RAF Marham - Monday 1st October

[LN Strike Eagle]

Had high hopes today. Wind favouring Runway 01 and the base set to open much earlier than last week, so I thought I might be able to get a few Tornados in the fine weather. Sadly, the early opening was just to recover a jet that spent the weekend in Germany and he was straight in for a full stop landing, so only had the once chance to grab something.

It was nearly five hours until anything else moved, and that was the only other movement in daylight barring an overshoot from a Northolt BAe-146. On the plus side, I nabbed two special tails and found the spotting location for taxying shots. Just a shame it's so slow, not least because it makes learning where the best spots are so damned difficult when you don't have more than one chance at shooting anything. No Daves seen.


Panavia Tornado GR4T ZG771 "RAFAIR 7081" - Royal Air Force - RAF Marham, October 2018 by DanB, on Flickr


Panavia Tornado GR4 ZA607 "MARHAM 80" - Royal Air Force - RAF Marham, October 2018 by DanB, on Flickr


Panavia Tornado GR4 ZA607 "MARHAM 80" - Royal Air Force - RAF Marham, October 2018 by DanB, on Flickr


Panavia Tornado GR4 ZA607 "MARHAM 80" - Royal Air Force - RAF Marham, October 2018 by DanB, on Flickr


Panavia Tornado GR4 ZA607 "MARHAM 80" - Royal Air Force - RAF Marham, October 2018 by DanB, on Flickr


Panavia Tornado GR4 ZA607 "MARHAM 80" - Royal Air Force - RAF Marham, October 2018 by DanB, on Flickr


Panavia Tornado GR4 ZA607 "MARHAM 80" - Royal Air Force - RAF Marham, October 2018 by DanB, on Flickr


Panavia Tornado GR4 ZA607 "MARHAM 80" - Royal Air Force - RAF Marham, October 2018 by DanB, on Flickr

[bigcrow]

Thats a shame, looks great for taxying though, I need to try it out before the GR4's go.

[LN Strike Eagle]

It's a great spot. Reminded me of the Coltishall and Cottesmore days, but as with those, it involves a fair trek around the edge of farmers fields. Not too bad at the moment but once the weather really turns and the ground is wet it probably won't be so enjoyable.

The fence is about 5ft high, so you can shoot over it if you're tall, as I did yesterday, but a small step would probably help no end.

I'd like to go back and have another go, but I really need them not to be on nights to make it worthwhile and that doesn't seem likely looking at the opening times for this month.

I probably should have tried Marham a long time ago - I've never been super-keen on Tornados, but they're the last of the RAF fast jets I grew up with that are still soldiering on, and now I've tried it and found it does have some decent spots (particularly on the short runway), I'd quite like to get a few more visits in before they're gone. I've always stuck to Lakenheath, but I just end up taking the same shots of the same jets when I go there. Marham has some nostalgia with the Tornados and with the F-35s, something new to offer too. It's just so frustrating that so little flies, it's a real test of your patience, especially with a busy fighter base 20 miles away.

[AlexC]

The fence is about 5ft high, so you can shoot over it if you're tall, as I did yesterday, but a small step would probably help no end.

Sadly I'd definitely need a ladder, and probably not a particularly small one! I remember using a ladder at Fairford years ago when the B-1B's were being bombed up. I was not stopped, but thought afterwards that it was perhaps not a very sensible thing to do!

[Kenny]

I was going to go today but from the sound of this, it won’t be productive at all. Shame.

[LN Strike Eagle]

I was going to go today but from the sound of this, it won’t be productive at all. Shame.

It's pot luck. Last Monday (22nd) we got four Tornado flights and an F-35. In terms of Tornado action, that's about as good as you can expect to see now.

I think the moral of the story is to avoid days/weeks when the base is open late for night flying, as it was on Oct 1st - this week it's open from 7am-5pm.

[Kenny]

Thanks Dan. Was hoping to get sunset shots but 01 doesn’t look too good for that.

[LN Strike Eagle]

Thanks Dan. Was hoping to get sunset shots but 01 doesn’t look too good for that.

You'd need a good sunset for it to create some colour in the clouds, but I'm sure it's possible by standing East of the approach.

01/19 is the only runway in use at the moment. The main runway still looks some way from completion.

[Kenny]

The forecast does look promising.

Just out of interest, on 01, do they use a clockwise or anti-clockwise circuit?

[LN Strike Eagle]

The forecast does look promising.

Just out of interest, on 01, do they use a clockwise or anti-clockwise circuit?

Left-hand circuit on 01, right-hand on 19.

I put a location guide in my more recent photo thread from the 22nd.