Intercepting Wandering Bears & Blackjacks Again (Merged)
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Can't somebody with the right contacts arrange for a flypast of eight Bears with a few Tonkas in attendance
In a previous life I was Secretary to the RAF Participation Committee (probably non-existant today) whose prime role was to approve military aircraft participation at air shows. The Chairman would not even debate my suggestion that the Luftwaffe be invited to participate in the annual B of B at home days. Completely inappropriate, he spluttered.
So unless the 21st Century RAF has leaders of vision, I guess there's no chance.
ps. The same Committee also banned participation of the "Soviet Bloc" air forces at the first Greenham Common Airshow.
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Oh shoot.....
The airshow season isn't over yet.
Can't somebody with the right contacts arrange for a flypast of eight Bears with a few Tonkas in attendance?
Leuchars?
The airshow season isn't over yet.
Can't somebody with the right contacts arrange for a flypast of eight Bears with a few Tonkas in attendance?
Leuchars?
There is, in its place, a Charity Ball tonight that will be start with a fly past by BBMF followed by an F3 - no Bears though.
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How Odd....
Funny thing.
In a previous life I was Secretary to the RAF Participation Committee (probably non-existant today) whose prime role was to approve military aircraft participation at air shows. The Chairman would not even debate my suggestion that the Luftwaffe be invited to participate in the annual B of B at home days. Completely inappropriate, he spluttered.
In my final year in the service, as per norm, the RAF Leuchars airshow Friday's practice coincided with the stations family's day.
So as the oldest daughter was happily terrorising herself on some extreme fairground ride, I and some other F4 relics, were watching entranced at the Luftwaffe F4 display, the bit he gets really close to the ground, 130 degree bank at @50' over our heads when a reheat blows out and we get to see the control surfaces (rudder etc) all being kicked in by the jockey as he continues his phab display with 1&1/2 engines....
Some things you dont forget!
In a previous life I was Secretary to the RAF Participation Committee (probably non-existant today) whose prime role was to approve military aircraft participation at air shows. The Chairman would not even debate my suggestion that the Luftwaffe be invited to participate in the annual B of B at home days. Completely inappropriate, he spluttered.
In my final year in the service, as per norm, the RAF Leuchars airshow Friday's practice coincided with the stations family's day.
So as the oldest daughter was happily terrorising herself on some extreme fairground ride, I and some other F4 relics, were watching entranced at the Luftwaffe F4 display, the bit he gets really close to the ground, 130 degree bank at @50' over our heads when a reheat blows out and we get to see the control surfaces (rudder etc) all being kicked in by the jockey as he continues his phab display with 1&1/2 engines....
Some things you dont forget!
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Regarding the participation of "inappropriate" air forces, I omitted to say that, thankfully, "At Home Day" organisors thoughtfully failed to hear the words of the "participation committee" and went ahead with their Luftwaffe contacts. Likewise the secretary of said committee, arranged for "non available" assets to route through the original Greenham Common Airshows- not participate,as such - and it became the biggest military show outside of the States. Russian Bears, or whatever, at UK Military airshows need not be an impossibility.
Sorry for thread creep, I suppose I'm just a little jealous that I wasn't an air defender and never got the chance to look the "enemy" in the eye.
Sorry for thread creep, I suppose I'm just a little jealous that I wasn't an air defender and never got the chance to look the "enemy" in the eye.
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Civobs
18 September 1972, on JMOPS from the not-so-secret Fife airbase, we intercepted 2 x Bison and “escorted” them from somewhere north of the Shetlands as they flew south to about 30 nm east of Hull. They then turned north & politely dropped us off at Bell Rock. This was convenient as we had just reached joker (4h 20 min airborne) and this position was within the radius of action of the IAF Lightning which scrambled to take over the task.
curious to know if we had/get any visitors other than the bears?
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
curious to know if we had/get any visitors other than the bears?
There was also a period, when they'd lost a Bear F and grounded the fleet for a while, that they used the May far further south than usual and we intercepted the odd one or two.
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Up north of Saxa we'd get Badgers if they came far enough south
On 28 April 1970, from the same Fife airbase, we were tasked (non-IAF) to fly north & see if we could find any Soviet aircraft known to be on exercise. No AAR available, but I managed 2 x individual Bears & a formation of 12 x Badgers.
Last edited by NutherA2; 9th Sep 2007 at 10:43.
TAC Int Bloke
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Isn't he the one that posed for some homoerotic photos in the great Russian outdoors a week or so back? Er......Boris Something......? Looks ex KGB to me....
http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/...c/start=0.html
BTW First class pilot badge? Is he a WALT?
http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/...c/start=0.html
BTW First class pilot badge? Is he a WALT?
Per Ardua ad Astraeus
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Originally Posted by NutherA2
and this position was within the radius of action of the IAF Lightning which scrambled to take over the task.
FYI we could EASILY make Bell Rock and have 10 mins fuel in hand.
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I can recall the case of the KC135 crew who mis-I-D'd a Blackjack as a Lancer - an easy mistake to make, given he was looking up his tail-pipes at the time 
Caution, vortex wake, recommended spacing, ermm...
If anyone asks, I was never here...
Caution, vortex wake, recommended spacing, ermm...
If anyone asks, I was never here...
Dear Captain Ivan
Next time you come close to the UK in your Bear, see if you can find the top-secret location known only as "SJ 328150". No-one in the RAF can find it.
I'll give you a clue: N52°43’42” W002°59’48” (52.72842N 2.99677W).
Хорошее везение!
Next time you come close to the UK in your Bear, see if you can find the top-secret location known only as "SJ 328150". No-one in the RAF can find it.
I'll give you a clue: N52°43’42” W002°59’48” (52.72842N 2.99677W).
Хорошее везение!
Last edited by ACW599; 9th Sep 2007 at 21:55.
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Photo in The Sun
Bear and F3 pic in The Sun, which also unusually gives RAF Boulmer a credit!
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007410791,00.html
Also, I wonder if there will be a visit tonight, depending on the outcome of a certain football match?!
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007410791,00.html
Also, I wonder if there will be a visit tonight, depending on the outcome of a certain football match?!
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Bear and F3 pic in The Sun, which also unusually gives RAF Boulmer a credit!
Good for them,
However JOHN KAY Chief Reporter also wrote:
The Russian jets, flying in four pairs
Good for them,
However JOHN KAY Chief Reporter also wrote:
The Russian jets, flying in four pairs
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The Russian jets, flying in four pairs