NEWSLETTER 05/10

31 May 2010

First of all there is unlikely to be a newsletter at the end of June, indeed the next one will probably not appear until the end of July, this is because the group will be providing the Checklist’s at both Waddington and Yeovilton again and also because I am expected to walk down the aisle again on 17 July to finally/officially give away second daughter Jenny!

As usual there will be complete lists for both the shows in the newsletter so all reports especially Yeovilton will be gratefully received and reviewed.

Secondly the ‘book’ will again be available at Waddington, still priced £2.00 or £2.50 if you want a copy posted, cheques payable to me at the above address please. It will be second class post though unless the weight allows me use 1^St class.

Now to cover changes that occur while the newsletter has a break you can always refer to www.BMAL.org, if you haven’t already had a look then please do so you might be surprised.

Remember publications like this, MAR and the Wolverhampton newsletter just to name three, do rely on you to make your logs available for all to see, please just don’t make assumptions (refer to Typhoon later), we are always pleased to receive them.

Lastly had my first taste of the new Wembley yesterday and I also chose the right team to support, spent my first 21 years in Dagenham so all in all it’s been a good weekend!

HAMMERS

Royal Air Force

Chinook

You will recall last month that I indicated that 4 Chinooks departed for warm places, well it seems that three of them went out for an exercise called ‘Desert Thunder’, this has now ended and these returned to the UK by 4/5, ZA684/AL (M7011), ZD983/DG (M7022) and ZD980/DD (M7027).

ZA679/AG	HC.2	M7014	VAHS	Noted at East Midlands 10/5 following return to the UK ex 1310Flt, the An-124 it was in diverted there following the C-130 mishap at Brize.
ZA705/AN	HC.2	M7030	1310Flt	Ex 18/27Sqn arr BZN 6/5 for onward transportation was delayed due to C-130 incident.

Harrier

Yet more major squadron shuffles!

ZD329/10	GR.9A	P.10	800NAS	Was a GR.9.
ZD330/11	GR.9	P.11	4(R)Sqn	Ex 800NAS.
ZD346/13	GR.9A	P.13	1Sqn	Ex 800NAS.
ZD347/14	GR.9A	P.14	1Sqn	Ex 800NAS.
ZD378/26	GR.9A	P.26	1Sqn	D/d 18/5 ex JUMP Flt. (code requires confirmation)
ZD433/45A	GR.9A	P.45	1Sqn	Ex 800NAS.
ZD436/48	GR.9A	P.48	1Sqn	Ex 800NAS.
ZD438/50	GR.9	P.50	800NAS	Ex 1Sqn.
ZD463/53	GR.9	P.53	LTSF	Ex 4(R)Sqn.
ZD468/58	GR.9	P.58	800NAS	Ex 4(R)Sqn.
ZD470/60	GR.9	P.60	4(R)Sqn	Ex 1Sqn.
ZG474/64	GR.9	P.64	20(R)Sqn	Due to transfer to Cottesmore 21/5 for LTSF wfu
ZG477	GR.9A	P.67	SAM	Was a GR.9.
ZG479/69	GR.9A	P.69	1Sqn	Was a GR.9.
ZG480/70	GR.9	P.70	800NAS	Ex 1Sqn.
ZG500/71	GR.9	P.71	4(R)Sqn	Ex 1Sqn.
ZG501/EB-Q	GR.9	P.72	41(R)Sqn	Noted in full marks 4/5 ex 4Sqn special.
ZG503/EB-Z	GR.9	P.74	HPAC SAM	Ex 41(R)Sqn.
ZG505/76	GR.9A	P.76	MTSF	Ex 800NAS.
ZG510/81	GR.9A	P.81	HPAC SAM	Was a GR.9.
ZG531/85	GR.9	P.85	1Sqn	Ex 4(R)Sqn.
ZG857/89	GR.9	P.89	41(R)Sqn	Ex SAM.
ZG859/91	GR.9	P.91	800NAS	Ex 1Sqn.
ZH665/113	T.12A	TX.13	4(R)Sqn	D/d 19/5 ex JUMP Flt. (1^st trainer with Pegasus 107 engine)

