Jaguar question
 

This is from the Laarbruch Listener dated Dec 1984. I'm pretty much sure its on II (ac) Sqns site. Any idea what is going on? I can only guess they are practising an aircraft recovery after an incident, given that the underwing stores are still fitted (although recce pod has been removed). I left Shiney Two in Feb 1984 and I've got no recollection of this happening.

Is it the only way they could get it airborne with all the stores on?

Yes... that's it.... the Jaguar trebuchet launch system. OK, very funny but I'd love to hear some serious suggestions too :)

Well, whatever's happening, there are some blokes there pretty determined that it doesn't escape.

Wonder if it had the same problem with its anti skid as my XKR did...

The RAFG Aircraft Weighing Team trialling a new method to avoid all the hard work which a/c jacks...

Woburn Safari Park take safe precautions when the Jaguar wakes up from its nap...
Sorry thought it was the Caption Competition ...

New multi axis sim?

Deffo trade training.

OAP

Hang it from the crane and use it as a decoy?

It's a "Guess the weight of the Jaguar" competition. But the entrants thought they were going to win a Jaguar car, not something to put on a stick in the front yard.

So who volunteered for a detachment to Jib?

Multiple tyre changes ... a Beginners Guide?

Late '84 was when 31 Sqn were retiring their Jaguars for Tornadoes. Any chance that's a de-engined airframe (it seems to be hanging a shade oddly nose down) being moved as a gate guard or some such?

I think that is very unlikely. II Sqn would continue flying the Jaguar for a few more years so I don't think they would give up an airframe to be be used as a gateguard, especially when all those Bruggen Jags were becoming surplus to requirement. Also don't forget that the recce Jags were to a different mod standard to accept the recce pod so they would certainly want to keep hold of those airframes. In any case, you wouldn't want to transport a fully assembled aircraft, including underwing stores, by road.

Practising for it to be lifted out of a field by a Chinook.

That's a possibility. The other thing regarding Micks suggestion that it is hanging nose low. I think its hanging in its normal flight attitude. It just looks odd because it sits nose high on the ground.

The irony of this thread is that the image appeared in the Laarbruch mag as a Caption Competition!

IT could be reweighing or practicing recovery techniques for a crash recovery, after all a wheels up landing will need lifting to drop the gear.

It's possibly not a good idea to mention the RAFG Weighing team, c/o 431, after a "series of unfortunate calculations " when a Harrier decided it wished to return to earth at Wildenrath one day, by virtue of going "plop ! " off the jacks and "crunch ! " on the floor. Suffice to say, that, after about 792 attempts at weighing, well ok maybe not quite as many, what you might say was a, ahem, mean figure, was decided on......