West Freugh
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Sorry for the intrusiion from a civvy again....A question about the Harrier pix above.
Is that a GR7 with a load of GR3s in the background? I thought the GR3s would have been long gone by the time GR7s were around.
Going back up to Galloway in about 3 weeks. Know the palce well, but would love some reccomendations of goos pubs/eateries/places of military interest.
Dan.
PS There is a hotel near Sandhead which has a bit or ArkR IV's flight deck. Its the top of their septic tank.
Is that a GR7 with a load of GR3s in the background? I thought the GR3s would have been long gone by the time GR7s were around.
Going back up to Galloway in about 3 weeks. Know the palce well, but would love some reccomendations of goos pubs/eateries/places of military interest.
Dan.
PS There is a hotel near Sandhead which has a bit or ArkR IV's flight deck. Its the top of their septic tank.
Originally Posted by tyne
Is that a GR7 with a load of GR3s in the background? I thought the GR3s would have been long gone by the time GR7s were around.
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Aye and that GR5 appears to have a gun pod fitted to it.
Good thing they dropped that idea eh? Its not like such a thing is needed these days.
Good thing they dropped that idea eh? Its not like such a thing is needed these days.
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Tower Ranger,
Great photos..
Spent some great times at the Freugh early 90's with you and many of my current colleagues now slightly further up the coast...happy days.
Hope it's all going well for you.
Great photos..
Spent some great times at the Freugh early 90's with you and many of my current colleagues now slightly further up the coast...happy days.
Hope it's all going well for you.
Join Date: Aug 2007
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An update on the Freugh:
Qinetiq currently run the site on behalf of the MoD. Luce Bay Range (D403/402) is used regularly by both air and ground assets and proves a very useful facility.
Sadly, the runway is now closed with big white X's painted on it although it is still in remarkably good repair. In the last few years the airfield has seen quite a lot of helicopter traffic and some C130s but run as a greenfield site.
Qinetiq currently run the site on behalf of the MoD. Luce Bay Range (D403/402) is used regularly by both air and ground assets and proves a very useful facility.
Sadly, the runway is now closed with big white X's painted on it although it is still in remarkably good repair. In the last few years the airfield has seen quite a lot of helicopter traffic and some C130s but run as a greenfield site.
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Tyne,
That pic' is a GR5 when they were brand new ( you can tell if it's a GR7 onwards, as they have the FLIR mounted above the nose ) - also this is an early shot as it has strakes underneath the gunpods; I know this intimately as I was once under there when the pilot started up the Pegasus - I finished the last 2 fasteners, then made the quickest move in my life - no-one had told him I was there, comms cock-up.
The 'gunpods' are actually made of mahogany & housed 4 high speed 16mm cine cameras 3 pointing outboard for weapon release observation, one in each cannon position to film rocket / missile firings, Photo Sonics 1VN's able to do up to 200 frames per second ( though we found 150 more reliable, and had no end of trouble hanging the things externally in CBLS200 pods - film gets brittle at -40C despite the 100W heaters on each camera !
We came up with some 'inventive' auxiliary heating / insulation.
The aircraft in question is ZD319, one of our 2 GR5's at Dunsfold for development trials.
ZD 318, the first UK AV-8B, was used for avionics work, while 319 did the hardware dropping / firing.
At that time the 25mm Aden was considered future standard kit, and I agree it would be jolly handy right now sorting out the Taliban; unfortortuantely internal politics took over - the perfectly good & hard hitting Aden 30mm as used by the Harrier GR1-3 & Sea Harrier was replaced by the 25mm which I filmed shooting its' guts out.
Strange thing, the UK have never fitted the GAU-12 gatling as used by the USMC; whenever I mention this I get private messages from outraged Royal Ordnance people; well, the fact is, the GAU12 while not without problems generally works when asked, the Aden 25 didn't !
That pic' is a GR5 when they were brand new ( you can tell if it's a GR7 onwards, as they have the FLIR mounted above the nose ) - also this is an early shot as it has strakes underneath the gunpods; I know this intimately as I was once under there when the pilot started up the Pegasus - I finished the last 2 fasteners, then made the quickest move in my life - no-one had told him I was there, comms cock-up.
The 'gunpods' are actually made of mahogany & housed 4 high speed 16mm cine cameras 3 pointing outboard for weapon release observation, one in each cannon position to film rocket / missile firings, Photo Sonics 1VN's able to do up to 200 frames per second ( though we found 150 more reliable, and had no end of trouble hanging the things externally in CBLS200 pods - film gets brittle at -40C despite the 100W heaters on each camera !
We came up with some 'inventive' auxiliary heating / insulation.
The aircraft in question is ZD319, one of our 2 GR5's at Dunsfold for development trials.
ZD 318, the first UK AV-8B, was used for avionics work, while 319 did the hardware dropping / firing.
At that time the 25mm Aden was considered future standard kit, and I agree it would be jolly handy right now sorting out the Taliban; unfortortuantely internal politics took over - the perfectly good & hard hitting Aden 30mm as used by the Harrier GR1-3 & Sea Harrier was replaced by the 25mm which I filmed shooting its' guts out.
Strange thing, the UK have never fitted the GAU-12 gatling as used by the USMC; whenever I mention this I get private messages from outraged Royal Ordnance people; well, the fact is, the GAU12 while not without problems generally works when asked, the Aden 25 didn't !
Last edited by Double Zero; 17th Mar 2009 at 11:47.
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It's in a pretty spot too.
You'll have to superimpose the rear view of your favourite airframe, but I've spent the last 40 years watching all sorts of things high tailing it in the direction of the top left of the picture. The Vulcans used to pass right over the sport where I was sitting with the doors starting to open.
