Alfred Fartknocker:
It's hard to make out the faded serial on that faded Dayglo nose, but it is ex Armee de L'Air Fouga CM.170R Magister 508. It is reg'd N508F, and someone has since got it back on three points here at Chino, CA. It was last coded 312-TL in French service.
Alfred Fartknocker:
After a long RAF career, mainly with 39 Sqn, Canberra PR.9 XH131 lies at Kemble. It later moved to Northern Ireland, where it was manufactured originally by Shorts.
Alfred Fartknocker:
A pair of US Army CH-47D Chinooks get assembled- or dismantled- it was hard to tell, at Peterson AFB, CO. '233' is 91-00233, a rebuild of CH-47C 68-16019. The one marked '102' is 88-00102, rebuilt from 68-15997.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Seen at Pueblo, CO was this USN Beech T-44A Pegasus, Bu.Aer 161071/ G-401 of VT-31, CTW-4. He's on a NAVEX and just got the thing started.
Alfred Fartknocker:
An elegant Grumman C-37A Gulfstream waits at Peterson AFB, CO. This jet flew as N582GA with Grumman and was originally based with the 65 AS at Hickam AFB, HI- thus the serial. 10065 is 01-0065.
Alfred Fartknocker:
We were at Woodbridge for a sniff around the new fangled A-10s, when these two relics dropped in from the 57 FIS at Keflavik. Both 66-0300 & 66-0334 are F-4E Phantoms that ended up going to Turkey.
Alfred Fartknocker:
43 Sqn F-4Ks taxi at Leuchars in 1981.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The Marshaller waves US Army AH-1S Cobra away after a hot refuel (turning and burning) at Munster, West Germany. The 503rd Avn at Budingen were paying 662 Sqn a visit. I think it's 68-15086, preserved at a VFW post in Bath, NY today.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This old SAAB A32A Lansen (Lance) has been in the California Sun for so long that its painted over marks are re-appearing. 32120 is the c/n of this ex Swedish AF early jet, seen dumped at Mojave. N4767R.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Luftwaffe Tornado IDS 46+15 at the 1992 Scottish Airshow, Prestwick. This year was the last of the big shows there. This one may well still be active- certainly was in 2020.
Alfred Fartknocker:
I managed a swift snoop around a hangar or two during the 2010 show at Leuchars. This Spitfire Vb is the Historic Aeroplane Companys BM597 (G-MKVB). A lovely thing.
Alfred Fartknocker:
In 2010, there were quite a few Hunters buzzing around in the UK. This ex RN & FRADU GA.11 is XE685/ VL 861 (G-GAII) seen on the flightline at Leuchars. It's preserved at Wickenby these days, after its post-Shoreham grounding.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This beautiful looking Hunter is marked XG194/ N, but is really ex FRADU PR.11 WT723/ LM 692. Seen getting ready to fly at Leuchars a few years ago. It was put on a pole at Tyseley, Birmingham after going out of fashion in the UK- with the CAA anyway.
Alfred Fartknocker:
All the Tornadoes that got the GR.4 upgrade, also got a fleet code. ZA598/ 064 is seen here at Leuchars during its time with XV Sqn at Lossiemouth. It was scrapped at Leeming in 2015. I think the Ukranians might have found a job for these...
Alfred Fartknocker:
100 Sqn (aka The Tatty Ton) operated XX255/ CL, one of a few Hawks visiting Prestwick today from Leeming. This one is probably in store at Shawbury these days, l/n in 2022 coded CB.
Alfred Fartknocker:
When the USAF were looking to replace the C-130, they started the AMST programme. Two each YC-14 & YC-15 were built. This is the first Mc DD YC-15, 72-1875. It was in the Pima AM at one point, but went back to flying, then had a nasty engine failure and
Alfred Fartknocker:
The RAF Museums' P-51D is marked '413317' but is really 44-74009. It mostly flew for Canada as RCAF 9235, but after that as N6319T, N4409 & N555BM before becoming YV-508-CP in Venezuala- it was owned by Cavalier at one point too. It's a lucky survivor!
Alfred Fartknocker:
This ex RAF, Jordan and Oman AF Hunter FR.10 started life as an RAF F.6, XF426. It's serialled 853 in Arabic (it's Jordanian serial) but last flew for Oman, still as 853.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Of the eight Cessna O-2A parked at Greeley-Weld RAP, CO this one is likely 67-21310 but also USN Bu.Aer 721310. It was stored as HV166 and later reg'd N40693, but I think it left here in pieces after JW Duff, the owner, passed away. I met him at one of
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Lockheed T-33A used to be in use as a G.I. at Lowry AFB, CO. When the base closed, the 'Wings over the Rockies' AM opened, and 56-1710 remains on display here.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The nose of Buccaneer S.2B XV165 at Bruntingthorpe. It's left here now and may be in Ashford, Kent. I first saw this one when it was with 12 Sqn at Lossiemouth. Sadly it was scrapped at Shawbury in 1994, with only the nose saved.
Alfred Fartknocker:
With the retirement of the Jaguar, they started cropping up all over the place. Bruntingthorpe painted this GR.1 bright metallic green. XZ382 is still on the gate there, seen here in the outdoor paint shop?
Alfred Fartknocker:
Handley-Page Victor K.2, XM715 'Teasin Tina' at Bruntingthorpe, a few years before making the last flight of the type...
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Guppy looks like it's been hiding the pies. F-BTGV/ 1 was an Aero Spacelines Super Guppy Turbine- the only a/c that could carry a complete Saturn V third stage. It arrived here in 1996, and was inexplicably scrapped in 2020.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The D'Assault Mystere (Mystery) IVA is over-represented in the UK, as the AdLA returned a pile of MAP funded Mysteres under the terms imposed by MAP, when they were done with them. #85/ 8-MV remains at Bruntingthorpe, on the gate.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Daughter, Louise in her 'grow-bag' during the 2013 Battle-of-Britain Airshow at Leuchars. She'll be 19 here and learing to fly with UGSAS.
Alfred Fartknocker:
A pair of European made F-16AM at Leuchars. 672 is Norwegian (80-3672), built by Fokker. E-607 is Danish 80-3607, built by SABCA in Belgium.
Alfred Fartknocker:
111 Sqn kept this F-4K as a sort of mascot, at Leuchars. XV582/ M was the first UK Phantom to make 5,000 hours- also did Lands End to John O'Groats in 46 mins 44 secs- a record. 'Black Mike' is at St. Athan in 2024. It's an FG.1.
Alfred Fartknocker:
US Coast Guard MH-65D Dolphin 6606 was based at Miami when it flew into nearby Homestead AFB, Florida.
Alfred Fartknocker:
N705GB was built by Douglas in 1943 as a C-47A (43-30703) it seems to have enjoyed a long life after leaving the USAF. Seen here at Opa Locka, FL it flies on today, based elsewhere in Florida.
