NEWSLETTER 02/10

28 February 2010

Well another month gone by and less and less to report and will it ever stop raining although of course those living up North are far worse off, perhaps we will actually get a hot summer this year?

HAMMERS

Royal Air Force

Chinook

ZH900

HC.3

Odiham Wing

D/d 1/2 ex QinetiQ.

Harrier

ZD322/03A	GR.9A	512072/P.03	4Sqn	Ex 1Sqn.
ZD347/14	GR.9A	P.14	4Sqn	Ex 1Sqn.
ZD375/23	GR.9	P.23	4Sqn	Ex 1Sqn.
ZD431/43A	GR.7A	P.43		Pwfu.
ZD436/48A	GR.9A	P.48	NSW	Ex JUMP paint shop.
ZD461/51A	GR.9A	P.51	1Sqn	Has suffered fire damage while deployed to Nellis will be flown home for assessment and ultimate fate.
ZG503/EB-Z	GR.9	P.74	41(R)Sqn	Ex uncoded.
ZG505/76	GR.9A	P.76	NSW	Ex 1Sqn.
ZG510/EB-Y	GR.9	P.81	SAM	Due back to 41(R)Sqn as marked.
ZG531/85	GR.9	P.85	20(R)Sqn	Ex 1Sqn.
ZG859/91	GR.9	P.91	4Sqn	Ex 1Sqn.

The Harriers currently deployed to Nellis have all now transferred to the control of 1Sqn. Following the ‘review’ on 31/3 4Sqn will stand down then stand up as 4(R)Sqn and transfer to Wittering where 20(R)Sqn will disband as the type OCU thus there will no doubt be a lot of repainting done!

Hawk

XX195/195	T.1W			D/d 2/2 Shawbury for storage ex 208(R)Sqn ‘VYT25’.
XX200/200	T.1A			D/d 8/2 Shawbury for storage ex 19(R)Sqn ‘VYT325’.
XX221/221	T.1A		HSF	D/d 20/1 ex FRADU.
ZK015	T.2	RT006		Updating last month this was d/d 3/12 by road to BAE Brough.
ZK022	T.2	RT013		D/d 2/2 Shawbury for storage ex 19(R)Sqn ‘Stampede3’.
ZK023	T.2	RT014		Couldn’t have got this more wrong last month d/d 4/2 to Shawbury for storage ex 19(R)Sqn ‘VYT64’.
ZK027	T.2	RT018		Presumed to be still at Valley therefore last months note of a return to Brough are in error.
ZK033	T.2	RT024	BAE	Maiden flight and d/d 8/2 to Warton.

Merlin

ZJ129/N	HC.3	50167	28/78Sqn	D/d 29/1 ex MDMF Culdrose.
ZJ990/AA	HC.3A	50089	MDMF	D/d 18/1 ex 28/78Sqn ‘Rapier’.
ZJ998/AE	HC.3A	50148	MDMF	D/d 18/1 ex 28.78Sqn ‘Raper’ currently stored with 820NAS awaiting room in MDMF.

Nimrod

ZJ515/15

MRA.4

BAE

Noted outside at Woodford on 18/2.

Puma

XW211	HC.1	1106		Ex PASF believed to held as flying reserve.
XW222	HC.1	1157		Ex PASF believed to held as flying reserve.
XW224	HC.1	1166	33/230Sqn	Ex Kenya detachment.
XW226	HC.1	1175		Ex PASF believed to held as flying reserve.
ZA935	HC.1	1633	PASF	Ex Kenya detachment.
ZA939	HC.1	1653	Kenya det.	Ex PASF.

Sea King

XZ595/K

HAR.3

WA831

VAHS

Ex 202Sqn ‘E’ Flt del by road.

