Last RAF Harrier Flights 17th December 2010
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Last RAF Harrier Flights 17th December 2010
A friend of mine who works at RAF Wittering Harrier Simulator has tipped me off that the last flight's of the RAF / NAVY harriers will be in week commencing Monday 13th December. All this week the harriers have been returning from Afganistan and there has been a steady C130 / C17 flights bringing Harrier spares back. The latest I have from him is the RAF Harrier squadrons are trying to get approval to carry out a 9 ship flypast over Wittering , Dunsfold and Yeovilton and finally landing back at Cottesmore.
A couple of Navy bods are trying to get the Harrier to stay but I suspect it is a lost cause. I don't know why the Government want to ground these aircraft, they were designed for close troop support but there you go Also they are not giving us a opportunity to say good bye to the Harrier.
I will try and get more info for everyone the spotting possibilities at Cottesmore are excellent with a public footpath running by the approach lights (At RIAT 2001 which was held at Cottesmore I remember standing 100 yds away from the approach as a load of silly s0ds stood directly behind a Rockwell B1B as it went to full power for take off, they took off before he did !)
As I said more info to follow I will try and put together a guide to parking and spotting at Cottesmore
Regards
Mike
A couple of Navy bods are trying to get the Harrier to stay but I suspect it is a lost cause. I don't know why the Government want to ground these aircraft, they were designed for close troop support but there you go Also they are not giving us a opportunity to say good bye to the Harrier.
I will try and get more info for everyone the spotting possibilities at Cottesmore are excellent with a public footpath running by the approach lights (At RIAT 2001 which was held at Cottesmore I remember standing 100 yds away from the approach as a load of silly s0ds stood directly behind a Rockwell B1B as it went to full power for take off, they took off before he did !)
As I said more info to follow I will try and put together a guide to parking and spotting at Cottesmore
Regards
Mike
Originally Posted by Amorak
All this week the harriers have been returning from Afganistan
The Joint Force Harrier deployment to Afghanistan ended in June 2009. The RAF fast jet commitment there is now Tornado.
Don't know about 17 December date, but if that is the last day, then of course it will be the 107th anniversary of powered flight.
