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canberraman

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Posts posted by canberraman

  1. Harry,

     

    According to my records the following Whirlwind HAR.10s were all assigned to 84 Sqn in 1979 and continued with the sqn until being SOC: XD184 'Clubs'. XK970/P camo, XK986, XP329/V camo, XP345, XP346 and XP398 'Hearts'. Unfortunately I don't know all aircraft that were in camo and which wore the SAR scheme.

     

    Mark

    • Like 1
  2. Some excellent images Latinbear from a country rarely visited by the aviation enthusiast community. Don't think I've seen the Chinese display team up close and I do like the look of the new Saudi Hawks. Looks to have been a fabulous and very worthwhile trip. Thanks for sharing.

     

    Mark

    • Thanks 1
  3. 3 minutes ago, Slater said:

    The "Extended Range" part of it refers to the addition of a refueling probe, I'm guessing?

    I think its more likely the new Chinooks would simply have much larger conformal fuel tanks to allow extended range. The UK has no tanker aircraft suitable for helicopter AAR and the Air Tanker contract does not permit any other  solutions. 

    • Like 2
  4. 3 hours ago, Latinbear said:

    Great set of pictures and write up too - thanks Mark. I hadn't realised the Honey Badger was such an improvement over the old Hawks. Perhaps as the new aggressors get established we'll hear some accounts of what they are like to go up against. 

    Thanks Latinbear for the kind words. I guess the adversary role is in transition at the moment but who knows maybe in time we'll see the 527th AS reborn and rebased in the UK equipped with F-22s (or F35s)!

     

    Mark

    • Like 1
  5. 3 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

     

    Standard US policy: aircraft delivered to foreign customers carry US national markings until accepted by the new owner. That makes for some interesting combination for us modellers

    But not always...!  I photographed F-35B ZM169/035 on its maiden flight from the LM plant at Fort Worth on 16 October 2023 and as you can see it carries an RAF roundel above the wing, and fin flash, but no fuselage roundel (or star and bar) at all. This aircraft is due for delivery to RAF Marham very soon and it'll be interesting to see whether all markings are in place.

     

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    Mark

    • Like 2
  6. 19 minutes ago, Filler said:

    Great photos and great information Mark. I made a trip down there late last month and managed to snap the Hawks. Whilst there I was told by someone else at the fence that the A-4 had not flown in quite some time and the Alpha Jets had gone home last year. Does this mean that they won't be seen again at Lakenheath? (Apart from the A-4 departing I guess).

     

    Even though these types are an upgrade on the Hawk T.1s, I do wonder how far short they fall in replicating Su-27/35s and the latest Chinese types. And I wonder if we'll ever see modern US types as Red Air in the UK again. It would be great to see a mix of USAF F-16 and F-35 aggressors based in the UK again. A quick Google tells me that the 527th Aggressor Squadron was transferred to the United States Space Force in 2020. But at least they're still going though, unlike Alconbury and Bentwaters.

    Thanks for the kind words Filler! 

     

    As of today the following aircraft are all still present at Lakenheath:

     

    C-FGZI A-4N / 531 Top Aces
    C-GJTA Alpha Jet / 057 Top Aces
    C-GLTO Alpha Jet / 069 Top Aces
    N503XX Hawk Mk.67 RAVN Aerospace
    N504XX Hawk Mk.67 RAVN Aerospace
    N508XX Hawk Mk.67 RAVN Aerospace
    N511XX Hawk Mk.67 RAVN Aerospace
     

    I suspect that RAVN may assume most or all of the Red Air function at Lakenheath eventually, but for now all the above are flying the base from time to time.

     

    I think you are right about the current crop of Red Air adversaries not really matching the capabilities of 4th and 5th Gen fighters such as the F-15E, F-22 and F-35. In the US, the Air Force has already re-established an F-35 Aggressor squadron at Nellis. The current civilian contractors are an interim solution pending a more extensive in house adversary training provision becoming available later this decade. I would therefore predict that in light of the growing threat levels from Russia and China, that USAFE and PACAF may well reinstate theatre Aggressor Sqns with F-35s in due course.  

     

    Mark

    • Thanks 1
  7. On 2/4/2024 at 9:45 PM, ColinChipmunkfan said:

    Great photos Mark.  Hard to pick  favourites, but I do particularly like the Alpha Jet and the RAF Hawks photos.

    Hi Colin

     

    Thanks as ever for the kind comments. Although I do miss seeing Red Air adversaries in military service, at least it's good that many older trainers are getting a new lease of life in civilian hands.

     

    Mark

  8. 37 minutes ago, Bandsaw Steve said:

    As a kiwi I’m very excited to read that A4 Skyhawks have finally replaced F15 C Eagles.

    Hi Steve

     

    Don't think they've exactly replaced the mighty Eagle but at least the Skyhawk does represent a nimble adversary!

     

    Mark

  9. On 2/4/2024 at 7:19 PM, Alpha Delta 210 said:

    Absolutely awesome set, Mark! Hard to pick a favourite! Such a wonderful selection of types.

    Many thanks Leigh!  There certainly is a bit more more variety of types and colour schemes at Lakenheath at present. Long may it last!

