Cold War white elephant (Merged)
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Interesting to see that it's an 11 Sqn jet, when I thought it was 3 Sqn that was holding Q.....
Originally Posted by 27mm
Interesting to see that it's an 11 Sqn jet, when I thought it was 3 Sqn that was holding Q.....
Dropping into sad geek mode, 20 years ago today was the Last, Last Lightning show at Binners.........
20 years........feeling a tad old now at that thought.....and such a lovely summers day it was too..........
Join Date: Jul 2000
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GeeRam
20 years! WOW! Know what you mean mate! I was there too!
The rain was hideous! I 'think' this 30 sec utube clip is from that day?
Always wanted to see if anyone captured the singleton Lightning
along the runway in the rain near the end of the show?
Either on film or video?
As a hungry photographer, usually up for anything to 'get the shot' even I thought it too wet to get the camera out! It was a glorious sight though and ive always regretted not having the 35mm ready! I wonder if this clip (at the end) is from that show? What do you think?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iZd4Q6LMQqo
Snaps
20 years! WOW! Know what you mean mate! I was there too!
The rain was hideous! I 'think' this 30 sec utube clip is from that day?
Always wanted to see if anyone captured the singleton Lightning
along the runway in the rain near the end of the show?
Either on film or video?
As a hungry photographer, usually up for anything to 'get the shot' even I thought it too wet to get the camera out! It was a glorious sight though and ive always regretted not having the 35mm ready! I wonder if this clip (at the end) is from that show? What do you think?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iZd4Q6LMQqo
Snaps
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Old? I controlled the last Lightning PI sortie out of Wattisham. They flew sorties up to midnight. Then, in the morning, they towed them all down to the fire dump. 
Then I controlled the last Lightning PI sortie out of Binbrook.
I also tried to arrange to control the last F4 PI sortie out of Leuchars, they did take off last but landed before the previous pair, so I'm not sure if that one counts....
I was at Alice for the final F4 flypast in the Falklands. Low cloud base, they came up the hill, rolled and pulled, and went over with just the canopies sticking out of the bottm of the cloud base. Went down to MPA the next day to try and get the FI crests and names off the jets, but the ground crew had put pick-axes through them all.
Old indeed.
Then I controlled the last Lightning PI sortie out of Binbrook.
I also tried to arrange to control the last F4 PI sortie out of Leuchars, they did take off last but landed before the previous pair, so I'm not sure if that one counts....
I was at Alice for the final F4 flypast in the Falklands. Low cloud base, they came up the hill, rolled and pulled, and went over with just the canopies sticking out of the bottm of the cloud base. Went down to MPA the next day to try and get the FI crests and names off the jets, but the ground crew had put pick-axes through them all.
Old indeed.
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PR stunt?
Hang on a minute Jolly Green - lots of people have spent many years slagging off the Typhoon for being a "Cold War relic" because there's no need to intercept Russian Bears anymore.
Well, what do you know? The Typhoon force gets placed on QRA and actually does the job that the aircraft was originally designed to do - despite 11 Sqn's current work to also get the aircraft fit for ground attack duties in places like Afghanistan - and they get slagged off!
With that kind of logic...
Hang on a minute Jolly Green - lots of people have spent many years slagging off the Typhoon for being a "Cold War relic" because there's no need to intercept Russian Bears anymore.
Well, what do you know? The Typhoon force gets placed on QRA and actually does the job that the aircraft was originally designed to do - despite 11 Sqn's current work to also get the aircraft fit for ground attack duties in places like Afghanistan - and they get slagged off!
With that kind of logic...
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Got to say that I've never been against the numbers of Typhoon purchased, but it seems we never know what twists and turns the world will take over the next 20-30 years. It seems there may well be very much a need for them.
As someone only operating on the fringes of aviation, is the old Soviet red star on the fin just there as this a/c been dragged out of mothballs, or is it making a comeback on Russian a/c?
As someone only operating on the fringes of aviation, is the old Soviet red star on the fin just there as this a/c been dragged out of mothballs, or is it making a comeback on Russian a/c?
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In Friday's incident 2 x Typhoons were only scrambled from Coningsby after two pairs of F3s had already made the trip from Leeming, and pottered about the North Atlantic with the Bears for some time until they ran short of fuel, I'm told.
Strangely, the MOD didn't feel the need to publish pretty pictures of F3s.
You'd almost think someone was anxious to show off the Typhoon doing its job.
''SEE?!!! SEE!???? THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL US ALL, SIR!!! OF COURSE WE NEED TRANCHE 3!!!! Now just sign the contract here Mr Browne.'
Strangely, the MOD didn't feel the need to publish pretty pictures of F3s.
