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My Cobra Warrior.


gary1701

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Gents,

 

I spent two days late last week up at Waddington for Cobra Warrior. Thursday was nearly ruined by cloud, as I'm a bit of a stickler for having shots lit well, but Friday, despite a runway change made up for it.

 

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BUFF over the top from Friday morning.

 

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Looks like the Luftwaffe has the same problem as the RAF!

 

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Gary

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I could n't agree with Houston more Gary. Magnificent images. Thanks for sharing them.

 

Good eyes to capture the Buff high overhead. Amazing to think that these are passing unseen over Lincolnshire, possibly mistaken for airliners by those who see the con trails.

Edited by geedubelyer
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All very nice shots indeed and thank you for sharing them/ The BUFF was a bonus!

 

I'm planning to head to Waddington this week and not having been outside the base before wondered where the ground shots were taken? Do you cross to the westerly side of the A15 up against the fence or wander around the airfield to find a suitable point? Presumably the sorties last around an hour or so before the wave returns? Any information very gratefully received. Cheers. 

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4 hours ago, Latinbear said:

All very nice shots indeed and thank you for sharing them/ The BUFF was a bonus!

 

I'm planning to head to Waddington this week and not having been outside the base before wondered where the ground shots were taken? Do you cross to the westerly side of the A15 up against the fence or wander around the airfield to find a suitable point? Presumably the sorties last around an hour or so before the wave returns? Any information very gratefully received. Cheers. 

 

Hi there,

 

Okay, the images up and until the banked Italian were all taken from the A15/WAVE area on Thursday and Friday last week. You can use a step ladder up against the fence and hedge and shoot pics across the airfield and approach. It is being policed by WAVE staff with MoD/police support, the Israelis even have their own security officer in the car park, and there are some rules. If you use a stepladder they don't want you more than two steps up and will be watching - the Italians on the Southern taxiway show that should still be okay. They also don't want you closer up the road than the traffic lights, warning tape has been strung across the road at that point and again is being policed. Be advised only the Italians are coming past the road, the Germans are parked North side, and the Israelis are parked on the South Eastern corner away from the A15. First couple of days they taxied South side but now only taxi around the North - you can see them holding behind the Italians North side on the sixth pic down.

 

The Israelis taxiing across the runway and landing are taken on Friday when they worked the far end. You can park in a layby on a small road (B1178) that runs on the Southside of the base, there's one either side of the road, the base side one is coned off and not available, but the one on the other side is - or was late last week. You need to walk down the lane towards the crash gate, it's a good ten minutes and the Israeli dispersal is right in front of you. It is possible (or again, was last week) to walk away from the Israeli dispersal to the left around the edge of the fence and field and get right to the approach. That's where all the approach shots were taken from at that end. As they were landing on the 02 runway they turn left at the top end to avoid the WAVE and the A15, taxi back down on the North side and then cross back towards their dispersal at the end in front of you. Standing on the raised grass verge between the fence and field allows you a elevated view over the runway and taxiway as they taxi across, no step ladder required.

 

Obviously, I can't guarantee that it is still accessible as despite the hundreds down at the A15 end, there was only a dozen people down the Southern end at Friday lunchtime. I get the impression it's not well known, and I was not aware it was accessible until last week either. The Israeli dispersal is quite close, and they're not keen to have their personnel photographed, they don't really care about the jets, so I was careful not to wave a camera in their direction. They and the RAF Regiment will take a interest in people down there, there was a couple of fully tooled up RAF regiment guys by the fence watching us on Friday, but no attempt was made to move anybody and they seemed quite approachable.

 

I think whilst it's kept to small numbers, access down there seems okay and it does allow for photo's that you can't get up by the WAVE/A15 end. Rumour has the Israelis possibly leaving on Thursday, no idea if that's accurate but just posted as a potential warning.

 

Anything else by all means ask.

 

Gary 

Edited by gary1701
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1 hour ago, gary1701 said:

 

Hi there,

 

Okay, the images up and until the banked Italian were all taken from the A15/WAVE area on Thursday and Friday last week. You can use a step ladder up against the fence and hedge and shoot pics across the airfield and approach. It is being policed by WAVE staff with MoD/police support, the Israelis even have their own security officer in the car park, and there are some rules. If you use a stepladder they don't want you more than two steps up and will be watching - the Italians on the Southern taxiway show that should still be okay. They also don't want you closer up the road than the traffic lights, warning tape has been strung across the road at that point and again is being policed. Be advised only the Italians are coming past the road, the Germans are parked North side, and the Israelis are parked on the South Eastern corner away from the A15. First couple of days they taxied South side but now only taxi around the North - you can see them holding behind the Italians North side on the sixth pic down.

 

The Israelis taxiing across the runway and landing are taken on Friday when they worked the far end. You can park in a layby on a small road (B1178) that runs on the Southside of the base, there's one either side of the road, the base side one is coned off and not available, but the one on the other side is - or was late last week. You need to walk down the lane towards the crash gate, it's a good ten minutes and the Israeli dispersal is right in front of you. It is possible (or again, was last week) to walk away from the Israeli dispersal to the left around the edge of the fence and field and get right to the approach. That's where all the approach shots were taken from at that end. As they were landing on the 02 runway they turn left at the top end to avoid the WAVE and the A15, taxi back down on the North side and then cross back towards their dispersal at the end in front of you. Standing on the raised grass verge between the fence and field allows you a elevated view over the runway and taxiway as they taxi across, no step ladder required.

 

Obviously, I can't guarantee that it is still accessible as despite the hundreds down at the A15 end, there was only a dozen people down the Southern end at Friday lunchtime. I get the impression it's not well known, and I was not aware it was accessible until last week either. The Israeli dispersal is quite close, and they're not keen to have their personnel photographed, they don't really care about the jets, so I was careful not to wave a camera in their direction. They and the RAF Regiment will take a interest in people down there, there was a couple of fully tooled up RAF regiment guys by the fence watching us on Friday, but no attempt was made to move anybody and they seemed quite approachable.

 

I think whilst it's kept to small numbers, access down there seems okay and it does allow for photo's that you can't get up by the WAVE/A15 end. Rumour has the Israelis possibly leaving on Thursday, no idea if that's accurate but just posted as a potential warning.

 

Anything else by all means ask.

 

Gary 

 

That is a superbly comprehensive reply Gary, thank you very much indeed for all the information. The weather looks good for tomorrow so I'll think that's the day for me. 

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