Of course it's never this sunny during the summer.
Of course it's never this sunny during the summer.
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As technical photographer ( those in the photo of ZD319 are camera rather than gun pods ) my job was done once I'd set up the cameras; same went for my chum on avionics.
So, we were sent to a distant O.P. to set up and launch the weather balloon before each test flight.
My esteemed colleague, who eventually became a Wing Cdr, would answer the 'phone with " Hello, OP end of the world " as the gales howled over.
Eventually boredom set in, so in each 'sonde' cardboard box ( we always wondered where they ended up ) I put a message in saying ' congratulations, you've won a prize !' with the Flight Test managers' phone number.
So, we were sent to a distant O.P. to set up and launch the weather balloon before each test flight.
My esteemed colleague, who eventually became a Wing Cdr, would answer the 'phone with " Hello, OP end of the world " as the gales howled over.
Eventually boredom set in, so in each 'sonde' cardboard box ( we always wondered where they ended up ) I put a message in saying ' congratulations, you've won a prize !' with the Flight Test managers' phone number.
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Grabbers
The WOLF was dry but definitely not warm! I did get out on occasion to give him a steer but any fool can be wet and uncomfortable and he seemed to be doing okay. Anyway, the night tasking was the other way round so the Heeeed got his own back.
Cindy was nice and warm afterwards though!
Cindy was nice and warm afterwards though!
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I often wonder what part of a pre-flight briefing the bible filled.
Bible, 1 Corinthians xiii. 12.
or
In the multitude of counsellors there is safety
Bible, Proverbs xi. 14.
Join Date: Mar 2010
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Hi wingcmdr,
I used to live at 2 Galloway Place West Freugh 1966 to around 1982. I do have some pics of your playground as it used to be mine too! Know where your coming from! Davy
I used to live at 2 Galloway Place West Freugh 1966 to around 1982. I do have some pics of your playground as it used to be mine too! Know where your coming from! Davy
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I was definitely there during the shot of GR5 ZD319 carrying Mk 82's, so am sure I know you and I was priveleged to work with you.
NB the strakes under the dummy gun - actually camera - pods which made it a sod to get to the cameras.
The shot of the Sea Harrier carrying the Boscombe 6-camera pod was asked to be 'lost' by the pilot ( who did rather well in the Falklands War )as he was about to join us at Dunsfold as Naval Test Pilot !
If bothered see my posts 7 & 30...
Thanks to all at West Freugh in those days, the most professional bunch I have ever worked with.
DZ
NB the strakes under the dummy gun - actually camera - pods which made it a sod to get to the cameras.
The shot of the Sea Harrier carrying the Boscombe 6-camera pod was asked to be 'lost' by the pilot ( who did rather well in the Falklands War )as he was about to join us at Dunsfold as Naval Test Pilot !
If bothered see my posts 7 & 30...
Thanks to all at West Freugh in those days, the most professional bunch I have ever worked with.
DZ
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I was but a lad in those days and didn't work there but lived there, on the base. You would certianly know my Dad as he was Senior Police Officer at the time. I knew all the guys that lived in the married quarters and few outside too. It was actually 1985/6 when I moved out to my first house in Stoneykirk. I spent 13 yrs at faslane as a MOD Cop from 1987 after leaving Stranraer but I digress! It's just nice to finally track down the blokes who used to regularly try to remove the chimney pots off our house!! 
Many a change of underwear was required in those days! 
Many a change of underwear was required in those days!
I've just returned from enjoying, or was it enduring?, a caravan holiday at Sandhead.
In the brief and infrequent gaps in the rain I could see cones at the low water mark on the beach. Are these the "Kine Theodolite" thingys mentioned earlier in this thread?
In the brief and infrequent gaps in the rain I could see cones at the low water mark on the beach. Are these the "Kine Theodolite" thingys mentioned earlier in this thread?
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No, the kine theodolites were in grey domed cupolas, around the airfield.
There were various goings-on at the beach by Maritime types, + a target for things such as unguided Matra / Sneb rockets etc.
On one such trial involving a multiple rocket firing by one of our development GR5's, ZD319, a Volkswagen camper van somehow got onto the beach and happily bimbled along straight in front of the target !
There was also a thing like a young oil rig, a target for the development of a certain missile.
This had 2 decks, the idea was that there'd be photographers under the target ( which raised on an arm ) so as to process the trials films quickly and/or reload cameras.
I think even Kenny & co. were a bit dubious about that one, as far as I know the photographic staff stayed ashore.
There were various goings-on at the beach by Maritime types, + a target for things such as unguided Matra / Sneb rockets etc.
On one such trial involving a multiple rocket firing by one of our development GR5's, ZD319, a Volkswagen camper van somehow got onto the beach and happily bimbled along straight in front of the target !
There was also a thing like a young oil rig, a target for the development of a certain missile.
This had 2 decks, the idea was that there'd be photographers under the target ( which raised on an arm ) so as to process the trials films quickly and/or reload cameras.
I think even Kenny & co. were a bit dubious about that one, as far as I know the photographic staff stayed ashore.
Kine Theodolites
Kine theodolites, that takes me back. We installed a pair at Warton in the seventies. Again, WW2 German technology, brilliant engineering. With the covers off for servicing it was mesmerising and deafening as the shutters wafted back and forth and the geneva wheels stopped and started, they sound just like a loom (anyone who's been in a weaving shed knows what I mean) and those magnificent binocs sat on top, magic.
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Akrotiri bad boy,
I believe the cones are early concrete range markers showing the extent of the shore range area visible from the air?
However there are some serious cannon round pock marks in them!
B
I believe the cones are early concrete range markers showing the extent of the shore range area visible from the air?
However there are some serious cannon round pock marks in them!
B
