Dummy Aircraft at Wildenrath in Early 1970s

[Warmtoast]

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1280x790/image1_1280x790_e244b8ae28697775479015acee42aa16f7f739c9.jpg

There's an article in the February BBC History Revealed magazine about “America’s WWII Ghost Army” that is all about dummy planes and tanks etc designed to fool the enemy that they are the real thing (see above).
Made me think back of my time at HQ BAOR in Germany (1972 – 1975). ISTR that at the time when I visited the air terminal at RAF Wildenrath one could see similar ‘artificial’ Harrier jets around the airfield on the other side of the main runway, was I mistaken or were there in fact artificial aircraft placed there and if so are there any photos to show this?

[RAFEngO74to09]

Slightly later, in the Phantom era from 1977 onwards, there were real decoy airframes - engines removed - placed on some of the open revetments that didn't have HASs on them - ex-RAFG Lightnings.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1024x705/image_9d9eb05a1a8defaa7e79f11c2eeb8c6204acd1d8.png

[ex82watcher]

I arrived at RAF Wildenrath by air in summer 1974,en-route to ATC summer camp at Laarbruch,and I remember seeing several old canberras (BI8s?) dotted around,presumably as decoys.

[ex-fast-jets]

"at RAF Wildenrath one could see similar ‘artificial’ Harrier jets around the airfield"

That would be 3(F) Squadron......................

"in the Phantom era from 1977 onwards, there were real decoy airframes - engines removed - placed on some of the open revetments that didn't have HASs on them - ex-RAFG Lightnings"

Finally - a useful role for the Lightning.............

:)

[Sideshow Bob]

Slightly later, in the Phantom era from 1977 onwards, there were real decoy airframes - engines removed - placed on some of the open revetments that didn't have HASs on them - ex-RAFG Lightnings.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1024x705/image_9d9eb05a1a8defaa7e79f11c2eeb8c6204acd1d8.png
RAFEngO74to09 really nice picture of the MkII's and their Type 86 Radar in the background. Just to keep the Bloodhound/Lightning theme going, at North Coates in the late 80's we played around with making Lightning Drop Tanks look like extra Missiles, all to fool the Satellite images. On the note of inflatables, whilst at Benson in the mid 90s, the fabric shop used to maintain inflatable tanks for use on Salisbury Plain.

[NutLoose]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/aviagold/7006895645/in/photostream/

Scroll down this site you will see the Lightning decoys scattered about

https://www.mil-airfields.de/germany/wildenrath-air-base.html

same for Bruggen

https://www.mil-airfields.de/de/brueggen.htm

Laarbruch

https://www.mil-airfields.de/de/laarbruch.htm

More

https://www.mil-airfields.de/germany/raf-royal-air-force.html

[MPN11]

Our STO office at MoD was looking into Decoy aircraft in the early 90s. IIRC they were about £25k each ... multi-spectral, with thermal and radar signatures. The end of the Cold War knocked that idea iron the head.

BTW, that last link from Nutloose has some wonderful old Flip Charts!

[golfbananajam]

Slightly later, in the Phantom era from 1977 onwards, there were real decoy airframes - engines removed - placed on some of the open revetments that didn't have HASs on them - ex-RAFG Lightnings.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1024x705/image_9d9eb05a1a8defaa7e79f11c2eeb8c6204acd1d8.png


That's what I remember from '79 when I was there as a member of 21 Sig Regt. I don't remember seeing anything else on any of our runs round the peri road. I also remember having to stop for the lights as we crossed the runway..........never once tried to outrun a Phantom.

[safetypee]

There was a specialist department at RAE which worked on a range of inflatable structures including their use a decoys, planes, boats, trains, etc.
Mid 70s a small group worked at Cardington (associated with balloons). By invitation, it was possible to view the range of objects and uses; light, heat, and radar signatures. At that time they had developed a large size, fully inflatable working hovercraft.
The historical collection, ex WW II, illustrated the ingenuity of science - you think of it, we will make it.

