avatar_nev

Rafales at RAF Coningsby (pic heavy)

Started by nev, June 17, 2010, 01:30:36 PM

Previous topic - Next topic
Print
Go Down Pages1 2
User actions

nev

June 17, 2010, 01:30:36 PM
Due to a bereavement I was off work today, so to chill out and clear my head I decided to go and sit in the sun at "Fighter-Town UK", which turned out to be a good choice :)  As I drove past the pan, what do I see but 3 French Rafales sat in the morning sun!  :thumbsup:  Never seen them in the flesh before so understandbly excited at the prospect.  And not just me, because judging by the constant stream of airborne visitors, word had got around...

Of course CBY wouldn't be CBY without the Tiffie, and we were treated to the usual steady stream


A 19 squadron Hawk dropped by, and after a quick fuel stop he was on his way again - note the dual CBLS, something I didn't notice when taking the pics


A couple of Beagles also did a circuit (terrible pic :( )


More Typhoons..


All the times I have been to Coningsby and I have never ever ever seen the resident 41 Squadron Harriers fly!  Not today, today I got both!


And I will never get used to seeing a "Huey" in RAF colours (yes, I know its not really a Huey)


One of the treats of the day was seeing the BBMF silver Spitfire IX practicing its display routine, glistening in the bright sunshine.  Wonderful


A couple of King Airs were also circuit bashing in between the Tiffies


Due to my poor skills and not that good camera I struggle to do decent airborne shots, but I am well chuffed with this one :)


Having been treated to the silver spit, the camo Mk.II came out to play later and did the same practise display routine :)
Between almost-true and completely-crazy, there is a rainbow of nice shades - Tophe


Sales of Airfix kits plummeted in the 1980s, and GCSEs had to be made easier as a result - James May

nev

#1
June 17, 2010, 01:31:15 PM Last Edit: June 17, 2010, 01:33:34 PM by nev
Harrier comes back..


And then the Typhoons started to launch in numbers


Now Typhoons rarely use reheat when taking off, something about the noise and it has so much thrust it doesn't really need it.  But today, I dunno if it was the Frenchies being there and showing off, but there were 6 or 8 reheat takeoffs :D  1st one came as a bit of a shock though, nearly missed it!








Seeing repeated vertical take-offs =   :wub:
Between almost-true and completely-crazy, there is a rainbow of nice shades - Tophe


Sales of Airfix kits plummeted in the 1980s, and GCSEs had to be made easier as a result - James May

nev

#2
June 17, 2010, 01:31:46 PM






I love this one - purely by chance I managed to catch it just as the pilot lit the burners :)



The 100 squadron anniversary Hawk also dropped by.  Didn't get a decent air to air, but caught him on the pan before I went home.


A final treat was the Mk.IX Spit returning from somewhere just as I started the engine to go home


Ah, "but what about the Rafales?" I hear you cry.  Yes, well.  Hmmm.  They sat on the apron all day.  And sat.  And sat.  Then some linies crawled all over them for a few hours, they even lit their engines for a good hour, but then they turned them off again.  And continued to sit there.  When I left the latest rumour was that they were going to take-off at 1700, but by then I was burning in the sun and had to get off, and there was no guarentee they would even fly at all. 

So here they are, three frenchies taunting me.  Apparently my mother was an 'amster and my father smelled of elderberries.

Between almost-true and completely-crazy, there is a rainbow of nice shades - Tophe


Sales of Airfix kits plummeted in the 1980s, and GCSEs had to be made easier as a result - James May

Aircav

#3
June 17, 2010, 02:12:51 PM
Great photo's Nev, especially love the Rafale and the Bell 412.  ;D
"Subvert and convert" By Me  :-)

"Sophistication means complication, then escallation, cancellation and finally ruination."
Sir Sydney Camm

"Men do not stop playing because they grow old, they grow old because they stop playing" - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Vertical Airscrew SIG Leader

Army of One

#4
June 17, 2010, 02:20:19 PM
Awesome photos......I'm looking forward to Biggin Hill at the end of the month,going on the Sunday. Heavy French presence meant to be there...not the reason I'm going though....to see all the spits and maybe feed the stash.......sssssh!  ;D
BODY,BODY....HEAD..!!!!

