Harrier Drawdown - week by week

[DamienB]

(For Cottesmore visit on 27th October 2010 see this thread).

Cottesmore, 4th November 2010...

Another visit to Cottesmore and an ultimately fruitless wait for the 41 Sqn jets, which lunch-stopped at Boscombe and thus arrived at Cottesmore long after I'd gone home... but not a wasted trip as despite a really nasty wind blowing across the airfield and mostly grey skies, there was plenty of action. It was raining to start with but soon dried up...





























Going to miss this place when it goes quiet.

[Seamus]

Lovely stuff, the final few especially

The certainly seem to be going it in style up there, great to see it so busy each day. Aiming to get up there next week so hopefully that'll continue....

[Rotor]

What a diference a bit of light makes

[nigelblake]

A fine set of images, inevitably some very similar to mine , nice to meet you too.
I like the wet runway shot, all that spray looks great, I should have been there earlier!

[DamienB]

No visit to Cottesmore this week, instead took a chance and went to Wales. 3 Harriers went through the Dinas pass, thankfully!

[Wes_Howes]

I had to stop "mid-flow" to catch these beggers today Love the shot with snow in the background

[DamienB]

Even more impressed by your shots now then

[Rotor]

Nice selection

For reference i believe it was 3 of Jedi 1-4.
Unfortunately i heard them from Yeovil but diidnt see them as was on the phone to a chap on the exit when they come past

He said that Jedi had gone low level a little while before you got them

[bigcrow]

Great shooting Damien, loving the last...

[drumsey]

Top drawer.

As Stu said that last one is lovely.

Darren

[DamienB]

Thanks guys.

Cottesmore, 15th November - a brief afternoon visit in the hope of catching some misty lighting. However, forecast wrong - no mist whatsoever. Also only one Harrier took off - though 6 came back in from earlier launches, they were all straight in to land, no circuit bashing. One more came in later to circuit bash but by that time a French Xingu was doing the same, and pretty much put paid to any chance of a decent sunset Harrier shot.





Never seen this before - vapour inside the intake:






The guilty Xingu:


The glow around the Harrier isn't post-processing - there on the original shot:

[Johan]

Nice pictures! Makes me feel a bit sad to know that this beautifull view will be over within one month

I'm planning to visit Cottesmore at the end of this month to catch some Harriers before they're withdrawn from use. I've never been to Cottesmore before so your help is much appreciated. Since I'm planning to visit Cottesmore on a Thursday or Friday I wonder if flying activities on fridays are the same as other weekly days? Or are RAF bases less active on friday?

Regards,

Johan

[DamienB]

Bad news for you - Cottesmore & Wittering are closed on Fridays.

[RickIngham]

Great pictures - your certainly making the most of them.

I'm tempted to go up tomorow as the weather looks ok. Is Cottesmore ok for Easterly winds? I've looked on thunder n lightnings site and it doesnt look too good at the other end. Don't want to shoot any futher than 200mm if i can help it.

Thanks

[Mark K]

Lovely shots there Damien, shame that Xingu decided to do circuit bashing as the Harriers were returning, still I came away with a fantastic set of photos from the day. Was nice to meet you on Monday.

Mark

[DamienB]

Rick, it's pretty rubbish really. Passable approach shots from the road at point L but you won't get any taxiing shots. Even if you walked around the field edge up to the airfield fence at this end you'd still be quite some distance from the threshold and taxiway - and the farmer at that end is not keen on people doing so anyway. You may be better off parking in the usual place (point A on Hooby Lane) and going for side-on take-off shots, and whatever taxi-back shots can be had from the fenceline along to point B. Can't remember the last time I did this when 04 was in use so not sure how much taxiing activity you'd see at the 22 end - I suspect most would turn-off at the mid point of the runway after landing and head towards the pan from there, so would be out of sight from the point A - B area.

[RickIngham]

Thanks Damien, will opt for plan B then. Cancelled my visit to Cottesmore about 5 times now!

[Johan]

Thanks Damien. I'll be there at a Thursday then.

[DamienB]

Cottesmore, 23rd November - a dull day weather wise, and they were using 04 which drastically limits the photographic opportunities too. Still, I had a new camera I needed to test so I spent a couple of hours there anyway.

Starting off at Hooby Lane for some take-offs...





Then I repositioned to the road to the west of the airfield. Alas the ramp is very distant and the lie of the land isn't helpful either:



Run and break...



Then I moved again to the crash gate at the south-west end of the airfield. Landing aircraft are at least a bit lower than over the road, but your scope for different angles is limited.





Good to see those back seats being enjoyed...





The lie of the land here is even worse, cutting off the wheels of taxiing aircraft even if you balance yourself on the small earth mound near the crash gate:



...but at least there's a bit more variety possible if you look for it.







Quite pleased with the new camera. Further tests necessary though...

[CH2]

and what is the new camera DB?

[DamienB]

It's a Can... Nikon D7000

[DamienB]

Another half day at Cottesmore, 25th November... and runway 04 again, damn it... there was still a little snow scattered on the ground in the morning, and it was absolutely brass monkey weather, sadly overcast almost all day apart from a few very brief bursts of sunshine.

Finally got to see the 1 Sqn tail... but it went unserviceable and aborted take-off, returning to the ramp









Very pleased to see the 800 tail too, though it and sunshine never coincided for me...





Lovely tight formation approach...















Have we rammed home the sunset metaphor enough yet?

[Hellfire]

8th and penultimate shot for me in the latest post.

[Vixen1]

Love the nose-on shot from the last batch with the gantry in the backgound. You'll be growing roots there soon.

[riatfuels]

Superb images!

Is there a timetable for the drawdown and any special events planned?

Thanks, Ian