Scampton
 

Heard a buzz today that it's closing again - anyone care to confirmor deny?

Stretch

I am surprised that you have heard only the one 'buzz'. Rumour Control is working double shifts at the moment.

As I understand it, the latest decisions on the Minor Basing Study are waiting to be signed off and we will all be put out of our misery in the next 2 or 3 months.

Nice to see old ground being covered - when the base was put up for sale in the 90s the plan folded because of cost - £4 million to straighten the road diverted around the runway extension & £3 million to clean up the old bomb dump (1996 prices). And then there's the perennial problem of THAT grave!

They can't close it just yet, Peter Jackson wants to film some of his version of the Dam Busters there.

And then there's the perennial problem of THAT grave!

I would have thought that its occupant would have been washed away by now if a certain tradition was still being maintained.

Well, there's an official statement on the future of Leeming next week, according to what staff on the base were told yesterday... so maybe the rumour about the Hawks aligning is true and Scampton is dust?

I've heard different rumour involving a MOB way up north being canned & its assets coming south.

IIRC the official position (and therefore the planning assumption) is that Scampton is to close no later than 2012. The Minister was told this when he agreed the move of the A6 units to Leeming instead of Scampton.

So this clearly means the Reds must return to Kemble.:)

The CRC must move to Saxa Vord:\

And 1 ACC might as well stay in the Stan:ok:

Well it is a rumour service:D

And the MMU to Bracknell, eh?:E

I've heard another rumour, that a certain F3 Sqn at Leuchars arent converting to Typhoon, but are staying as an F3 Sqn. [Its not shifty fix or 3 flight]

My version (for what it's worth, from a nameless source) was that the Reds probably would move to Leeming, despite all the talk about how it was logistically a bad idea. But then logistics and common sense are usually pretty low on the list of priorities:hmm:

How about locating the drivers of the Red Hawks alongside the other Red (okay now black) Hawks?
They could practice at Mona and strut in Rhosneigr?

Topbunker, that won't work we can't give the VietTaff more support. No I think we'll be told to re-open a Scotts base - Machrihanish anyone? The Reds of Cambletoon ....

GF - like it! But now the rest of the Met Office are in Exeter maybe we should put MMU to Brize or Benson (I think they've been at both before!)

I feel a bout of fantasy airforce coming on:ok:

:}:E:}:E:}:E

News to me if Scampton is closing. If that happens, will they take the kink out of the A15? I have an enduring memory of a Vulcan coming in to land whilst I was on the road with my dad. I wasn't very old. Scarred me for life - that's why I'm here doing what I do.

IIRC the MOD are supposed to return the A15 to its previous route, but I don't think they can afford it, so maybe the sparrows will move to Leeming, but will transit back to Scampton for their daily flying stints.

I also remember from the dim & distant past that the 'Old Ramsey Road' which was closed when Wyton was upgraded around 1956, has to be re-opened after a 5 year period of Wyton airfield closing. I think that was a big factor in the UAS's moving in as the local council were making noises to this effect, so flying returned, no need to re-open the road.

Strictly speaking, all RAF airfields are meant to be returned to previous use when vacated, and obviuously it never really happens. The agreement is re-nogotiated on a base-by-base basis as and when bases are vacated.

Any decision on Scampton will definitely not be swayed by the road issue, I absolutely promise you.

Wrecked...
 

I thought that A6 went to Leeming because RAF didn't want to loose Leeming and Scampton was wrecked and would therefor cost too much to fully resurect. I guess they'll be another study soon to find out where those red Hawks could go instead. There's so much history at Scampton but how can that connect to the future? Move the BBMF there? Turn part of it into a living museum.....we'll see.

Scampton a flying museum?
 

Moving BBMF to Scampton was looked at some (very long) time ago, but up on the Lincolnshire Ridge, the weather factor is not good. Wind out of limits too often. Coningsby down in the low lands, has better wind limits.

As for MMU going to Macrihanish, Bracknell or Exeter, may as well go out to the Gulf or Afghanistan seeing that is where they spend most of their time anyway!


As we are into rumours, seeing all possibilities are now being looked at again, even those thrown out last time, how about the black Hawks at Leeming moving South to Scampton? :E:E:E

so any news on the 'official announcement' at Leeming?

+ they're bound to close the Fife airbase, they've just built a new runway (£**,***,***.00 )

When they start refurbishing the mess you may as well all start packing. :ugh: