Hi all,
I was sat on an awful lot of work holiday that needed to be used up and as the United States had still not reopened to us, I needed to put into action my Plan B. I was all set to go to Oshkosh in July, and as soon as it became clear that event was going to happen without me, I drew up plans for a major bash of Scotland and the North East of England. Lots of new locations for me and a few more that I had not visited in many, many years.
More importantly, it was a good opportunity to get away with the Wife and dog and forget about work and constant Covid news for a bit. Now with even the best laid plans, you should always be prepared to change if required and that is what happened on the day I was due to leave for Valley. The original plan was to get to Valley on Thursday evening, have a good nights sleep and then be up early to catch the Texan hangar being opened up for the flyers to be dragged out.
Well an absolute star machine (Royal Saudi Air Force RE-3A) arrived at Waddington during my last day at work and I just could not resist such temptation. Sounds an easy enough decision but we were still in the fuel crisis situation and I live in Abingdon, meaning that Waddington adds on a lot of extra (100) miles and driving time, rather than if I just drove straight to Valley. The wife was also in Salford and ready to be picked up on the way North – thank God, as I doubt I could have sold this one to her 🙂
So I decided to go for an overnighter, something I’ve not done since my coach driving days. My logic being to make such a long drive as easy/quiet as can be and to maximise my chances of seeing deserted garage forecourts. Who wants to get in a queue only to find out that there is no fuel available? This logic worked as despite a few garage failures on the way up to Lincolnshire, I managed to fill up at Newark.
By now at almost midnight, it was raining and I was starting to worry about the required visibility across Waddington airfield. I had no idea how far away or well lit up my target would be……I needn’t have worried as there was plenty of light on it. My main concern now at this time was how wet I was going to get and keeping Jet, the rampaging English Springer Spaniel away from the A15 road.
Waddington
1901, Boeing RE-3A, 19 Sqn, Royal Saudi Air Force (23428)
ZZ665, Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint, 51 Sqn, Royal Air Force (18778)
A long drive across country to Valley saw me arriving at around 4am and I was shattered. I parked up as close to the Texan hangar area (Western part of base) as I could get and gave myself 3 hours sleep, thinking that 7am would be early enough. It was blowing a gale and pouring down with rain and early flying didn’t seem likely at this moment in time……..so I wake up at 7am and look across to the Texan and seven have already been pulled out and put on the ramp already. With no further sign of activity, I guessed that I had missed my opportunity but even so, I set off for the beach walk armed with a hyper dog.
This walk and scrambling up the sandy beach embankment is not going to be everybody’s cup of tea and I imagine if the tide was in, would actually be a little bit dangerous if attempting in the dark? I’ve not heard this mentioned before and people make it sound (pardon the pun here) a walk in the park. It’s roughly a 15 minute walk each way I’d say.
Anyhow my efforts were to be rewarded – with a closed hangar. Still I had the seven Texans in the bag and with several already seen elsewhere, I now have half of the fleet. Fairly easy to read off all the Hawks on the other side of the airfield as long as it’s not blowing a gale still as it was that day. I felt a bit short changed on the Hawk T.2s as although the RAF have 28 and I need 7 of them, I saw 16 during this morning visit and only made 1 – this is the life of a military spotter nowadays 🙂
I finished my morning stint at Valley at the Rhosneigr (Runway 31) end for photographs of the few arrivals and departures. I’ll be back!
