RAF Apaches in Canada?

[goates]

I know I am a guest in this forum, but figured it was the right place to ask my question below.

My dad and brother have been noticing a lot of RAF military activity here in Calgary recently. The most recent thing they were sure they saw was an Apache, a couple of fighters, a C-17 and a some C-130s. My question is, are they conducting training exercises at CFB Suffield? We're used to seeing the RAF Tristars and C-130s flying in and out, but don't get many C-17s, and definitely no Apaches. They're kind of hard to miss from the rugby club house across the road from the airport and almost underneath the approach path.

Thanks in advance.

goates

[jayteeto]

RAF Apaches???? Ha Ha ! ! Not yet.... Not yet.....

[teeteringhead]

But before the scuffers in the Pool get them Jayteeto!!:ok:

[goates]

Interesting. Maybe my brother did miss identify the helos he saw, but he does know what an Apache looks like.

Thanks again,

goates

[Gary Astazu]

Goates, Don't send your Brother to the Optician yet!! Its just that our junior service (the RAF) doesn't own any Apaches! They belong to Her Brittanic Majesties Army Air Corps.

Hussar - The Corps :}

[goates]

Sorry for the mix up. Got talking about RAF aircraft with my brother and dad, and completely forgot that the Apaches would be under the Army Air Corps.

I have always had an interest in all things military, and specifically things that fly. Since our government closed the local base, all we get to see now are the fancy British toys, usually coming through on their way to Suffield.

goates

[Mr C Hinecap]

Don't put yourself down, goates. It is common sense that Apache should have the RAF roundel on it. :E

[Pie Man]

GA

We may be junior but we can spell 'Britannic'. :D :D :D

Pie

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

"Goates, Don't send your Brother to the Optician yet!! Its just that our junior service (the RAF) doesn't own any Apaches! They belong to Her Brittanic Majesties Army Air Corps."

And rumour has it that of the 60 odd purchased they have finally managed to get 4 working:rolleyes:

Hussar - The Corps :p ....blah blah

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[Im Lost]

ABIW,

I didn't think it would be long before you took the thread off at a tangent! 'Gutsy move Mav' in the current political environment. If you speak to the Leeming boys and the locals of Yorkshire they are pretty fed up with the arrival of the 24 hour Apache (as there are certainly more than 4 flying from the sound of it).

Don't worry ABIW, your day will come when AH falls into the same melting pot as the Harrier mates did and all helos go to a Joint Rotary Force or some other acronym.

Goatey,

I think that the Apache are over with you conducting some Operational Evaluation and having a look at the area for future use (I would imagine that Salisbury Plain in UK is far too small to effectively train with this capability as a pair, let alone in any Combined Arms or Joint collective training scenario).

As to RAF/Army roundels, spelling of Britannic or shouting 'Hussar' - quite frankly I don't give a damn as long as the aircraft and crews can do what it is advertised to do.

[owe ver chute]

I'm very surprised that the Apaches got out of the country without it being posted on here.
OPSEC must be improving!

[gul]

It is amazing that RFC and RNAS aircraft had RAF roundels painted on them before 1st April 1918!

Personally, I think that it is quite generous of the RAF to display the Army and Navy roundel on their aeroplanes and ensign :E

[Whipping Boy's SATCO]

They might belong to the AAC but I am led to believe that the majority are still parked at an RAF station.

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

Those that are'nt still in boxes.........at another RAF Station:p

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[ZH875]

They might belong to the AAC but I am led to believe that the majority are still parked at an RAF station
Those that are'nt still in boxes.........at another RAF Station :p


I take it that the first location is RAF Shawbury, the other RAF station name escapes me for the moment. Is it:

Boscombe Down - Belongs to QinetiQ
Wattisham Airfield - An AAC Flying Club Emporium
Dishforth Airfield - Another AAC Flying Club base

[DeepC]

One of those Apaches was hovering low over one of Sandy, Bedfordshire's worse estates. I thought that Beds police had given up on issuing ASBOs and opted for a slightly more lasting solution!

I've no idea what it was doing there. Perhaps it got lost in the heavy rain and was looking for DISC Chicksands.

Great to see. I forgot that recent UK military procurement hardware could operate in the rain.

DeepC

[DeepC]

There are some pictures of said UK Apaches in Canada on the Rotorheads around the World Thread in 'Rotorheads'.

DeepC

[cuthere]

Two Apaches flew out of Brize in the back of a C-17 either at the start of last week, or the end of the week before...can't remember EXACTLY when. They came to Brize from Dishforth where they've been n/flying until 02/0300 local most (week)nights. I think the C-17 flew direct to Goose Bay.

[MrBernoulli]

goates

If you're still with this thread (it has gone off at something of a tangent with the RAF/AAC rotary banter), there are a lot of UK military folk on exercise in Canada at the moment. Lots of wide open prairie land near Medicine Hat to go and play wargames in. Happens fairly regularly. Allows us to go west occasionally insted of east to those miserable desert places that fill the news so much. One needs to occasionally wallow in western culture to shake off the influence of heat, humidity and camels!

[brit bus driver]

And having had the benefit of Calgarian hospitality a number of times throughout the play-offs, one ought to add........GO FLAMES GO!

But can you please finish the job without going to OT - it's awfully late/early here!

[goates]

I've seen several RAF transports come through before, but was a little surprised to hear about some Apaches after reading other threads in here (I am a bit of a lurker in this forum).

Somebody has to come use our wide open military bases, especially CFB Suffield. We certainly don't need all of it. I believe you guys get to use it for free as part of the deal in which we got your Upholder boats. I did know about the British Army operating there, I was just curious about the Apaches.

A couple of years ago one of the British Army unit's rugby team played my brothers team here. I won't mention who won... :E

brit bus driver - You're not the only one wishing they wouldn't go into overtime. I think the number of heart attacks is going to increase Monday if they do it again. If anyone happens to be here on Monday, you should head down to 17th Ave, or the Red Mile as it is now known.

Thanks again,

goates

[MrBernoulli]

Was down the Red Mile after the second game. Everyone happy and the Flames had lost! Wouldn't want to live around that end of Calgary during the hockey or Stampede season though.

[BEagle]

brit bus driver - hope you and your CF colleagues have a good flight back to Trenton! It was most useful to have learned a bit more aboooooooot the way you operate, eh? ;)

..and I hope that your Star Alliance service across the pond will be better than the cr@p LH Business Class standard I had yesterday!

[ADUX]

'Those that are'nt still in boxes.........at another RAF Station'

Would it be terribly crass to mention the Chinook Mk3 at this point?!:p

[brit bus driver]

BEagle, methinks you confuse me with someone else....;) OBD perhaps?

[BEagle]

Hmm, yes, guess I do. Sorry!

Not OBD....

[Jeep]

Perhaps this might explain what they are doing.

Apache Training Vid (http://www.sleepy-fish.com/sleepy/Top_Gear_Exige_hi.wmv)

[Eagle 270]

I hear it on good authority that the pongoes Apache is in fact doing what it says on the tin so to speak. Well done, as much as it pains me to say!!