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Morning all, I've managed to get my first couple of photography trips under my belt for this year having visited Salisbury Plain a couple of times in the last fortnight. Good weather coupled with some interesting catches and a first chance to give my new lens a run out made for an enjoyable couple of visits, although they weren't without their frsutrations, such is the way of SPTA. Firstly, from a couple of Thursdays ago, where I caught my first Lynx 9A and Apache up there, and the Bell in the sun doing USL training. Westland Lynx AH9A ZG918 Army Air Corps SPTA 18/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Bell 212 AH3 ZK067/B Army Air Corps SPTA 18/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Westland WAH-64D Apache AH1 ZJ193 Army Air Corps SPTA 18/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Westland Lynx AH9A ZG918 Army Air Corps SPTA 18/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Bell 212 AH3 ZK067/B Army Air Corps SPTA 18/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Westland WAH-64D Apache AH1 ZJ193 Army Air Corps SPTA 18/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Westland Lynx AH9A ZG918 Army Air Corps SPTA 18/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Bell 212 AH3 ZK067/B Army Air Corps SPTA 18/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Westland WAH-64D Apache AH1 ZJ193 Army Air Corps SPTA 18/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Last Wednesday I was back up for a far more frustrating day, a confined Merlin being the obvious highlight of the day, and I can't seem to get away from that Bell! AgustaWestland Merlin HC3 ZJ134/S Royal Navy SPTA 24/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr AgustaWestland Merlin HC3 ZJ134/S Royal Navy SPTA 24/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr AgustaWestland Merlin HC3 ZJ134/S Royal Navy SPTA 24/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Bell 212 AH3 ZK067/B Army Air Corps SPTA 24/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Bell 212 AH3 ZK067/B Army Air Corps SPTA 24/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr AgustaWestland Merlin HC3 ZJ134/S Royal Navy SPTA 24/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr AgustaWestland Merlin HC3 ZJ134/S Royal Navy SPTA 24/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules C4 ZH874 Royal Air Force SPTA 24/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules C5 ZH884 Royal Air Force SPTA 24/02/16 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Thanks for looking, hope they were of interest, Cheers, Shaun

Evening all, Last Thursday, I made the trip up to Wiltshire for my first taste of helicopter hunting on Salisbury Plain. Despite the poor weather and relative lack of action, it was an interesting day learning the ins and outs of some of the regularly used training areas, and what we did catch is pretty rare on the plain, so all in all a day very well spent First catch up the day was a Bell 212 in the confines, one of only five the Army operate and the only one that isn't currently in Kenya. Sadly, it was winch training and so didn't lower itself as far into the confines as we'd have liked, and the light was awful, but a fine start nevertheless. Bell 212 ZK067 Army Air Corps SPTA 12/11/15 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Bell 212 ZK067 Army Air Corps SPTA 12/11/15 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Bell 212 ZK067 Army Air Corps SPTA 12/11/15 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Next, the real highlight, and a rare sight in the confines, a lovely Junglie! Westland Sea King HC4 ZG821/G Royal Navy SPTA 12/11/15 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Westland Sea King HC4 ZG821/G Royal Navy SPTA 12/11/15 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Westland Sea King HC4 ZG821/G Royal Navy SPTA 12/11/15 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Westland Sea King HC4 ZG821/G Royal Navy SPTA 12/11/15 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr As the Junglie departed, we relocated to catch a Chinook at play. The light was once again awful, but it was good to watch the crews having some fun and throwing the thing around like they had stolen it! Interestingly, this is one of the cabs that have recently moved to Benson with 28 Squadron and carries it's new markings on the tail. Boeing Chinook HC4 ZH777 Royal Air Force SPTA 12/11/15 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Boeing Chinook HC4 ZH777 Royal Air Force SPTA 12/11/15 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr Not a bad haul for a first timer, and a great experience. Thanks for looking, hopefully they were of interest Cheers Shaun