View Full Version : Falklands Flypast (17th June)
Does anybody know which Aircraft are taking part in the Flypast in London on Sunday 17th June?
Navaleye
4th Jun 2007, 17:49
TYphoons apparently. One has to ask the question; why?
TYphoons apparently. One has to ask the question; why?
Maybe it's because they should have been in service in 1982!. :)
Navaleye
4th Jun 2007, 19:01
I don't think the Flying Fin was in service then either. I've often wondered in the could have cobbled together a GR1 flight with a JP233 to take out the runway at Port Stanley.
LateArmLive
4th Jun 2007, 19:07
Originally Posted by Navaleye
TYphoons apparently. One has to ask the question; why?
Would you rather they weren't there? Maybe we could have a flypast of only the aircraft that actually flew in the Falklands campaign? It might be over very quickly though:rolleyes:
The Helpful Stacker
4th Jun 2007, 19:13
It'd be a bit of a short flypast if it only included aircraft in service then that are still in service now.
No Sea Harrier (damn, 'he' will pop up now I've mentioned it, just you see).
No Harrier GR3.
No Victors.
No Vulcans.
No Wasps.
No Wessexes.
No Canberras.
Of course we still have.
A Scout at Middle Wallop?
VC10s
Hercs.
Very aged Sea Kings.
Chinnies (although I believe Bravo November is otherwise engagaed).
Sea Lynx.
Nimrod.
Have I missed any others?
Domines (x5) it was x10 in those days though.
Tim McLelland
4th Jun 2007, 20:06
I think it should be pointed-out for those who might not have read this before, the Dominies (if they do take part) would represent 55 Sqn which of course flew Victors at the time. It's a bit of a "cop-out" using current aircraft from squadrons that took part in Corporate (because of course, they have absolutely no connection with the Falklands), but then I guess it's the only way you can have any sort of "theme" to the flypast unless you confine it to Nimrods and Hercules and helicopters.
Actually, the more you look at the idea, it begs the question as to whether it was even worth bothering. Given that there will be a flypast for Her Maj the day before, you have to wonder why they couldn't have combined the two events and saved an awful lot of money.
Navaleye
4th Jun 2007, 22:36
Agreed. You beat me to it.
brit bus driver
4th Jun 2007, 22:44
Fixed Wing element will comprise:
5 x Dominie (55 Sqn)
2 x C130 (J and a K)
5 x Typhoon (29 Sqn, representing the F-4s on CAP at ASI)
VC10 with 4 Hawks (2 x RN, 2 x RAF)
Nimrod
Red Arrows (in Vulcan formation)
Preceded by a RW flypast, details of which I don't have to hand I'm afraid.
Navaleye
4th Jun 2007, 23:26
It is utterly absurd to have a Falklands flypast without the Harrier being represented. I know we have covered this ground before. 800 NAS are available (they did get the most kills afterall) if we can represent the F4s in ASI, the surely the Harrier community who did so much have a part to play.
vecvechookattack
5th Jun 2007, 01:28
I think (although stand to be corrected) that the RW formation will be a 20 ship formation including:
Lynx
Merlin
Seaking 6
Seaking 4
Chinook
Apache
Not sure if a Puma is involved
LateArmLive
5th Jun 2007, 05:50
You'll probably find that the Harrier Force is a little bit busy these days. :(
pity the Role of the Belfast and heavy lift will be ignored would be nice if they were there.
Regie Mental
5th Jun 2007, 09:02
Am told that Chinook Bravo November has returned from warmer climes so hopefully she'll be there.
Tim McLelland
5th Jun 2007, 10:48
Think inclusion of the Harrier would be just about as absurd as the Dominie. Harrier GR7/9 may as well be a completely different aircraft so it's a pointless exercise. But then, the whole flypast is a pointless exercise. Surely, they should have just stuck to a Chinook and some Sea Kings? That's all it required. Alternatively, I can't work-out why they couldn't have combined it with the flypast for Her Maj the day before and just gone for a "25" formation from whatever type was available. It would have been a teensy bit more relevant and cheaper.