You'd almost think someone was anxious to show off the Typhoon doing its job.
''SEE?!!! SEE!???? THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL US ALL, SIR!!! OF COURSE WE NEED TRANCHE 3!!!! Now just sign the contract here Mr Browne.'
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Menzies Campbell, leader of Britain's opposition Liberal Democrats, expressed concern about photos of the Russian bombers that were posted on the Defense Ministry Web site.
"These pictures convey disturbing echoes of the Cold War," he said. "They emphasize the importance of vigilance, the protection of our air space and the effectiveness of the response of the Royal Air Force."
"These pictures convey disturbing echoes of the Cold War," he said. "They emphasize the importance of vigilance, the protection of our air space and the effectiveness of the response of the Royal Air Force."
I wonder if this clip (at the end) is from that show? What do you think?
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PR stunt?
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Cold War back on?
I wonder if all the rest of the cold war peace dividend will have to be clawed back. All those bases closed and/or placed on care and maintenance, ships bought/returned to service, Regt's de- amalgamated? Will we be seeing all those returned to use/full numbers with numbers of personnel brought back to previous levels?
Or will we be expecting our lads and lasses to do this and deploy?
Or will we be expecting our lads and lasses to do this and deploy?
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Cold War white elephant
To quote scribbler614:
"In Friday's incident 2 x Typhoons were only scrambled from Coningsby after two pairs of F3s had already made the trip from Leeming, and pottered about the North Atlantic with the Bears for some time until they ran short of fuel, I'm told.
Strangely, the MOD didn't feel the need to publish pretty pictures of F3s.
You'd almost think someone was anxious to show off the Typhoon doing its job.
''SEE?!!! SEE!???? THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL US ALL, SIR!!! OF COURSE WE NEED TRANCHE 3!!!! Now just sign the contract here Mr Browne.' "
Whilst this may be the Typhoon "doing the job it was originally designed to do", it would appear that this was a photo opportunity too good to miss. Surely the presence of 4 x F3 had neutralised the threat.
I wish 11 Sqn well with preparing their birds for Afghanistan, Lord knows we need more Close Air Support assets.
However, I am totally convinced that some of the Typhoon money could have been better spent on newer Helicopters and Transport Aircraft.
"In Friday's incident 2 x Typhoons were only scrambled from Coningsby after two pairs of F3s had already made the trip from Leeming, and pottered about the North Atlantic with the Bears for some time until they ran short of fuel, I'm told.
Strangely, the MOD didn't feel the need to publish pretty pictures of F3s.
You'd almost think someone was anxious to show off the Typhoon doing its job.
''SEE?!!! SEE!???? THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL US ALL, SIR!!! OF COURSE WE NEED TRANCHE 3!!!! Now just sign the contract here Mr Browne.' "
Whilst this may be the Typhoon "doing the job it was originally designed to do", it would appear that this was a photo opportunity too good to miss. Surely the presence of 4 x F3 had neutralised the threat.
I wish 11 Sqn well with preparing their birds for Afghanistan, Lord knows we need more Close Air Support assets.
However, I am totally convinced that some of the Typhoon money could have been better spent on newer Helicopters and Transport Aircraft.
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"Surely the presence of 4 x F3 had neutralised the threat." Well, the photos would suggest otherwise, because the Bear hadn't turned round and gone home.
Crikey, and I thought it was just the journos who were supposed to be cynical out there; Flasheart - I don't think BAE actually has the decision on Coningsby taskings just yet!
Crikey, and I thought it was just the journos who were supposed to be cynical out there; Flasheart - I don't think BAE actually has the decision on Coningsby taskings just yet!
Maybe the Bear crew were too busy taking photographs of the shiny, pointy little jet!
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I'm not meaning to sneer at 3 and XI Sqns (although it would take more than a sneer from the likes of me to wipe the 'Typhoon grins' off their faces).
Just made me chuckle that MOD were so keen to pump these pictures out, and that they only mentioned that it was a bit of a supporting role to the F3s after quite a lot of questioning.
Just made me chuckle that MOD were so keen to pump these pictures out, and that they only mentioned that it was a bit of a supporting role to the F3s after quite a lot of questioning.
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So, knock down the wall, get the West to turn its swords into ploughshares, and then pour billions into redeveloping the Soviet economy and natural energy resources, then turn off the tap, kick out the decedent bourgeois, watch with scadenfreude as the West's budget forces are defeated by well funded ragheads, then put the wall back up.
Kick the West's butt in Cold War II.
Could be the greatest confidence trick in history.
Kick the West's butt in Cold War II.
Could be the greatest confidence trick in history.