Tornado

ZA372/006/E	GR.4A	BS054	Lossie Wing	Ex TEF Lossiemouth.
ZA447/EB-R	GR.4	BS077	41(R)Sqn	Ex uncoded.
ZA456/023	GR.4	BS086	CMU	Ex Lossiemouth Wing.
ZA469/029	GR.4	BS099	31Sqn	Ex 9Sqn.
ZA473/032	GR.4	BS103	QinetiQ	Ex 14Sqn for mod work.
ZA548/040	GR.4	BT016	15(R)Sqn	Ex QinetiQ mod work
ZA552/044	GR.4	BT019	15(R)Sqn	Ex TEF Lossiemouth.
ZA562/051	GR.4	BT021	31Sqn	Ex 2Sqn.
ZA600/EB-G	GR.4	BS039	41(R)Sqn	Ex uncoded.
ZA601/066	GR.4	BS040	WLT Marham	Ex 13Sqn.
ZA611	GR.4	BS048	TEF Lossie	Ex 41(R)Sqn.
ZD741/089	GR.4	BT040	QinetiQ	Ex 15(R)Sqn for mod work.
ZD744/092	GR.4	BS125	12Sqn	Confirmation of operating unit.
ZD747/095	GR.4	BS128	TEF Lossie	Ex 15(R)Sqn.
ZD792/100	GR.4	BS135	13Sqn	Ex 2Sqn.
ZD812/104	GR.4	BT043	31Sqn	Confirmation of unit.
ZD847/108	GR.4	BS145	Lossie Wing	D/d 10/2 ex BAE Warton.
ZE834/HA	F.3	AS078	111Sqn	Ex ASF Leuchars and C/1435Flt.
ZE961/FO	F.3	AS114	ASF	Ex store and 111Sqn.
ZG709/120	GR.4	BS176	31Sqn	Ex 2Sqn.
ZG727/126	GR.4A	BS184	CMU	Ex 617Sqn.
ZG729/127	GR,4A	BS127	TEF Lossie	Ex 617Sqn.
ZG779/136	GR.4	BS189	CMU	Ex Lossiemouth parked.
ZG792/138	GR.4	BS191	15(R)Sqn	Ex 2Sqn.

North American Detachment

Departing Marham on 1/2 for Lajes were the following:

ZA452/021

ZA461/026

ZA463/028

ZD719/085

ZD811/103

ZG775/134

ZG775 returned with a snag so later that day ZD850/111 also departed for Lajes. On 2/2 three more aircraft got away to Lajes:

ZD790/099

ZG775/134

ZG792/138

On 2/2 021, 026, 085 and 111 departed Lajes to Bermuda with 028, 099, 103 and 134 following a day later. All the aircraft except 099 and 138 had arrived at Davis Monthan by 5/2, 099 had gone u/s in Bermuda and was still there on 6/2. In the meantime 138 had returned to Marham from Lajes.

2Sqn took the aircraft out and 14Sqn are due to take over on 22/2 when 14Sqn will fly the aircraft until 7/3 then transfer them to Nellis where 617 and 12Sqn will fly the aircraft until 13Sqn take them to Calgary until late May/early June.

Typhoon

ZJ815/DY	T.3	BT016	29(R)Sqn	Ex 11Sqn.
ZJ911/BZ	FGR.4	BS002	29(R)Sqn	Ex TMF.
ZJ916	FGR.4		3Sqn	Ex TMF.
ZJ927/QO-M	F.2	BS018	BAE Warton	D/d 22/2 ex 29(R)Sqn for R2.
ZK305/EC	FGR.4	BS056	29(R)Sqn	Ex 3Sqn.
ZK306	FGR.4	BS057	11Sqn	Ex TMF.

VC 10

XV101/S	K.1	831	DSG	D/d 23/2 ex 101Sqn ‘RRR878’.
XV102/T	C.1K	832	101Sqn	D/d 23/2 ex DSG ‘RRR878’.
ZA147/F	K.3	882	101Sqn	Ex 1312Flt dep for home 14/2 ‘RRR2133’.
ZD241/N	K.4	863	1312Flt	D/d 9/2 ex 101Sqn ‘RRR2132’.

