New Fairford Bomber deployment

[Tommy]

As per the Ostrava thread:



If the flying one is launching/recovering from Fairford, that might mean a bit of weekend action for anyone here in the U.K.

Rumour has it possible airshow attendance this weekend and maybe next Saturday too, so keep an eye out.

[frank]

So what air shows might be blessed by B52 flypast this weekend

[Brevet Cable]

Not a lot in the UK, unless they're planning on doing Rhyl.

[Brevet Cable]

B-52 up.
Didn't catch the callsign due to crappy reception, but showing on ADS-B Exchange as SPICY 51 routing ENE.

( Strange reception conditions recently....picking up flights up to 200NM - sometimes further - to the West and North of my location, but often less than 50NM away to the South and East )

Edited to add...
Looks to be lurking over Norfolk

Edited again...
Eastbound towards The Netherlands

@ 11:15hrs ...
Currently showing heading Southeast, crossing Romania

[Brevet Cable]

It disappeared off ADS-B Exch. for a while, but SPICY 51 is now showing as being up over Greece

[Brevet Cable]

Looks to be on it's way back...currently showing up over Germany

[Brevet Cable]

@ 17:50hrs....coasting in near Southend

[Zoom]

doesn't look like it's in any hurry to land back at base

[Brevet Cable]

SPICY 51 inbound Rwy 27 now ( working 133.75 )

Edited to add...
FM website lists 2 as being up ( '51 & '52 )...only heard comms from '51 & it's the only one which has been showing on the tracking sites.

[Brevet Cable]

NOTAMs already up for today & Monday, nothing for tomorrow ( Sunday ) :
Times adjusted for BST

U4988/22 - FAIRFORD MIL ATZ ACTIVE, AD, RWY 27/09 OPEN FOR OFFICIAL BUSINESS
ONLY. ALL OTHERS PRIOR PERMISSION REQUIRED. 27 AUG 07:30 2022 UNTIL 27 AUG 19:00 2022.


U4978/22 - FAIRFORD MIL ATZ ACTIVE, AD, RUNWAY 09/27 OPEN. 29 AUG 06:30 2022 UNTIL 29 AUG 10:00 2022.

[Brevet Cable]

B-52(s) up!
Faintly heard SPICY 52 ( which logically could mean '51 is up as well )
As usual, crappy reception means I haven't heard any other info.

Edited @ 12:57 to add....
Shows how crappy the reception was, it's showing up on ADS-B Exchange, with the callsign SPICY 62
Currently routing roughly NEwards, abeam Cambridge

[Brevet Cable]

Now showing as out over the North Sea, still heading roughly NE

[Brevet Cable]

After playing over Sweden for several hours, SPICY's now on the way back -- heading SW, coasting out over the Skagerrak

[Brevet Cable]

Coasting in over Norfolk

[Zoom]

(checks route to Fairford early Monday)

[Brevet Cable]

Abeam Cheltenham

[Brevet Cable]

Finals, Rwy 09

[Brevet Cable]

Not a B-52, but U-2 DRAGON 52 is up, working 252.875

Edited @ 10:30hrs to add...
NOTAM's now expired & gone, nothing else heard arriving or departing.

[Brevet Cable]

Think there's a U-2 up, only catching the '01' part of it's callsign on 252.875 ( so presumably BLACK 01 )

[Brevet Cable]

Faintly hearing REACH 791 working Brize....I'm not sure if it's inbound Brize or Fairford

Edited to add...
Looking on ADS-B Exchange, it was Fairford

[Brevet Cable]

REACH 891 ( another C-17 ) working Brize...again, not sure whether it's inbound there or FFD.

Edited to add....Fairford

[cg_341]

RCH791 came from Minot, 891 from Colorado Springs.

[Brevet Cable]

Given the callsign sequence, I've been half expecting '991 to turn up.

[Brevet Cable]

BLACK 01 in the descent back to Fairford

[Brevet Cable]

SPICY 31 up.
Was heading South towards the Channel, but has just turned left & is currently routing along the South Coast, currently approaching Southampton

Edited to add...
Sod's law says seconds after I posted this they call another course change, and are now heading roughly SE coasting out over the IOW.