for sharing them with us.
MarkL
Thanks for sharing them with us.
MarkL
Re: R.I.P.
Thanks for comments chaps. It was a sad experience. For what ever reason I think it was 'rushed' through without any joined up thinking!
Its surprising how big Lightning 'lumps' actually are... but we did come away with a few small panels for the memory.
Keith
Its surprising how big Lightning 'lumps' actually are... but we did come away with a few small panels for the memory.
Keith
Re: R.I.P.
Kind of reminds me of breaking into (ahem, accessing ) Doncaster BREL to snap pics of the Deltics being broken up. Still have some piston bits at home. Don't know where they came from?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/truly55/sets" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- Blackcat1
- Posts: 24773
- Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:06 pm
- Location: Southern edge of the Brecon Beacons, South Wales
Re: R.I.P.
Classic pics! remember my one and only time at Wattisham, in the early-mid 90s on a Friday afternoon, saw a Hawk do a touch and go, then it went quiet so left for Bentwaters only to find out if i had waited 15 minutes, i would have seen 8 Phantoms return on one of their last ever sorties!! totally gutted, didnt have a scanner in those days you see
Gareth
6 Sqdn Canopeners
Oculi exercitus
Blackcats remembered
Jaguar Force Excellance! 2nd July 07.
6 Sqdn Canopeners
Oculi exercitus
Blackcats remembered
Jaguar Force Excellance! 2nd July 07.
Re: R.I.P.
Oddly enough, I remember that Meatbox over by Crashgate 2, 9 years later in '84 when I first started attending complete and in seemingly better nick. I believe it was with the AIr Scouts, before it went up to Newark, and it was in the company of a couple of camoflaged F.1's, XM139 was one from memory and the other '147? Open to correction there, ended up on the ranges. Would that be the same area that they used for dumping the Phantoms? If so, somebody shoved an industrial estate in the way of those lovely open Suffolk fields, and I've got a ton of pictures that I aught to get around to scanning and posting of early '90's carnage.
- airfixpilot
- Posts: 862
- Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:10 pm
- Location: Sth killingholme, Nth Lincolnshire. Home of the OIL Refinerys: LOL
Re: R.I.P.
How sad , that a great aircraft like the lightning, ended up like this.
WATCHING & LISTENING IN LINCOLNSHIRE
Keep Calm & Carry On, Stay Positive & Chill.
Chill to Military Airband in the background with a coffee & Biscuits.
Listening into airband on the east coast of Lincolnshire.
David
Keep Calm & Carry On, Stay Positive & Chill.
Chill to Military Airband in the background with a coffee & Biscuits.
Listening into airband on the east coast of Lincolnshire.
David
Re: R.I.P.
Keith,
Which is the Lightning that appears to have caught fire? All I can see is XR7..
Tim S
Which is the Lightning that appears to have caught fire? All I can see is XR7..
Tim S
Re: R.I.P.
It looks like XR711,I might be wrong thoughVulcanone wrote:Keith,
Which is the Lightning that appears to have caught fire? All I can see is XR7..
Tim S
This season, I'll be mostly wearing........A THONG!
Re: R.I.P.
I think XR711 was the jet that failed to get airborne a few years before and sank back onto the runway IIRC.
Wheres my Lightning books when I need them.
TS
Wheres my Lightning books when I need them.
TS
Re: R.I.P.
I think you're spot on Tim. Dug the old note book out and I think we I/D it from large underwing serial. It had the JG71 badge on the nose which
identified it as ex.111 Sq. and I think the remainder of the fin might have been chucked over the other side of the wreck - I've got a note of code 'A'
The Varsity was coded 'X' ex. 5 FTS Oakington ?
Cheers
Keith
identified it as ex.111 Sq. and I think the remainder of the fin might have been chucked over the other side of the wreck - I've got a note of code 'A'
The Varsity was coded 'X' ex. 5 FTS Oakington ?
Cheers
Keith
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 65 guests