Saw a B-17 over the A14 today....

Mincey · September 1, 2021

.... and do you know what? It wasn't nearly as heart-racingly impressive as seeing a Lancaster!

Malc · September 1, 2021

would this be out of Lakenheath ?

Malc

Mincey · September 1, 2021

16 minutes ago, Malc said:

would this be out of Lakenheath ?

Malc

I think it was Sally B from Duxford. I don't know if there are any other B-17s left in the UK?

Malc · September 1, 2021

just wondered if it might have been a wandering one returning from some 20+ years service in Afghanistan and being parked up in the USAF station there :unsure:

Malc

Mincey · September 1, 2021

14 minutes ago, Malc said:

just wondered if it might have been a wandering one returning from some 20+ years service in Afghanistan and being parked up in the USAF station there

Malc

That's a very good point Malc - it wouldn't do to have something like that fall into the hands of the Taliban, would it?

I worked in Thetford for a number of years and every Tuesday (or was it Wednesday?) the F-15 boys would go out on their exercises over the Wash. They weren't quiet and had no respect for those on their flightpaths who were trying to work. The less said about their fellow country men in the Apache gunships though, the better.

First_Lexus · September 1, 2021

1 hour ago, Mincey said:

.... and do you know what? It wasn't nearly as heart-racingly impressive as seeing a Lancaster!

Those Merlin engines on the Lancaster are something - once heard, never forgotten!

All the young men - whether British, Commonwealth, American or indeed German - who went up in those aeroplanes during the second world war deserve our respect. Amazing courage.

My Uncle was a bomb loader - ground crew - on Wellingtons and later Lancs. Without actually seeing combat he was a changed man after the war, and became very religious. He felt guilty that bombs he loaded would have killed women and children. If doing that job had THAT massive effect on him, just imagine actually being up there and not knowing whether you’d make it home…

DF-300 Sport · September 1, 2021

Nothing as exciting as a WW2 B17 above Glasgow today....just a pair of Chinooks on a training exercise from RAF Odiham....pics by a worried resident😎👍

PRT68 · September 1, 2021

I live in Northampton close to Sywell Aerodrome. A Spitfire is based there and flies overhead nearly every day. I still can't stop myself going outside to listen to it, and even if I can't see it, I have to wait until it's out of earshot. Sounds nearly as good as the ISF I had!

LenT · September 2, 2021

13 hours ago, PRT68 said:

I live in Northampton close to Sywell Aerodrome.

This reminded me of a very pleasant summer’s day lunch at the Aviator, during which we were treated to a display by the Blades.

I don’t know if it’s a regular lunchtime entertainment but it’s certainly not something you usually get with a meal.

I also used to clay shoot at Sywell and although obviously well out of range, it was a good test of concentration when, having called for a target, you suddenly had an aircraft appear on the same flight line.

PRT68 · September 2, 2021

Not regular lunchtime entertainment, but they do rehearse regularly, and hear them in the distance most days. I think the pilots are ex Red Arrows. They also used to accompany the Vulcan bomber before it was grounded. Certainly heard that!

rich1068 · September 2, 2021

17 hours ago, Mincey said:

.... and do you know what? It wasn't nearly as heart-racingly impressive as seeing a Lancaster!

I was in my local B&Q a couple of years ago and noticed the drone of a plane approaching overhead. Suddenly I thought "That's a Lancaster" and rushed outside. The sound of those four Merlins is so distinctive.

This pic is from the last show at RAF Cosford in (I think) 2019.

Mincey · September 2, 2021

1 minute ago, rich1068 said:

I was in my local B&Q a couple of years ago and noticed the drone of a plane approaching overhead. Suddenly I thought "That's a Lancaster" and rushed outside. The sound of those four Merlins is so distinctive.

Absolutely. A few years ago I was sitting in my sister's garden and the Lanc flew directly overhead, low enough to count the rivets. "Awesome" doesn't come anywhere close to covering it.

rich1068 · September 2, 2021

The opening "act" at Cosford was one of the RAF's Typhoons. The announcer said that the show was about to start and the Typhoon was just leaving Lincolnshire. It came roaring over the airfield fast and low probably no more than 5 minutes later!

paulrnx · September 2, 2021

8 hours ago, rich1068 said:

The opening "act" at Cosford was one of the RAF's Typhoons. The announcer said that the show was about to start and the Typhoon was just leaving Lincolnshire. It came roaring over the airfield fast and low probably no more than 5 minutes later!

Watched (and heard!) a Typhoon at Goodwood Festival of Speed a few times. Loud doesn’t come close to describing it 😀

paulrnx · September 2, 2021

9 hours ago, rich1068 said:

I was in my local B&Q a couple of years ago and noticed the drone of a plane approaching overhead. Suddenly I thought "That's a Lancaster" and rushed outside. The sound of those four Merlins is so distinctive.

This pic is from the last show at RAF Cosford in (I think) 2019.