Valley
My photographs for here can be seen at;
https://www.flickr.com/photos/62861611@N08/albums/72157720065760424
XX156/156, Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.1, Gate Guard, Royal Air Force (312002/002)
ZK010/FN, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 25(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT001/1239)
ZK011/B, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 4 Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT002/1240)
ZK012/C, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 4 Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT003/1241)
ZK014/E, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 4 Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT005/1243)
ZK016/G, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 4 Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT007/1245)
ZK018/I, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 4 Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT009/1247)
ZK020/K, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 4 Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT011/1249)
ZK021/L, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 4 Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT012/1250)
ZK023/N, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 4 Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT014/1252)
ZK026/FB, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 25(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT017/1255)
ZK028/FD, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 25(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT019/1257)
ZK029/FE, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 25(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT020/1258)
ZK031/FG, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 25(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT022/1260)
ZK033/FI, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 25(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT024/1262)
ZK035/FK, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 25(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT026/1264)
ZK036/FL, BAE Systems Hawk T.2, 25(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (RT027/1265)
ZK311/311, Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4, Coningsby, Royal Air Force (260/BS064)
ZK320/320, Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4, Coningsby, Royal Air Force (312/BS081)
ZM323/323, Raytheon Beechcraft Texan T.1, 72(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (PM-110)
ZM324/324, Raytheon Beechcraft Texan T.1, 72(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (PM-111)
ZM325/325, Raytheon Beechcraft Texan T.1, 72(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (PM-112)
ZM330/330, Raytheon Beechcraft Texan T.1, 72(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (PM-128)
ZM340/340, Raytheon Beechcraft Texan T.1, 72(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (PM-137)
ZM341/341, Raytheon Beechcraft Texan T.1, 72(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (PM-138)
ZM342/342, Raytheon Beechcraft Texan T.1, 72(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (PM-139)
ZM496/96, Airbus Jupiter HT.1, 202 Sqn, Royal Air Force (20309)
ZM497/97, Airbus Jupiter HT.1, 202 Sqn, Royal Air Force (20310)
On airways:
N1878E, Gulfstream Aerospace G550 (5187)
Mona
A visitor from Valley was noted doing a full stop landing as I passed……
ZM340/340, Raytheon Beechcraft Texan T.1, 72(F) Sqn, Royal Air Force (PM-137)
My last visit to Caernarfon was August 1998. I did try for prior permission to get airside in the hope of seeing some of the hangared residents here, but received no reply from the powers that be. As you’ll see from the log below, most stuff is nicely hidden away and I only saw the S-92 as it had been flying that morning.
Caernarfon
My photographs for here can be seen at;
https://www.flickr.com/photos/62861611@N08/albums/72177720295460358
On the airfield:
G-MCGK, Sikorsky S-92A, Bristow Helicopters/UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (920251)
On display at Caernarfon Air World Museum:
(BAPC.448), Bleriot XI replica (unknown)
(WV781), Bristol Sycamore HR.12 (front fuselage), United Kingdom (12898)
(G-BNDW)/N5137, de Havilland Tiger Moth (3942)
XK623/56, de Havilland Vampire T.11, United Kingdom (15780)
XH837, Gloster Javelin FAW.7 (front fuselage), United Kingdom (unknown)
WT694, Hawker Hunter F.1, United Kingdom (41H-665511)
WM961/J, Hawker Sea Hawk FB.5, United Kingdom (5999)
XW269, Hawker Siddeley Harrier T.4, United Kingdom (212008)
(BAPC.286)/G-ECGK, Mignet HM.14 Pou-Du-Ciel (unknown)
XA282, Slingsby Cadet TX.3, United Kingdom (824)
XJ726/F, Westland Whirlwind HAR.10, United Kingdom (WA/97)
After Caernarfon and before Sealand, I popped in to see fellow lister Graham Clark for a socially distanced catch-up and nice brew. Good to see you G!
Sealand
My photographs for here can be seen at;
https://www.flickr.com/photos/62861611@N08/albums/72177720295458799
ZA607/EB-X, Panavia Tornado GR.4, Gate Guard, United Kingdom (138/BS044/3071)
Now for the short drive to Salford to collect the wife, say hello to the Grandchildren and continue driving up the M6 towards Annan, ready for the Scottish adventure to start. Plenty of fuel to be found everywhere as I headed further North and it was definitely a Southern issue based on my overall trip experience.
Best regards,
Grant Robinson
Photograph credits: Grant Robinson