You will recall that I have previously mentioned that two of the fleet were to be retired on 31/3, other sources have recently reported that the two involved will be XR807 and XR808, this was indeed correct however XR808 has won a reprieve, instead XV109 will be retired in it’s place. Both aircraft will reposition to Bruntingthorpe early April where one is expected to be broken up the other being preserved.

Also the C.1K fleet had been banned from carrying PAX, the problem has now been fixed with the exception of XV101 which is now unofficially known as K.1.

Fleet Air Arm

Lynx

XZ693/305	HAS.3S	122	815HQ Flt	F/n 8/2 ex 304/VAHS.
XZ694/434	HAS.3GMS	128	815NAS	F/n 25/2 ex 365/815NAS.
XZ729/350	HMA.8DSP	202	815NAS	D/d 2/2 ex MAG(E) Fairoaks still coded ‘426’ f/n with new code 17/2.
XZ730/634	HAS.3S	203	702NAS	F/n 22/2 ex 632/VAHS.
ZD565	HMA.8SRU	316	Yeovilton	D/d 24/2 ex 314/VAHS ‘Inferno009’.

Merlin

ZH827/82	HM.1	50037	824NAS	Ex MDMF.
ZH836/68	HM.1	50072	814NAS	Ex MDMF.

Sea King

XV671/83	ASaC.7	WA659	854NAS	Ex 857NAS.
ZA126/91	ASaC.7	WA887	Op Herrick	D/d after 15/1.
ZE425/WR	HC.4	WA952	848NAS	Noted back at Yeovilton 1/2 ex VAHS.

Army Air Corps

Apache

ZJ172	AH.1	WAH-7	Op Herrick	Ex 3Regt d/d BZN 17/1.
ZJ182	AH.1	WAH-17	7REME	Ex Op Herrick noted at BZN 5/2.
ZJ189	AH.1	WAH-24	3Regt	Ex AH DSU.
ZJ195	AH.1	WAH-30	AH DSU	Ex 4Regt.
ZJ198	AH.1	WAH-33	4Regt	Ex 7REME.
ZJ199	AH.1	WAH-34	7REME	Ex 3Regt.
ZJ200	AH.1	WAH-35	3Regt	Ex Op Herrick noted at BZN 5/2.
ZJ203	AH.1	WAH-37	3Regt	Ex 7REME.
ZJ205	AH.1	WAH-39	Op Herrick	Ex 3Regt d/d BZN 17/1.
ZJ207	AH.1	WAH-41	7REME	Ex 4Regt.
ZJ208	AH.1	WAH-42	7REME	Ex 3Regt.
ZJ209	AH.1	WAH-43	AH DSU	Ex 3Regt.
ZJ225	AH.1	WAH-59	3Regt	Ex 7REME.
ZJ226	AH.1	WAH-60	7REME	Ex 4Regt.
ZJ233	AH.1	WAH-67	4Regt	Ex 7REME.

Gazelle

XW846	AH.1	1009	GDSH	D/d 12/2 ex 665Sqn.
XX405	AH.1	1343	GDSH	Ex 665Sqn.
ZB693	AH.1	2009	665Sqn	D/d 12/2 ex GDSH.

Lynx

MAR reported that AH.9A’s ZG888, ZG889 and ZG915 were noted at BZN on 22/1 awaiting outward transportation by An-124 presumably to warm places. I have not seen any reports of ZG915 before this date as an AH.9A so can anyone add to this?

Civil Registered Aircraft Operated on behalf of the Armed Forces

Firefly

The entire fleet (G-BUUA/UC/UK, G-BWXA to XZ) had arrived with Swiftair Maintenance at Leicester by 25/2 with the exception of G-BWXL/XS/XW and all were parked up outside.

Inside the hangar was G-BONT being prepared for its new owner while also now based at Leicester with the Aero Club is G-BUUB.

I understand that a couple of aircraft are due to go to South Africa for demonstrations and if successful further examples may following so if you need any gap fillers trundle along but please make sure that you ask permission before going anywhere near the aircraft.

Tutor

G-CGKW		82322/E		D/d to Wyton 24/2.
G-CGKX		82323/E		D/d to Wyton 24/2.