[NutLoose]

There was a few tanks at Odi on the grass in the late 70's, similar to


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/860x573/featured_47_4f7c600f4dd2d12402cb86bbcd05ea29b680d90a.jpg

[Green Flash]

As I understand it, there is still an inflatable tank somewhere in the north of Scotland ..... somewhere .....

[NutLoose]

More here

https://www.baor-locations.org/rafbasas.aspx.html

[Krystal n chips]

Well to be fair, those Canberra's dotted around had been there for " some considerable time " so it's possible the Russians may have got wise after a while.....quite what they interpreted the use of the covert Gnat and Gannet on 17's site as being can only be guessed at.

Actually, in the case of one Lightning, 92's "P", you could say it had finally found it's true role when it became a static decoy.....given it had previously had a years practice

[Downwind.Maddl-Land]

Three (or was it 4?) Lightning F1s were located on the southside of Leuchars in the period 1976/7 as decoys. Never occurred to anyone to move them around a bit! In the 2 years I was there they were moved once.....

[Dan Winterland]

I recall the dummy Harriers in the tree lines at Wilderath. I last saw them in 1976. When I flew in there 10 years later, they had been replaced with Lightnings.

[Shackman]

The Wooden Harriers (later to appear at Wildenrath)

In early 1969 as a young Pilot Officer I was holding at HQCC Northwood. Out of the blue I was detached with only a few days’ notice to RAFG to work with Operational Research Branch , and would be briefed on arrival. On arrival, I was taken to Rheindahlen and told to get a BFG Driving Licence (at that time a relatively low number of junior officers actually had driving licences/cars due to cost v pay, and it transpired I had been selected as I actually had a car!). Two days later with my brand new BFG licence, and still never having driven on a German road, I was sent to Bruggen to pick up a specially modified Land Rover and return to Rheindahlen – in itself an adventure when I discovered it didn’t want to turn left!

I then went to a briefing in HQ by a Wg Cdr, and where I found 3 other ‘holdees’ and a Flt Lt, and discovered our task was to take three wooden (but full size) Harriers in different paint schemes around various exercise areas in Northern Germany – the idea being the (secret) trial was to ascertain the best cam scheme for the Harrier which was due to enter service the following year or so. They were in ‘kit form’ and loaded on ‘Queen Mary’ aircraft transporters, and together with a number of other vehicles and about 25-30 airmen our task was to take them to an exercise area and then assemble them in suitable ‘hides’, before the might of RAFG was launched to try and find them – after the convoy had withdrawn of course. There then followed about six weeks of misery; why it had to be done in winter I don’t know - Freezing Rain, snow, more rain, more freezing and the occasional clear day for flying. Queen Mary’s bogged down in mud, Land Rovers bogged down, one Harrier trying to float away (good training for my later SH career) but eventually the trial was completed and we ended up at Wildenrath – and there the wooden Harriers were abandoned near the fire dump, but stayed to (apparently) become decoys. Apparently the trial was a great success according to the OR guy debriefing us. Two of the paint schemes had been very difficult to see/find, so MOD chose the third!

Incidentally - the modified Landy: I was detailed as the Signals Officer, and had to carry a whole load of codes for our comms (by HF) with base so as to get hide coordinates and pass readiness states upwards. My LR had a secret compartment/safe to hide the codes in, so I did at least have my own transport.

Of note, 6 years later I took a Shack into Wildenrath and at least one was still there, albeit looking a little 'worn'.

[scorpion63]

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1026/decoy_w_rath_8_76_copy_7296818ca8b4ee8eeb06fd1ade25d48ddaed7 a7b.jpg
Canberra PR7's at Wildenrath 1976, they were moved around from time to time at least one went back into service as an active airframe. The Harrier decoys looked very unreal from ground level but realistic when viewed from above.

[Warmtoast]

Thanks for all the replies to my original query. Shows that after 48-years I wasn't mistaken!
WT