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Roads as runways.

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Roads as runways.

Old 12th Apr 2013, 20:00
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Roads as runways.

Hi,

On my travels around Europe I've come across a few roads that are obviously more than roads. Dead straight, wider, no central reservation, strange markings, side roads leading into hillsides, etc. There's a few in Switzerland, and the last one I saw was in Sweden last year.

Any idea where this one might be ?? Looks like an SU 25 to me, and the commentary in the car could be Russian ?? :

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3ad_1365768440
( Looks like their Health & Safety people are on a different planet to ours !! ?


Did we have anywhere in the UK where we used to use roads as runways ?? I remember hearing that the A1 near Leeeming was used ??

Cheers,
T-G.
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Old 12th Apr 2013, 20:19
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Roads used as runways.

T-G

Don't know about Leeming - I was there '67 t0 '72, never heard of the A1 being so used.

"Red Road" (a park road in Calcutta) was used as a runway in WW2.

D.
 
Old 12th Apr 2013, 20:25
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wasnt a section of the A1 near Woolfox Lodge (disused) trialed by Cottesmore for Harriers?
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Old 12th Apr 2013, 20:31
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I've definitely seen footage of Jag's using a road. I think!


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Old 12th Apr 2013, 20:32
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ISTR reading (probably in Air Clues) that the A46 alongside Swinderby had a few approaches in the past.
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Old 12th Apr 2013, 20:34
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Preston Bypass (M55):



That said, I'm not sure it was ever seriously considered by the military.

I also believe the A-1 by Woolfox Lodge was suspiciously straight and level on one side, and with RAF Woolfox Lodge just off to one side I guess we could have used it in the early days of Harrier but can't say whether it was ever actually trialled - someone on here will know I am sure.

STH

Last edited by SirToppamHat; 12th Apr 2013 at 20:36.
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Old 12th Apr 2013, 20:36
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Jags used the M55 (prior to it's opening) as 'proof' that they could operate in austere conditions, I'm sure someone will have a photo shortly.

And part of the M62 is built on top of what was RAF/USAAF Burtonwood, the hangars that featured along the dispersal track only disappeared in the last 5 or so years.


EDIT; see, told you...

Last edited by muppetofthenorth; 12th Apr 2013 at 20:37.
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Old 12th Apr 2013, 20:53
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I believe a Hercules landed on the M8 whilst it was being built during an IS exercise.
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Old 12th Apr 2013, 20:58
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Given the number of pot holes you would need to be pretty desperate to land on any road in the UK these days.
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Old 12th Apr 2013, 21:21
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Harriers used various roads - mostly within army training areas - in Germany regularly. On one occasion, we used an Autobahn for a deployed exercise - the German police closed the Autobahn from 0800 to 1600 ISTR for our use, then opened it again for normal traffic. The campsite was on a rastplatz which had not, at that stage, been built.

In the late 70's, on Jaguars, we used an Autobahn near Ramstein for training, along with other conventional jets.

The A1 near Leeming??? Perhaps used by Lossie Jags. By then, they could have reached take-off speed, particularly as it is all downhill!!
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Old 12th Apr 2013, 21:32
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I've definitely seen footage of Jag's using a road. I think!
Many stretches of the autobahns in “West” Germany were designated for runways if needed. They were designed so that the central reservations could easily be removed. The Jag video (and you did see it), was taken on a German Autobahn near Laarbruch I believe, but I could be wrong. RAF Bruggen did not have any Autobahns close by in those days. Now they have one from MG to Roermond that would be parallel to Bruggen’s runway, perfect for those Ops

Last edited by SRENNAPS; 12th Apr 2013 at 21:34.
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Old 12th Apr 2013, 21:38
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I seem to remember being told the Jag on the Motorway stunt, it was the only stretch straight and long enough without bridges to allow it to do it, the bombs were fibreglass dummies too to make it look good, but to keep the weight down.. I can see why they did it with a Jag, as it wouldn't trigger any speed camera

Now if you want to talk runways used as motorways USAF Burtonwoods main runway was used as part of the M62

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ore_M62_J8.JPG

RAF USAF Burtonwood:: OS grid SJ5691 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland - photograph every grid square!


.

Last edited by NutLoose; 12th Apr 2013 at 21:43.
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Old 12th Apr 2013, 21:59
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Buccs and Jags from Laarbruch certainly did use use the local Autobahn (A57) when it was first built (to NATO standards) and there were Photos of Buccs parked in the Lay-Bys.

In fact the NATO standard for Autobahns installed "Lay-Bys" at the ends of a variety of long and straight lengths of the roads.

Next time you use one look at the lay-out and sizes of the parking areas...without the trees of course.


View this in Google Maps:
"Sonsbeck Hwy Strip, Alpen, Germany"

and look at the Lay-bys - East & West

Last edited by Rigga; 12th Apr 2013 at 22:09.
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Old 12th Apr 2013, 22:03
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Deleted the Gib picture - too big!

Here is a Tornado on a German Autobahn...


Last edited by iRaven; 12th Apr 2013 at 22:15.
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Old 12th Apr 2013, 22:08
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Nutloose,

I was told they had removable bridges as well

But if you think that we were able to use the Esso Garage in Elmpt as a mini engine bay, then anything was possible in those days.

As for runways being used as roads there is a fab one in Cyprus somewhere between Larnaca and Nicosia/Troodos. We were on a coach trip and the tour guide asked if anybody could work why the road was so straight and why there were piano key markings. I was that smart arse that guessed "runway" and got it right
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Old 12th Apr 2013, 22:19
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And I believe that parts of the Newbury bypass were built on hardcore from the broken-up runway of Greenham Common - certainly large parts of that runway are missing (Google Earth) otherwise it would have been a nice long runway for use in the South of England.

STH
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Old 13th Apr 2013, 00:32
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in Australia

Not military but there are multiple instances across 'outback' Australia where there are specifically marked / widened stretches of road for aircraft - presumably mainly for use by the RFDS
cheers
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Old 13th Apr 2013, 00:45
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Also in Australia, when the Hume Highway south of Sydney was being re-aligned, a light aircraft made a successful forced landing on a section that hadn't yet been opened.
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Old 13th Apr 2013, 02:09
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It must be very nice to have a handy section of roadway to use as an emergency runway - but if you ever have to land on a road, the problem of overhead wires and road signs that aren't far enough apart to allow wing clearance, are some pretty serious hazards to face!

Many years ago, a business associate departed from YPKG for YCLG in his PA-28, and had fuel tank transfer issues that resulted in engine stoppage. He was unable to restart the engine and did a dead-stick landing on the Coolgardie-Kalgoorlie road (Gt Eastern Hwy).
The roadway was adequate width, and there being no overhead wires in the vicinity, he made a successful landing. However, a roadside advisory sign he couldn't avoid in the landing roll, took a wing off!
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Old 13th Apr 2013, 02:30
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Singapore. When your country is little bigger than a postage stamp your alternates are roads. Was there for the inaugural Singapore GP - the workmen were either removing or re-installing the centre strip removable barriers and large concrete flower beds.
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