     

    Mark

    • Like 1
  10. Both the US and the UK militaries have in recent years contracted out much of their ‘Red Air’ adversary training.  For the USAF this is manifested in a ten year $6.4bn contract programme with a range of privately owned corporations, as an interim solution until they are ready to fully utilise their own in house fifth generation DACT training, from the end of this decade,  with F-35s etc. The UK MoD as also followed the same path. Draken Europe has won a six-year contract to provide ‘aggressor’ aircraft and pilots for RAF/RN pilots to “fight” against during combat training. The new ‘Interim UK Red Air Aggressor Training Service’ (IRAATS) uses the L-159E Honey Badger, replacing the Hawk T.1s of 100 Sqn, that undertook this role prior to disbandment in 2021.  

     

    RAF Lakenheath is currently hosting ‘Red Air’ aircraft and crews from both Top Aces and RAVN. These aircraft fly most weekdays to act as adversaries against the F-15Es and F-35A of the home based 48th Fighter Wing. 

     

    RAVN Aerospace - with their HQ in Houston Tx. - is one of the successful US Red Air contractors. They operate a mixed fleet of 10 ex ROKAF T-59 Hawk T67, plus L-39ZA Albatross and MiG-29UB aircraft. RAVN aircrew fly in the aggressor role against USAF fighter pilots as a training aid, exposing them to challenging scenarios representative of the tactics and advanced capabilities of today’s global threats.

     

    Since December 2023, RAVN Aerospace has deployed four Hawk T.67s to RAF Lakenheath to provide dissimilar air combat training to the 48th FW. Prior to their inactivation in 2022, this role had been largely undertaken ‘in-house’ by the F-15Cs of the based 493rd FS. And with the demise of the F-15C air superiority fighter from the USAF inventory, DACT is now being increasingly supplied by contractors such as RAVN together with Top Aces and their mixed fleet of A-4s and Alpha-Jets.

     

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    T-59 Hawk 67 NX508XX of RAVN aerospace landing at Lakenheath on 2 Feb 24. This aircraft is unique in RAVN fleet with its modified nose housing an ELTA EL/M-2052 AESA Radar. In South Korean service it was serialed 67-508.

     

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    T-59 Hawk 67 N511XX (ex ROKAF 67-511) in the original and attractive SE Asia camo.

     

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    N504AX (ex ROKAK 67-504)

     

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    Hawk 67 N503XX (ex 67-503).

     

    Top Aces is the other Red Air provider at Lakenheath. Since 2019 the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath has been conducting air combat training with A-4 Skyhawks (and more recently Alpha Jets) from adversary air provider, Canadian Headquartered,  Top Aces. Based at Wittmund in Germany, Top Aces’ Douglas Skyhawk A-4Ns and Alpha Jets fly with the 48th Fighter Wing as part of USAFE’s Adversarial Air Utility Assessment or AUA. The Skyhawks have been working regularly with the F-15Es over the North Sea off Lincolnshire in the D323 training areas, sometimes transiting for each sortie from and to Wittmund Air Base in Germany, other times operating to and from Lakenheath where one aircraft is currently detached. 

     

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    Two views of Top Aces A-4N Skyhawk C-FGZE (Ex USN BuNo159823) seen at, and departing from RIAT 2022 at RAF Fairford.

     

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    Top Aces Alpha-Jet C-GITA. In its previous Luftwaffe service it carried the serial 40+40. It is seen here departing RIAT 2023.

     

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    Customers for the Red Air adversary contractors at RAF Lakenheath are the F-15Es and F-35As of the resident 48th FW. An example of the latter - 19-5485/LN - is seen here recovering to Lakenheath on 2 Feb 2024.

     

    For the RAF/RN, Red Air adversary training has since 1 July 2022 been provided by Draken Europe operating out of Teeside Airport. This six-year contract allows UK fighter squadrons to conduct training against fighter jets replicating the tactics, techniques and procedures of potential adversaries.

     

    Draken uses the Aero L-159E ALCA Honey Badger, a military aircraft flown to military standards by experienced ex-military fast jet pilots regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority. Command Paper last year.  The eight L-159Es on strength deliver a capability enhancement over the RAF Hawks they replaced through increased endurance, an air-to-air radar and a radar warning receiver.

     

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    G-DKNA is one of the eight Aero L159E ALCA Honey Badgers operated by Draken Europe at Teeside Airport. It is seen here at RAF Marham in August 2023. 

     

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    Hawk T.1s of 100 sqn RAF at RAF Leeming, that formerly undertook the Red Air aggressor role on behalf of the UK Armed Forces until April 2021. 

     

    Hope this photo report has been of interest. C&C always welcome.

     

    Mark

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  11. That's all rather mysterious!  The wreck of ZM152 is back at Marham for parts recovery. When it ditched it certainly had its roundels and all other markings in the standard approved placements and for the fuselage, that was just under the cockpit. So unless there's a particular reason why its been modified at Marham? But either way that would not be representative of the Squadron Prints poster which purportedly depicts an operational aircraft.  There is no ZM207 as the ordered serial block only goes as far as ZM200. 

     

    Mark

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