Des Posted September 19, 2022 Share Posted September 19, 2022 RAF Leuchars Airshow 2012 which had grown from being one of many RAF Battle of Britain At Home Days to being the only one still held on an operational station was held on Saturday 15th. September which was by coincidence the officially designated Battle of Britain Day. Through a not too unusual meteorological quirk the East Neuk of Fife exhibited its famed microclimate by basking in almost constant clear skies and sunshine while poor weather elsewhere had the effect of preventing some attendees making the journey north. Unfortunately the lighting conditions made one or two displays such as the rare B-52H flypast and RAF Lossiemouth Tornado GR.4 Tactical Display duo just a bit too difficult for me to capture well on camera. 2012 had been the year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee which influenced some of the participation and colour schemes in the flying display including some representatives of aircraft types that had been in UK military service on the succession in 1952. The day of the airshow was also used to hold the official parade to mark No.1 Squadron re-forming to fly the Eurofighter Typhoon at Leuchars and while none of the squadron’s aircraft flew that day almost every Typhoon from co-located No.6 squadron did. These provided a four-ship flypast for the No.1 Squadron formation parade , the mount for the Typhoon solo aerobatic display and finally the Diamond Jubilee and Sunset Ceremony diamond-nine flypasts to close the event which involved ten FGR.4 (one being an ‘air-spare’) and a T.3 flying as formation whip. Leuchars based Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK328/FB from No.1 Squadron under tow while the ground display area in front of the old Control Tower and flag was being rearranged from the formal morning parade for the closing Sunset Ceremony which while not actually flying was the only movement by the squadron aircraft during the display. Leuchars based Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK331/EE from No.6 Squadron makes a performance take-off in re-heat as last of the eleven aircraft to depart for the closing Diamond Nine formation , ‘EE’ was also the mount for the Typhoon solo display flown earlier in the day and carries only a centreline tank and outer wing pylons. Leuchars based Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 from No.6 Squadron in the Diamond Nine formation flown to celebrate the Queen’s 60th. Anniversary and to close the show in the usual Sunset Ceremony flypast with the station flag being lowered and lone piper playing , various combinations of drop tank/wing pylons can be seen as can the white coloured RAIDS Pods carried by some of the aircraft. Leuchars based Eurofighter Typhoon T.3 ZK381/EX from No.6 Squadron clears the runway after returning from acting as ‘whip’ for the Diamond Nine formation and carries a RAIDS Pod on the outer wing pylon. Leuchars based Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK302/EA from No.6 Squadron clears the runway after returning from flying in the Diamond Nine formation and also carries a RAIDS Pod on the outer wing pylon. BAe Hawk T.1A XX230/(230) from 208 Squadron in the Union Jack inspired colour scheme for that Diamond Jubilee year’s Hawk Solo Display Team seen being prepared for the display with canopy and various hatches open while the display pilot Flt. Lt. Phil Bird checks paperwork. BAe Hawk T.1A XX230/(230) from 208 Squadron in the Union Jack inspired colour scheme for that Diamond Jubilee year’s Hawk Solo Display Team taxies out to display piloted by that years solo display pilot Flt. Lt. Phil Bird. Some either love them or head for the catering marquee as the nine BAe Hawk T.1 of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team ‘The Red Arrows’ arrive in ‘Big Battle’ formation to salute the parade being held for No.1 Squadron re-forming nicely silhouetted against a rare but photogenic patch of high level broken cloud on what was an otherwise mainly cloudless day , bit early for lunch so saved that for their actual display later. Shorts Tucano T.1 ZF269/269 from No.1 Flying Training School in the Union Jack inspired colour scheme for that Diamond Jubilee year’s Tucano Solo Display Team piloted by that years solo display pilot Flt.Lt. Jon Bond returns after its display. Shorts Tucano T.1 ZF374/374 from No.1 Flying Training School in a Diamond Jubilee adaptation of the standard overall black training scheme was the display spare for the 2012 Tucano Solo Display Team and is seen here taxying out to depart following the display. The two Shorts Tucano T.1 Display Team aircraft from No.1 Flying Training School departing Leuchars following the display with ZF269/269 in the Union Jack inspired colour scheme for that Diamond Jubilee year’s display aircraft and ZF374/374 as