Hawk

XX169/169	T.1	312016	FRADU	D/d 27/4 ex ASF Leeming.
XX170/170	T.1	312017	FRADU	CAT.3 birdstrike.
XX217/217	T.1A		ASF Leeming	D/d 24/5 ex FRADU.
XX322/322	T.1A		RAFAT	D/d 4/5 to Cranwell for painting in Red Arrow scheme ex Shawbury store.
XX337	T.1A		ASF Leeming	D/d 27/4 ex FRADU.
ZK017	T.2	RT008	BAE Warton	D/d 6/5 ex Brough following mod work.
ZK020	T.2	RT011	BAE Brough	D/d 7/5 by road ex Shawbury store.
ZK022	T.2	RT013	BAE Brough	D/d 13/5 by road ex Shawbury store.
ZK025	T.2	RT016	BAETF	D/d 19/5 ex QinetiQ ‘Gauntlet18’.
ZK031	T.2	RT022	BAETF	D/d 28/5 ex QinetiQ ‘Tarnish5’.

Also during the month T.2’s ZK028 and ZK029 have flown several missions from BAE Warton but it is not clear if they have returned to BAE or simply deployed from Valley, anyone care to comment?

Hercules

XV304/304

C.3A

4272

47/70Sqn

Made a wheels up landing at BZN on 6/5, no injuries and the aircraft is currently in base hangar on it’s wheels although I’m hearing whispers that the structural damage may make it a W/O!

Nimrod

XV229/29	MR.2	8004	DFSCTE	D/d 26/5.
XV232/32	MR.2	8007		D/d 11/5 to Classic Flight at Coventry.
XV255/55	MR.2	8030		D/d 24/5 to City of Norwich Aviation Museum.

Puma

XW219	HC.1	1144	Reserve Fleet	Ex 33/230Sqn.
XW220	HC.1	1148	Reserve Fleet	Ex 33/230Sqn.
XW226	HC.1	1175	33/230Sqn	Ex Reserve Fleet.

The remainder of the Kenya detachment aircraft returned to BZN on 13/5 with XW199, XW212 and ZA939, while ZJ957 returned on 14/5, they should all have returned to the 33/230Sqn pool by the time you read this.

Sea King

XZ586/B	HAR.3	WA852	202Sqn ‘E’ Flt	D/d 20/5 ex SKAMG.
XZ591/G	HAR.3	WA857	VAHS	D/d 26/5 ex 202Sq ‘E’Flt.
XZ599/P	HAR.3	WA865	22/203(R)Sqn	D/d 12/5 ex 202Sqn ‘E’ Flt expected to go to SKAMG w/c 1/6.
ZH540	HAR.3A	WA1006	SKAMG	Ex 22Sqn ‘B’ Flt.
ZH542	HAR.3A	WA1008	22Sqn ‘B’ Flt	D/d 27/5 ex VAHS.

Tornado

ZA370/004	GR.4A	BS052	15(R)Sqn	Ex QinetiQ mod work
ZA410/016	GR.4	BT034	QinetiQ	Ex 15(R)Sqn.
ZA449/020	GR.4	BS079	31Sqn	Ex Op Herrick (currently in Marham TEF)
ZA453/022	GR.4	BS083	CMU	Ex 12Sqn.
ZA459/F	GR.4	BS089	15(R)Sqn	Ex QinetiQ mod work.
ZA463/028	GR.4	BS093	Lossie Wing	Ex NA deployment (see below)
ZA547/039	GR.4	BS016	Lossie Wing	Ex CMU.
ZA560/050	GR.4	BS024	Lossie Wing	Ex TEF Lossiemouth.
ZA602/067	GR.4	BT026	WLT Lossie	EX Marham need confirmation of this location
ZA607/070	GR.4	BS044	Lossie Wing	Ex TEF Lossiemouth.
ZA609/072	GR.4	BS046	31Sqn	Did not join 9Sqn following Op Herrick de-prep.
ZD720/086	GR.4	BS121	31Sqn	Ex Op Herrick (currently in Marham TEF)
ZD746/094	GR.4	BS127	2Sqn	Did not transfer to 13Sqn.
ZD788/098	GR.4	BS131	CMU	Ex 31Sqn.
ZD811/103	GR.4	BS140	Marham Wing	Ex NA deployment (see below)
ZD843/106	GR.4	BS141	CMU	Ex 15(R)Sqn.
ZD849/110	GR.4	BS147	Lossie Wing	Ex WLT.
ZD850/111	GR.4	BS148	Lossie Wing	Ex NA deployment (see below)
ZG729/127	GR.4A	BS185	QinetiQ	Ex 617Sqn for mod work.
ZG775/134	GR.4	BS187	Marham Wing	Ex NA deployment (see below)

