Two Fighter Force TFF
 

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news...p-defend-the-u

Two Tiffies eh! We're going to win. Is this another indication that UK and NATO defence policy needs a far reaching overhaul? As many would counter, I wouldn't deny the NHS a single penny etc, but how did we manage in the '80s, '70s etc. Somehow the money seems to be found when the government is eventually coninced that it's needed.

FB

RAF moves two fighter jets to Yorkshire in exercise to help 'defend the UK' | Yorkshire Post

Oops the previous link appears to be a dud, thry this one?

FB

Just another exercise on operating from a remote base. Testing the ability of the unit to operate away from home. Nothing unusual about that.

Breaking news - aircraft operate from airfield! They must be desperate for publicity.

Now the Hawk Mk 1s have gone, they gotta do something with the airfield.

Chevvron
 

They are. There are nine (or at least there will be if and when they are all delivered) Hawk Mk167s there from 11 Sqn QEAF.

BV

Now that the Mk1's have gone, it's very quiet up here!!

It wasn't quiet at Scruton railway station recently while I was trying to listen to a nice lady dressed in period costume who was trying to explain the history of the place.

Yes, the early steam powered Hawks were very noisy…

Excellent.

.......presumably they've had a quick sweep out of the F3 era Q sheds, or had they been repurposed for a takeaway?

Not all have gone, there are still the red ones left, but at the current rate of pilot "re-posting" they'll not be needed for much longer. ;-)

I know it is not the same now, modern a/c and systems being far more flexible and effective than the old days, but I remember the East coast in the 50's/60's - Lossie, Leuchars, Middleton St. George,Leconfield, Binbrook and probably some my old brain has forgotten! Most had two or three squadrons of pretty effective aircraft and a very good fighter
control back-up. Am I so out of date that I feel a "political" hand in this new defence plan?

Bill

I think that was a Lightning-thing, Bill.

Rate of Avtur consumption demanded bases at approx 100 mile intervals. I think Coltishall and Wattisham complete your picket line.

DD, thank you for the "prod"! Absolutely right but, (unfortunatetly in some ways), I can think further back than the Lightning but, now you mention it I vaguely remember similar problems on the Hunter, Javelin etc.!!
Still a bit suspicious, however!

Rotor System, around 300 bunkers around the UK and umpteen squadrons.

Once we switched to Tripwire that was scaled back to just enough to cover the V force bases whilst they flushed and QRA under Linesman/Mediator.

Under Linesman there were 3 planned T85 radar sites - Neatishead, Staxton Wold and Boulmer feeding to the sole dual ATC & ADGE site at West Drayton. (Mediator was the ATC half)

During the transition they kept the island sites at Saxa & Benbecula along the CRCs at Buchan, Boulmer and Patrington.

Then Tripwire changed to Flexible Response and we needed a survivable ADGE again. So the above ground R30 building was built at Neatishead to replace Patrington which shut and, after a nearly 15 year delay, the UKADGE programme began to put in new radars and harden the bunkers.

Which is why for 20 years through the heart of the Cold War the entire UKAD ground environment was run from 3 prefab above ground Ops buildings…..

http://www.radarpages.co.uk/index.htm

"now you mention it I vaguely remember similar problems on the Hunter, Javelin etc.!!"

Going all the way back to pre WW2 days the RAF never put a really value on range in fighters. Rate of Climb was valued much more highly - and after the BoB those writing the specs could only remember the desperate need to get as high as possible very fast

I'm sure some though the Me163 was the perfect answer!