This is awesome! Thanks for sharing

rich1068 · September 2, 2021

3 hours ago, paulrnx said:

This is awesome! Thanks for sharing

You're welcome.

Quite proud of this one too. Such a shame the show hasn't happened since Covid.

Davehedgehog31 · September 2, 2021

On 9/1/2021 at 6:51 PM, DF-300 Sport said:

Nothing as exciting as a WW2 B17 above Glasgow today....just a pair of Chinooks on a training exercise from RAF Odiham....pics by a worried resident😎👍

I saw a Chinook on the M9 near Stirling on Tuesday night. Was flying pretty low and almost straight overhead.

Also spied one of these last month while down at Portpatrick....

Was a very unusual looking thing.

ALAW · September 2, 2021

1 hour ago, Davehedgehog31 said:

I saw a Chinook on the M9 near Stirling on Tuesday night. Was flying pretty low and almost straight overhead.

Also spied one of these last month while down at Portpatrick....

Was a very unusual looking thing.

I see these regulary fabulous aircraft they had a lot of teething problems early days quite a few crashed they nearly got scrapped. If you get chance to see one at night its quite a sight especially if its damp or a bit of mist. The 2 props light up like catherine wheels they look like they have 2 circles.

paulrnx · September 3, 2021

I’ll dig out my photos of the Vulcan and post these up

Mincey · September 4, 2021

On 9/3/2021 at 8:15 AM, paulrnx said:

I’ll dig out my photos of the Vulcan and post these up

Excellent. I grew up on the flight path to RAF Wittering and was close-ish to Alconbury. I learned to recognise Harriers, Vulcans, Victors, Phantoms, F1-11s and many more I've probably forgotten. Seeing a Vulcan overhead when it did it's howly thing was always a treat.

Kevin Williams · September 4, 2021

Very interesting Topic and posts. I know the two guys that bought the last 4 Lightnings. I recently did an email for John, royoftherovers. The email including photos and websites. One of their Lightnings was shipped to South Africa to Thunder City Airfield, and unfortunately crashed because of bad maintenance. The other three are in the UK. One is outside Castle Motors, and the other two are outside the two guy's houses. If anyone would like to see the email and the attachments, please let me have your email in a message... I also know Sywell very well, because Skytech did my servicing and annual inspections on my MD 500E. I probably flew into Sywell a dozen times...

https://www.skytechhelicopters.co.uk/

doog442 · September 4, 2021

Its the Bournemouth airshow so we've had all sorts flying over our house for the last few days. The Typhoon really spooks the dogs and rattles the windows.

It all came to a halt today when one of the 'wing walking' planes ditched into Poole Harbour. We were walking not far away but missed the drama.

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/19559447.wingwalker-plane-crashes-poole-harbour-air-festival-display/

Reference Lightnings, I grew up not far from RAF Gutersloh in Germany during the Cold War which at the time was home to a Lightning squadron, we were down there quite often.

PRT68 · September 4, 2021

Sywell again. In my private hire driving days, I was returning in bad weather from a job in Wellingborough to Northampton. A helicopter passed quite low overhead, just as a job was available from Sywell. Drove there and waited at the pickup point and a familiar looking person approached. It was ex formula one driver, Dr Jonathan Palmer. It was him that buzzed me, and was grounded by the bad weather. I took him to a hotel for the night, and he asked me to pick him up first thing the following morning. On the way back he asked if I'd ever been up in a helicopter, and when I replied no, he immediately invited me!

He did all the preflight proceedings, showed me how to close the door properly from the outside, and up we went. Returned 20 minutes later, I closed the door as instructed gave him the thumbs up, and off he went.

Best tip ever!

Kevin Williams · September 5, 2021

11 hours ago, PRT68 said:

Sywell again. In my private hire driving days, I was returning in bad weather from a job in Wellingborough to Northampton. A helicopter passed quite low overhead, just as a job was available from Sywell. Drove there and waited at the pickup point and a familiar looking person approached. It was ex formula one driver, Dr Jonathan Palmer. It was him that buzzed me, and was grounded by the bad weather. I took him to a hotel for the night, and he asked me to pick him up first thing the following morning. On the way back he asked if I'd ever been up in a helicopter, and when I replied no, he immediately invited me!

He did all the preflight proceedings, showed me how to close the door properly from the outside, and up we went. Returned 20 minutes later, I closed the door as instructed gave him the thumbs up, and off he went.

Best tip ever!

Paul, I googled Dr Jonathan Palmer.

https://helihub.com/2013/01/07/ex-formula-1-driver-upgrades-from-as355np-to-aw-grand/

I see that he flies a twin turbine helicopter… Ex boys from the black stuff could only afford a single turbine engine…! Mine probably cost me about £550 per hour to fly. Dr Palmer’s would have been circa £1,500 per hour…

Yes, your best tip ever…! 20 minutes would have cost Dr Palmer about £500…! And the pilot was free…!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1G-tKPma8o