Op Herrick

Deploying, believed to be 14/5, were ZA546/038 and ZG791/137, they replaced ZA449/020 and ZD720/086, both aircraft returning to Marham and joining 31Sqn.

North American Deployment

As expected four of the deployed jets have returned to the UK, ZA463/028, ZD850/111 to Lossiemouth and ZD811/103, ZG775/134 to Marham. ZG775/134 was however expected to return to 12Sqn from Marham on 24/5.

The remaining jets, ZA452/021, ZA461/026, ZD719/085, ZD790/099, have relocated to Calgary under the leadership of 617Sqn.

Typhoon

ZJ801/BJ	T.3	BT002	3Sqn	Ex 29(R)Sqn.
ZJ910/BV	FGR.4	BS001	29(R)Sqn	Ex 11Sqn.
ZJ915/BY	F.2	BS006	BAE Warton	D/d 7/5 ex store at Coningsby for R2 upgrade.
ZJ916/QO-U	FGR.4	BS007	6Sqn	Ex 29(R)Sqn and before that 3Sqn.
ZJ918/QO-L	FGR.4	BS009	17(R)Sqn	Ex 3Sqn.
ZJ922/QO-C	FGR.4	BS013	6Sqn	Ex 29(R)Sqn.
ZJ926/QO-Y	FGR.4	BS017	6Sqn	Ex 3Sqn.
ZJ929/DL	F.2	BS020	11Sqn	Ex TMF.
ZJ931/DA	F.2	BS022	TMF	Ex 11Sqn.
ZJ933/DF	FGR.4	BS024	11Sqn	Ex TMF.
ZJ935/DJ	FGR.4	BS026	TMF	Ex 11Sqn.
ZK300	FGR.4	BS052	6Sqn	Ex 17(R)Sqn.
ZK302/EB	FGR.4	BS055	6Sqn	Ex 17(R)Sqn.

And before anyone gets on to me regarding the allocation of ZJ916 and ZJ922 as shown above I’m well aware that 29(R)Sqn continue to fly the aircraft, indeed 916 is at Manston for the Southend Air Show, but they are allocated on paper as shown.

VC 10

ZA147/F	K.3	882	Op Herrick	Ex 101Sqn dep 14/5 ‘RRR2138’.
ZA148/G	K.3	883	101Sqn	Ex Op Herrick rtu 15/5 ‘RRR2139’.

Fleet Air Arm

Lynx

ZD565/GC410

HMA.8SRU

316

815NAS

F/n coded 18/5 ex unmarked replaces XZ721.

Merlin

ZH839/(83)	HM.1	50081	MDMF	D/d 15/5 ex 824NAS.
ZH854/84	HM.1	50139	824NAS	D/d 30/4 ex MDMF.
ZH857/10	HM.1	50151	820NAS	Ex -/829NAS transfer date was 22/4.

Sea King

XV649/180	ASaC.7	WA637	VAHS	D/d 19/5 ex 857NAS to whom it had transferred to from 849NAS on 20/4.
XV651	HU.5SAR	WA639	QinetiQ	Noted 25/5 ex CU824 and without SAR markings.
XV671/83	ASaC.7	WA659	857NAS	Ex 854NAS.
XV673/CU827	HU.5SAR	WA661	VAHS	D/d 6/5 ex 771NAS.
XV712/66	HAS.6	WA683		Now preserved at IWM Duxford ex HMS Sultan.
ZA167/22	HU.5SAR	WA900	771NAS	Ex VAHS.
ZA292/WU	HC.4	WA906	848NAS	Ex 845NAS.
ZB507/F	HC.4	WA928	845NAS	Ex 848NAS.
ZD476/WZ	HC.4	WA931	Op Herrick	Ex 848NAS.
ZE428/H	HC.4	WA955	Op Herrick	Ex 845NAS.
ZG820/I	HC.4	WA1001	845NAS	Ex SKAMG.

