Alfred Fartknocker:
DSAE Cosford wheeled out a lot of the G.I.s for the 2015 show. This Jaguar GR.1 is wearing 8905M and it's old 226 OCU Tartan tail flash. XX975/ 07 was only active for 10 years- all at Lossiemouth, before retiring in 1985, first to Halton, then here.
Alfred Fartknocker:
After many years at Kinloss, the 'Kipper' fleet moved out, leaving only Nimrod MR.2 XV244 behind- complete with latest paint & equipment fit. It looks abandoned on the airfield, but is in the care of nearby Morayvia.
Alfred Fartknocker:
XR220 never flew, but remains a controversial and great looking jet. Cosford wheeled their TSR-2 out for the 2015 Airshow. It certainly looks the part, and those who flew the type spoke highly of it.
Alfred Fartknocker:
XV659 was built as a Sea King HAS.1 in 1970, and was one of the RN choppers sent South in 1982. Here it is with DSAE Cosford, now a HAS.6. 9234M may well still be here.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Hunter is WT711/ 833, a GA.11. Clearly ex Royal Navy, FRADU & SAH. It's seen here at Coventry but has since moved to Spark Bridge.
Alfred Fartknocker:
I was impressed by all the original WWII infrastructure remaining at North Weald- an old Battle-of-Britain fighter station. This Beagle Basset CC.1 is N181WW ex RAF as XS773. This revetment must have housed Spitfires & Hurricanes in 1940.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Nice looking Royal Navy Wessex HU.5 preserved at Morayvia, not far from Kinloss Barracks. XT466/ CU 528 is in 771 Sqn marks. It came here from Kemble, where it wore a better looking 'sand n' spinach' colour scheme, although it looked like this in 1981 at
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Royal Navy Merlin HM.1 has ended up at Morayvia, near Kinloss, perched on this jury rigged undercarriage. ZH821 was the first RN a/c, and came here from storage at Shawbury..
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Hunter is ex Danish AF F.51, E-412. It was actually built new for the Danish, but later bought back by Hawkers, no doubt with a re-sale in mind. Somehow it's ended up here at Brooklands after kicking about UK museums.
Alfred Fartknocker:
One of a pair of ex Danish AF Hawker Hunter F.51s at Brooklands is E-421. Like nearby E-412, Hawkers bought it back to sell on, but ended up keeping this one as a G.I. An F.51 is just an F.1- but built for export.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Vickers 953C Vanguard flew for BEA (and likely my first ever flight was on one of these). Later this one became a Merchantman Freighter, seen preserved at Brooklands. G-APEP is the only surviving Vanguard of 44 built.
Alfred Fartknocker:
One of the best looking jets ever, but a rarer sight these days than in 2009. Hunter PR.11, "XG194/ N" at Leuchars.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Puma has been flying since 1971 and remains in service today. HC.2, XW213/ CJ is c/n 1116, likely with 33 Sqn here, seen at Leuchars.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Qinetiq operate a handful of Alpha Jets from Boscombe Down and this one showed up at Fairford. ZJ646 is ex Luftwaffe 41+55 and is part of the Empire Test Pilots School there.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The C-295 is selling well these days and is a contender to replace Indias large fleet of An-32s. This is a Polish AF example, 022 at RIAT in 2010.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is Lockheed MC-130H 'Combat Talon II' 88-1803 at the 2010 RIAT. This Herk was with 352 SOG/ 7 SOS at Mildenhall in this pic.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The Germans used this Messershmitt Bf-110G-4 as a night fighter, to defend against the RAFs night bombing of Germany. Note the 'night' camo & AI radar antennae. #730301 is preserved at Hendon, London- it's a very rare survivor.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Hawker Hart Trainer, K4972 at Hendon- this is another remarkable survivor, the remains of which were discovered in an attic in Wigton in 1962. A reminder of how good looking aeroplanes were many years ago.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Pre-production Typhoon ZH588 has ended up in the RAF Museum at Hendon. Note the 43 Sqn 'Fighting Cock' on the fin although DA-2 never entered service. It's a Eurofighter 2000 really, the first UK produced jet.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Army Gazelle AH.1 XZ322/ N in store at Cosford in a fetching 'Desert style' camo' scheme. 9283M seems to be in Deighton, Yorks today with civil reg G-CMBB.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The RAF (and RN) Gazelles had the nicest paint schemes. XZ941/ B remains in use as a G.I. at Cosford with maintenance serial 9301M.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Some of the Jaguars GR.1s at DSAE Cosford, ended up retaining their Cold War era wrap-around colour schemes. 6 Sqns XX726/ EB shown here is also ex 226 OCU, so a UK based jet.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Bristol Brittania has ended up preserved at Cosford to represent the types service with the RAF. Unfortunately 'XM497' has no Mil' history, flying mostly as G-AOVF. The real XM497 was burnt at Stansted in 1979.
Alfred Fartknocker:
I must be getting old, as I remember SAL at Prestwick converting F-BTMI into ZA110 (and 9Q-CTC into ZA111) for the Navy. Here it is at Sproughton after retirement. This Jetstream T.2 seems to have joined the Fire Section at Aberdeen Airport.
Alfred Fartknocker:
I guess when the active fleet gets the chop, the G.Is' go too. XS734/ N is marked 9260M so maybe this Dominie T.1 was at Cosford (it was) as a teaching aid. Seen here with Everetts at Sproughton. This one l/n in 2014- is it still here?
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Hunter F.6 is XG210. It's preserved in Beck Row- very near to RAF Mildenhall. It's an ex RAE Farnborough jet, and has wings from other Hunters.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This ex 6 Sqn Jaguar GR.1 is really looking shabby, here with the Gatwick Air Museum- albeit not on display. XX734 moved to Old Sarum, where it has clearly been lovingly restored.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Jaguar GR.1 XX121/ EQ in a field at Charlwood, near Gatwick. An ex 6 Sqn jet, it seems to be in Selby these days, maybe with Jet Art?
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Gannet AEW.3 was in the Gatwick AM near Charlwood. XL472/ 044R served the Royal Navy on the Ark Royal with 849 Sqn, retiring in 1978. Since moved to Wales and used as spares for another, it doesn't look this good anymore.
Alfred Fartknocker:
RAF C-130K C.3 XV299 waits near the tower at Teversham. Marshalls were scrapping these and 299 was gone by 2011. The RAF worked these hard.
