Salisbury Plain Training area- Feb 2016

[Seamus]

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

[Jinxman]

Lovely set of shots - still to get out myself this year - the appetite is now whetted!

Thanks for sharing

[stevej60]

Beautifully photographed Shaun,that Bell is beautifully turned out,lovely scheme.

[Rick Brown]

Hi Shaun.

I hope their drops had improved since their first test from the Hercs in 2006.

I know, I was there to recover the pallets!

I'll have to dig out the pictures sometime.

Great shots,

Rick.

[CurrantBunbury]

Very nice. Great setting for those two Hercs.

[Team Aer Lingus]

Superb shots Shaun thanks for sharing as always

regards

Eamonn

[Seamus]

Thanks all, glad you like them

Hi Shaun.

I hope their drops had improved since their first test from the Hercs in 2006.

I know, I was there to recover the pallets!

I'll have to dig out the pictures sometime.

Great shots,

Rick.

They didn't look too bad to me, and the frienly recovery crew seemed to agree!

[Rick Brown]

Thanks all, glad you like them

They didn't look too bad to me, and the frienly recovery crew seemed to agree!

I was part of the team in November 2006 when they tried it first.

They had at least 3-4 candle. I seem to remember only a couple were anywere near the mark.

The rest were spread over a couple of miles of the Plain.

One just missed a herd of cows!

We used it as an off road forks training course.

All the head-sheds and forces media were there too.

We had top cover of a couple of Apaches during the whole op. A gazelle did an impromptu display to keep us entertained.

And.... I'd not got me beret!

Nobody seemed to mind my IoM tt beanie though.

Great, fun day.

I'll try and find the pictures.

Rick.

[F-32]

Lovely shots.

I'll be moving to Andover shortly which isn't far from Salisbury, one question I have is how do you know whereabouts to go to catch them....................apart from following the noise!

[Seamus]

Lovely shots.

I'll be moving to Andover shortly which isn't far from Salisbury, one question I have is how do you know whereabouts to go to catch them....................apart from following the noise!

Thanks! A scanner is essential for listening out for the aircraft and what their intentions are. Once you hear them call up and state where they are heading, it's a matter of chasing after them. Even then, you may still miss stuff, all part of the fun.... Last Wednesday, we had a Chinook playing nearby and completely missed it because we didn't hear it call up.... Very frustrating to get home and see images of it when we had no idea it was only a couple of miles away!

[F-32]

Thanks!

Time to buy a scanner!

[Ade]

I did see an Osprey buzz over from where I live on the Western edge of the plain. I was rather surprised, been a couple of years since I've seen them.

[tonyot]

Great pics,........especially the Herk`s,......which DZ was it,.....Everleigh, or somewhere like Keevil?

Cheers

Tony

Edited March 1, 2016 by tonyot

[Seamus]

I did see an Osprey buzz over from where I live on the Western edge of the plain. I was rather surprised, been a couple of years since I've seen them.

There have been several F-15s operating in that area too the past couple of days, so presumably some sort of US exercise going on...

Great pics,........especially the Herk`s,......which DZ was it,.....Everleigh, or somewhere like Keevil?

Cheers

Tony

Thanks, the DZ was Everleigh.

[Ade]

I have heard fast jets circling most of the afternoon and evening, not seen them though. Where a puts are you taking your pictures? Is it public land?

[Seamus]

Yep, all taken from public by-ways.

[phildagreek]

Nice shots, thanks for making the effort!