display spare in a suitably modified adaptation of the standard overall black training scheme. Boeing Sentry AEW.1 ZH102/02 from No.8 Squadron gets airborne for its flying display having spent the earlier part of the day as part of the static display on the main ramp. Boeing Sentry AEW.1 ZH102/02 from No.8 Squadron seen head on as it manoeuvres onto the Operational Readiness Platform at the end of the Leuchars runway following its flying display having spent the earlier part of the day as part of the static display on the main ramp , the ORP had originally been built for dispersed V-Bomber operations. Beech B200 King Air ZK455/O ‘Vagabond’ from No.45 Squadron being used as a VIP transport about to depart during the late afternoon. Boeing Chinook HC.4 ZA713 from the Odiham Wing flew as the Chinook Solo Display Team with a joint No.18/27 Squadrons crew like the other helicopters in the flying programme operated from the cross runway. Hawker Sea Fury T.20 VX281/VL-120 (G-RHNF) of the Royal Navy Historic Flight displayed straight from its arrival overhead from Yeovilton and landed afterwards to refuel , despite having served with both the Royal Navy and West Germany as a twin-seater the aircraft has been repainted in the colour scheme and markings of an F.10 single-seat aircraft from 799 Naval Air Squadron when based at RNAS Yeovilton in 1949. Hawker Sea Fury T.20 VX281/VL-120 (G-RHNF) of the Royal Navy Historic Flight complete with typically extensive oil stain taxies out to return to Yeovilton following its display at Leuchars , sadly following repair after a wheels up landing in 2014 it was written-off after crashing due to an in-flight engine failure in April 2021. Avro Vulcan B.2 XH558 (G-VLCN) operated by the Vulcan To The Sky Trust displaying over Leuchars , unlike previous years this was quite literally a flying visit originating and ending from its home base at Doncaster. Gloster Meteor T.7 WA591/FMK-Q (G-BWMF) owned by Aviation Heritage in Coventry and restored to the markings worn when operated by No.203 Advanced Flying School at RAF Driffield in the early 1950s seen on the display aircraft ramp looking as good as new and continuing the Diamond Jubilee theme by being an aircraft not only in service when the Queen came to the throne but of a type also then operational at Leuchars. Gloster Meteor T.7 WA591/FMK-Q (G-BWMF) owned by Aviation Heritage in Coventry and restored in the markings worn when operated by No.203 Advanced Flying School at RAF Driffield in the early 1950s during its display sequence , the aircraft has since been exported to the USA. Hughes OH-6A Cayuse or more commonly ‘Loach’ 69-16011 (G-OHGA) owned by MSS Holdings and restored to the US Army’s 20th. Transport Company markings it carried in combat over South Vietnam is seen early Saturday on the area of the cross runway used by helicopters in the flying programme. Bell UH-1H Iroquois or more commonly 'Huey' 72-21509 (G-UHIH) owned by MSS Holdings and restored to the US Army’s 129th. Assault Helicopter Company markings it carried in combat over South Vietnam is seen early Saturday on the area of the cross runway used by helicopters in the flying programme. BAe Jetstream 41 G-MAJG in Eastern Airways colours being used by the manufacturer to transport corporate guests to the airshow holds short of the runway prior to departure late Saturday afternoon as three Extra 300 of the The Blades Display Team precede it having being one of several sports aerobatic displays during the course of the day. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 Another quality set Des. Loving those Jubilee specials. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted September 20, 2022 Author Share Posted September 20, 2022 3 hours ago, canberraman said: Another quality set Des. Loving those Jubilee specials. Mark Glad that you have enjoyed them Mark , hopefully will return next September with 'Twenty Years On From 2003' and 'Ten Years On From 2013 - The Last Ever Battle Of Britain At Home Day' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince1159 Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 Lovely shots the one of the Sentry head on's gorgeous.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
112 Squadron Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spruecutter96 Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 A lovely set of images! Thanks for sharing with us. Cheers. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latinbear Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 Terrific set of shots Des and the narrative really adds to them. Rather sadly it reminds us of what we have lost in terms of military airshows and aircraft types. Thanks very much sharing these and the previous sets. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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