10 Years On – Leuchars Airshow 2011 – Part 2 of 3

[Des]

10 Years ago today Saturday 10th. September 2011, Static Display and Support Aircraft at the RAF Leuchars Airshow 2011.

 

 

As previously mentioned for the arrivals day , until they ended in 2013 I attended the airshow at Leuchars on their Enthusiasts Package which gave access on the Friday for Arrivals and Practices and then for the show itself on the Saturday.    

 

 

In previous years the Friday Arrivals Day normally ended with a ‘Ramp Plod’ through the mainly unobstructed Static Display but a combination of a new team running that part of the event and ongoing movements prevented this in 2011.     However direct early morning access onto the airfield for parking by the Enthusiasts Marquee meant that following the all-inclusive included cuppa and bacon roll I was on the static ramp by 0800 as the first visitors were coming through the gates.     So plenty of space on the way up in the grey early morning drizzle but rather more crowded on the way back in the more photo-friendly bright sunshine.

    

 

Despite a smaller than usual static display aircraft were rather jammed together although instead of the usual metal barriers several were separated by cones and blue nylon rope which I suspect that might have been down more to cost-cutting than to benefit the photographer.     Also included are some aircraft that were supporting show activities rather than actually displaying in the air or on the ground.

 

 

 

01        The only Typhoons on base for the display were FGR.4 from Leuchars based No.6 Squadron with ZK307/EE (without PIRATE) being one of two on the Squadron’s stand in the static display , the right wing of ZK309/EG in the foreground has a weighted RAIDS Instrumentation Pod on the outer wing pylon.

 

 

 

02        Former No.111 Squadron Phantom FG.1 XV582/M ‘Black Mike’ remained at Leuchars for many years wearing the special scheme applied during its final year or so of service and unusually thanks to a manpower shortage it was not on this occasion surrounded by steps and access platforms for cockpit photographs , the aircraft was later bought privately and via some interim stops is now part of the South Wales Aviation Museum at St.Athan.

 

 

 

03        Between barriers , spectators and the large Flight Simulator Funfair Ride in the background it was starting to get rather crowded around Hawk T.1A XX332/CD of No.100 Squadron , an unweighted RAIDS Instrumentation Pod is carried on the wing pylon.

 

 

 

04        Static display Hawk T.1 XX244 from 4 FTS at RAF Valley shared the same colour scheme as that years Solo Display team aircraft (including the name of that year’s display pilot Flt.Lt. Jules Fleming) XX245 marking the work of the Royal Air Force Association and the 70th. Anniversary of RAF Valley.

 

 

 

05        Barriers and crowds rather limited this (almost) unobstructed head-on view of Tornado GR.4 , ZA547 , from XV Squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth and carrying the ‘One Million Flying Hours’ markings applied to mark that fleet-wide milestone , crests of all the RAF units to operate the strike Tornado can be seen along the lower fuselage aft of the Mauser Cannon muzzle.

 

 

 

06        No. 45 Squadron Beech Super King Air B200 ZK453/M ‘Morpheus’ in the final version of the types standard marking scheme with Squadron Crest and stylised 'ROYAL AIR FORCE' titles was a recipient of the cones and blue rope barrier approach.

 

 

 

07        The rather sparse static line-up meant that there was space on the ramp for Squirrel HT.1 ZJ276 of the Defence Helicopter Flying School , in busier years it was not unusual for the lighter helicopters to be positioned out on the grass alongside and guaranteed damp feet all day following a wet start such as on Saturday.

 

 

 

08        Griffin HT.1 ZJ242/E from No.60 Squadron as part of the Defence Helicopter Flying School

 

 

 

09        With special markings on the tail celebrating 30 Years of RAF service a member of the crew of Odiham Wing Chinook HC.2 ZH895/HJ engages with the public , the various aerials , lumps , bumps , warning receivers and self-defence system boxes and brackets tell their own story on how the aircraft has been developed over that time from the original HC.1.

 

 

 

10        Not quite as ready for the crowds as the Chinook parked in front of it was Merlin HC.3 ZJ124/H from Nos.28/78 Squadrons is about to meet its public , later like all RAF Merlin it was transferred to the Royal Navy and now serves as a grey painted HC.4 (still coded H) with 845 NAS.

