Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Photos of operational aircraft from bases, airports and "spotter" outings
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DamienB
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Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by 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...

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Going to miss this place when it goes quiet.
Last edited by DamienB on Wed 10 Nov 2010, 9:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Seamus
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Re: Cottesmore 04/11/2010

Post by Seamus »

Lovely stuff, the final few especially :clap:

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....
My shots on Flickr and Airliners

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Rotor
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Re: Cottesmore 04/11/2010

Post by Rotor »

What a diference a bit of light makes :biggrin:

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nigelblake
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Re: Cottesmore 04/11/2010

Post by nigelblake »

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

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DamienB
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Re: Cottesmore 04/11/2010

Post by DamienB »

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

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Wes_Howes
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by Wes_Howes »

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

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DamienB
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by DamienB »

:lol: Even more impressed by your shots now then :lol:

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Rotor
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by Rotor »

Nice selection

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

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

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bigcrow
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by bigcrow »

Great shooting Damien, loving the last... :clap:

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drumsey
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by drumsey »

Top drawer.

As Stu said that last one is lovely.

Darren
Canon 30D & 10D
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DamienB
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by 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.

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Never seen this before - vapour inside the intake:
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The guilty Xingu:
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The glow around the Harrier isn't post-processing - there on the original shot:
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Johan
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by Johan »

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

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

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DamienB
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by DamienB »

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

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RickIngham
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by 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.

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Mark K
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by 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

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DamienB
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by 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.

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RickIngham
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by RickIngham »

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

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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by Johan »

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

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DamienB
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by 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...

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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:

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Run and break...

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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.

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Good to see those back seats being enjoyed...

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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:

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

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

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CH2
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by CH2 »

and what is the new camera DB?
Cheers,

Chris

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DamienB
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by DamienB »

It's a Can... Nikon D7000 :shock:

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DamienB
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by 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 :sad:

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

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Lovely tight formation approach...

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Have we rammed home the sunset metaphor enough yet?

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Hellfire
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by Hellfire »

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

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Vixen1
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by Vixen1 »

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

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riatfuels
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Re: Harrier Drawdown - week by week

Post by riatfuels »

Superb images!

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

Thanks, Ian

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