Is the Skyvan G-PIGY still about. As an Argentinian aircraft she was on the Falklands during the conflict.
snapper41
5th Jun 2007, 13:15
It's a bit of a "cop-out" using current aircraft from squadrons that took part in Corporate (because of course, they have absolutely no connection with the Falklands)
So would you use the same argument for the 50th/60th anniversaries of the Battle of Britain? The flypasts for those events used current aircraft, as it was presumably a bit difficult to come up with squadrons still operating Spits and Hurricanes.:hmm:
You'll probably find that the Harrier Force is a little bit busy these days.
Who isn't?
LateArmLive
5th Jun 2007, 17:46
F3 force? Jag :} force?
Maybe I should have said: " I think you'll find the Harrier Force is stretched to beyond breaking point at the moment." Sorry, getting totally off thread.
Would it not be fitting to have a Scout and Gazelle in the flypast? The Gazelle is still in service and Scout XT626 is still a military registered aircraft serving with the Army Historic Flight.
There were, after all, 2 Sqns serving there, 3 BAS and 656 Sqn AAC
If the Vulcan is unable to make it, a Typhoon could be used to represent it.
Just claim that the Delta Wing has been reduced in size, to represent the cuts to the RAF.:)
AHQHI656SQN
5th Jun 2007, 19:27
Surely, those squadrons who took part in the Falklands back in 1982 have earned the right to parade with pride, either on the ground or in the air.:D
TM, shame you think that it is all a waste of time.:=
WE Branch Fanatic
5th Jun 2007, 20:01
See also Sea Harrier at Falklands Anniversary (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=269394)
And this (http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.9264) from the RN site.
Also on the Sunday, a Harrier aircraft from the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious will salute Falklands War veterans and the liner QE2, on which they will have had lunch. The flypast is due to take place at 2.00 pm. To commemorate the ship’s important role in carrying troops to the South Atlantic in 1982, a plaque will be unveiled in the liner’s Crystal Bar at about 12 noon by Major General Mike Scott of the Scots Guards and Brigadier Johnny Picket of the Welsh Guards.
vecvechookattack
5th Jun 2007, 22:41
A Harrier from the aircraft carrier Illustrious ?????
Yeah, right.
I flew in the RW formation this afternoon; Consists of (and in order)
3 Seaking 5 (771)
4 Seaking 4 (CHF)
3 Merlin (MHF)
1 Seaking (Yellow SAR)
5 RN Lynx (LHF)
3 RM Lynx + 2 Apache
1 Chinook
Archimedes
5th Jun 2007, 23:17
Is it safe to assume that 'Brigadier Johnny Picket' of the Welsh Guards is actually Brigadier J F Rickett CBE, CO of the WG during 1982? (presumably Navy News won't say that he'll be accompanied by Admiral Sir Clive Woodward, commander of the Task Force...)
Tim McLelland
6th Jun 2007, 11:07
I think it's possibly a bit unfair to equate the BofB 50 flypast with the Falklands 25 flypast. Agreed, the aircraft in the BofB flypast had nothing to do with the BofB either (apart from the BBMF Spits and Hurricanes) but back then there were enough resources to put-up a big flypast which impressed the spectator by virtue of sheer numbers. Besides, it was about more than the BofB, it was a celebration of the RAF's "finest hour" so the inclusion of any RAF aircraft was fair game.
In the case of Falklands 25, the result isn't going to impress anyone. There's really no point in trying to create a representative flypast with only a Nimrod, VC10 and a couple of Hercules. Clearly, from the public's viewpoint, it was about the Harrier/Sea Harrier and the Vulcan, and for the average uninformed observer, the rest just won't make any sense. As I said earlier, it would have been better to have simply got a formation of Hawks in a big "25" and tagged it on to the Birthday flypast the day before, and confined the actual Falklands flypast to helicopters, in my opinion. I fear it's a case of a situation where if you can't do it properly (and in fairness we all know that the resources aren't there) then it would be better not to do it at all. I mean really, five Dominies? Come on!:rolleyes:
Si Clik
6th Jun 2007, 19:15
VVHA
Not wishing to be picky but as lead of the Merlin Formation the order was:
3 Seaking 5 (771)
4 Seaking 4 (CHF)
1 Seaking (Yellow SAR)
5 RN Lynx (LHF)
3 Merlin (MHF)
3 RM Lynx + 2 Apache
1 Chinook
I particularly enjoyed the low level TRA intruder, suit and hat job I think.
Si
There is a posibility that a Scout and Gazelle might be able to provide a static in the park, next to the Mall. We shall wait and see if they will be allowed to fly in and position for the day.