 

 

11        A large grey aircraft on a wet grey morning proving a bit of a challenge to get into the viewfinder , KC-135R Stratotanker 23520 from the 157th. Air Refuelling Wing based at Pease Air National Guard in New Hampshire was the only CONUS based USAF aircraft to make it to the show due to Atlantic weather conditions.

 

 

 

12        A smaller grey aircraft on a grey day was the other F-15E that arrived from Lakenheath for the static display , 492 Fighter Squadron’s LN/98-0134 which like 98-0131 was carrying a full set of four baggage pods below the conformal fuel tanks.

 

 

 

13        Said it was green . . . . . but no idea what shade !!     Nose and crew door area of Dassault DA20 ECM , 053 ‘Munin’ , from 717 Skvadron of the Royal Norwegian Air Force just after the sun came out , the name ‘Munin’ refers to a far-seeing crow belonging to the Norse God Odin.

 

 

 

14        Fenced off with cones and rope it turned out that it was possible to get an almost uninterrupted view of EADS CASA C-295M , 0455 , from 242 Tactical Squadron of the Czech Air Force from within the static park although a long increasingly frustrating wait as random strays kept wandering through , the figure on the ladder at the open engine cowling was a suitably attired shop window dummy.

 

 

 

15        During its last few years the Leuchars show attracted the occasional airliner associated with nearby Dundee Airport to the static display such as Saab 340 G-LGNK operated by Loganair on behalf of FlyBe with details of the integral airstair seen here although positioning on the ramp created a challenge to photograph the entire aircraft.

 

 

 

16        Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express N616DC operated by DJW Aviation was one of the many regular biz-jet visitors to both Leuchars and to nearby Dundee for major golf events and its presence for the weekend happened to fill a convenient space , always wondered if they got a reduction from the MoD on their landing fees that time round.

 

 

 

17        Not part of the static display as such although parked on the runway side of the crowd-line Sea King HU.5 XZ920/07 from HMS Gannet SAR Flight with Saltire on the nose arriving from its base at Prestwick and settling into the long grass where it remained throughout the display on SAR Standby.

 

 

 

18        Although there were many excuses offered ranging from financial to commitments elsewhere for the dearth of RAF assets on show it was encouraging to see that the RAF was able to spare Northolt based Bae 125 CC.3 ZD620 from No.32 (The Royal) Squadron to bring the Chief Of The Air Staff to the event for a few hours , seen here departing after a mid-afternoon rain shower.

 

 

 

19        Jetstream 4100 G-MAJI in Eastern Airways livery parked on the display aircraft ramp late on Saturday afternoon after the flying display had ended was the choice that year by aviation industry sponsors to transport corporate guests away after the event.

 

 

 

20        The left-hand side on departure shows it is just as blotchy as the right-hand was on arrival as Transall C.160R , 61-MF/RII from ET01-61 supporting the Patrouille de France powers up with propeller vortices starting to form as it prepares to release brakes for take-off.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Love that Tranny. It’s a very long time since I’ve been to an air show (other than the Daks at Duxford). I used to go everywhere but got a bit fed up with the bouncy castles and craft stalls, not to mention aircraft that I wasn’t so interested in. Maybe it’s just me being a grumpy old man? Maybe it was being so spoilt by Greenham Common shows? Oh well…! But your Leuchars shots are fab

 

SD

[exdraken]

Thanks!

[spruecutter96]

On 9/10/2021 at 12:36 PM, Swamp Donkey said:

Maybe it was being so spoilt by Greenham Common shows? Oh well…! But your Leuchars shots are fab

We were all spoilt by the Greenham Common shows! We just didn't appreciate what we had at the time...

 

Chris.  

[Swamp Donkey]

1 hour ago, spruecutter96 said:

We were all spoilt by the Greenham Common shows! We just didn't appreciate what we had at the time...

 

Chris.  

Memories of a KC97 with a couple of F4’s hanging off it (LN F4D’s?) and an Indian Air Force B24 turning up one evening - I could go on, and on, and on, and on zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

SD