Three examples had arrived at BZN by 6/5 for onward transport to the USA, ZF116/WP, ZF117/X and ZF121/T (arr 3/5) and defiantly departed on 6/5. The other two would have been delayed by the C-130 crash later that day.

Army Air Corps

Apache

ZJ178	AH.1	WAH-13	7REME	Ex AH DSU.
ZJ185	AH.1	WAH-20	AH DSU	Ex 3Regt.
ZJ195	AH.1	WAH-30	4Regt	Ex AH DSU.
ZJ219	AH.1	WAH-53	7REME	Ex 4Regt.
ZJ231	AH.1	WAH-65	3Regt	Ex 7REME.

For the purists who wish to know these things ZJ179 and ZJ181 arrived back at BZN on 27/4 ex Op Herrick.

A further swap over will have occurred as ZJ167 and ZJ191, both ex 4Regt, arrived at BZN 14/5.

Gazelle

XZ334	AH.1	1673	GDSH	Ex 665sqn.
ZA731	AH.1	1800	29Flt	Ex GDSH.

During the week commencing 17/5 Whitham Special Vehicles of Colsterworth Lincs removed 30 Gazelle AH.1’s from storage at Shawbury, aircraft involved were:

XW848	XW909	XW913	XX371	XX383	XX386	XX394	XX398
XX409	XX416	XX437	XX438	XX439	XX445	XX455	XX456
XX462	XZ291	XZ292	XZ296	XZ304	XZ314	XZ324	XZ338
XZ344	ZA726	ZA728	ZA776	ZB673	ZB688

Lynx

XZ178	AH.7	044	GDSH	Ex VAHS
XZ205	AH.7	110	GDSH	Ex 9Regt.
XZ217	AH.7	139	GDSH	Ex 667Sqn.
XZ220/U	AH.7	146	671Sqn	Ex 667Sqn.
XZ617	AH.7	168	667Sqn	Ex VAHS.
ZG914	AH.9A	353	Ag-WHL	Noted test flying at Yeovil 13/5 following conversion.
ZG920	AH.9A	359	Op Herrick	D/d 21/4 BZN for onward shipping.

Several AH.7’s returned to the UK at BZN during late April early May, XZ607 and XZ678 on 26/4 with XZ606, XZ670 and XZ679 joining them on 3/5. XZ670 was seen road running towards Fleetlands on 4/5.

AH.9A

To clarify last month’s notes re AH.9A departures, ZG888, ZG889 and ZG915 did not go to Op Herrick duties, they actually went to the States and are believed to have returned to the UK by 11/5. ZG888 was at BZN on this date and left by road on 12/5 back to Dishforth, ZG915 has also been noted on a couple of occasions since.

Wildcat

ZZ401

463/TI02

Ag-WHL

F/n outside at Yeovil 24/5 despite it’s two tone grey c/s it carries Army titles, ZZ400 is in a green scheme.

Gliders

Vigilant

ZH209/UQ	T.1	6555	634VGS	D/d 11/5 ex ACCGS, ZJ961/SJ was crew ferry.
ZJ961/SJ	T.1	6574	ACCGS	Ex CGMF.

Viking

ZE532/VU	TX.1	33906-K-141	ACCGS	Ex CGMF.
ZE552/VZ	TX.1	33911-K-146	ACCGS	Ex CGMF.
ZE608/XH	TX.1	33957-K-190	CGMF	Ex ACCGS.
ZE610/XK	TX.1	33959-K-192	ACCGS	Ex CGMF.
ZE627/XR	TX.1	33972-K-205	ACCGS	Ex CGMF.
ZE633/XX	TX.1	33980-K-213	CGMF	Ex 611VGS.
ZE652/YD	TX.1	34002-K-235	CGMF	Ex ACCGS.
ZE657/YJ	TX.1	34010-K-243	CGMF	Ex ACCGS.

Other

Wasp

XS568/441

HAS.1

F9579

Now preserved at IWM Duxford ex HMS Sultan.

Wessex

XM833

HAS.3

WA14

Preserved NEAM Sunderland ex Lasham.