IF YER HIT, YER DEAD!!!!

Mossie

#5
June 17, 2010, 02:57:05 PM
Sorry to hear about the circumstances Nev. :( As far as distractions go this was hard to beat, quite a mix of flying stuff & you got some great photos. :thumbsup:
I don't think it's nice, you laughin'. You see, my mule don't like people laughin'. He gets the crazy idea you're laughin' at him. Now if you apologize, like I know you're going to, I might convince him that you really didn't mean it.

Glenn Gilbertson

#6
June 17, 2010, 03:53:27 PM
Great pictures - thanks for sharing them. :thumbsup:

Thorvic

#7
June 17, 2010, 04:34:19 PM
Nice photos Nev  :thumbsup:
Project Cancelled SIG Secretary, specialising in post war British RN warships, RN and RAF aircraft projects. Also USN and Russian warships

Cobra

#8
June 17, 2010, 09:00:14 PM
Thanks for Posting,Nev :thumbsup: :thumbsup: "Fighter Town,UK"? Why do i get the Feeling You've Watched Too Much TOP GUN ;D ;D Stay Cool & Thanks again for posting Such Cool Pics :cheers: :cheers:Dan

nev

#9
June 19, 2010, 01:04:04 AM
Thanks all.  And if you want to see some proper good pics of the day (plus some flying Rafales!) try this

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=211322&st=0&gopid=2005545&#entry2005545
Between almost-true and completely-crazy, there is a rainbow of nice shades - Tophe


Sales of Airfix kits plummeted in the 1980s, and GCSEs had to be made easier as a result - James May

Mossie

#10
June 19, 2010, 06:23:43 AM
Hang on a minute, that Tiffies just tossed a nuke on Sleaford (look on the bottom edge)!!! :wacko: :wacko: :wacko:

Quote from: nev on June 17, 2010, 01:31:15 PM



I don't think it's nice, you laughin'. You see, my mule don't like people laughin'. He gets the crazy idea you're laughin' at him. Now if you apologize, like I know you're going to, I might convince him that you really didn't mean it.

BlackOps

#11
June 19, 2010, 06:54:04 PM
Some great pics Nev!  :thumbsup:   I think you did a great job, photos of moving aircraft can be a real bugger.
Jeff G.
Stumbling through life.

ChernayaAkula

#12
June 21, 2010, 01:25:01 PM
Pfft! Looks like you got a better airshow for free than what we got at ILA and had to pay for. :lol:

Jolly nice pics!  :thumbsup:
Cheers,
Moritz

Must, then, my projects bend to the iron yoke of a mechanical system? Is my soaring spirit to be chained down to the snail's pace of matter?

nev

#13
June 23, 2010, 10:03:07 AM
Quote from: ChernayaAkula on June 21, 2010, 01:25:01 PM
Pfft! Looks like you got a better airshow for free than what we got at ILA and had to pay for. :lol:


You're not wrong Moritz, it really is like a free airshow - especially when you get the BBMF or display Typhoon practising their routines (repeatedly :D )
Between almost-true and completely-crazy, there is a rainbow of nice shades - Tophe


Sales of Airfix kits plummeted in the 1980s, and GCSEs had to be made easier as a result - James May

Ian the Kiwi Herder

#14
June 23, 2010, 10:13:08 AM
I am so cheezed that you saw all that and I didn't !!!!  :banghead:

Will get my shift-list to you this week, ao we can plan some Men-without-kids-or-wives-quality-time sometime very soon. Great pics, matey  :thumbsup:

Ian
"When the Carpet Monster tells you it's full....
....it's time to tidy the workbench"

Confuscious (maybe)
Print
Go Up Pages1 2
User actions