Lockdown Military

[FarnboroJohn]

An A400M on its way home a couple of days ago. I missed one fairly low (under 10 thousand, anyway) through a lie-in yesterday, heard it while in the bath.

20200506 (10)_ZM407_Airbus_A400M_Atlas by John Dixon, on Flickr

[FarnboroJohn]

Couple more AAC Wildcats, Valiant 61 and Polecat 07, who came past a few minutes apart with Polecat 07 (ZZ523) somewhat higher. Plus a USAF C-17 (Reach 410 IIRC) of no photographic merit whatever, heading for Mildenhall a bit over 20,000 feet, some miles North of Reading: just to keep the account of what goes past fleshed out.

20200507 (7)_ZZ511_AgustaWestland_AW159_Wildcat_AH1 by John Dixon, on Flickr

20200507 (8)_ZZ523_AgustaWestland_AW159_Wildcat_AH1 by John Dixon, on Flickr

20200507 (11)_01-0192_Boeing_C-17A_Globemaster_III by John Dixon, on Flickr

[Blackbird]

Thanks for the pics John. You seem very fortunate! Here in "sunny Sarfend" I've seen next to nothing - certainly nothing military. Do keep the pics something. They are appreciated.

Andy

[FarnboroJohn]

Thanks for the pics John. You seem very fortunate! Here in "sunny Sarfend" I've seen next to nothing - certainly nothing military. Do keep the pics something. They are appreciuated.

Andy

Thank you, some feedback does help! Even with the "easing" of lockdown it seems likely I'll be asked to carry on working from home for now, so I consider the thread still applies: I'll stay alert, keep the camera handy, an ear cocked for rotor noise and an eye on ADSB Exchange!

[FarnboroJohn]

VE Day and a Spitfire T9 North towards Bracknell, plus a very high A400M more or less over that town. Note the "Thank you NHS" on a blue heart under the Spitfire's centre section.

20200508 (7)_SM520_Supermarine_Spitfire_T9 by John Dixon, on Flickr

20200508 (10)_ZM400_Airbus_A400M_Atlas by John Dixon, on Flickr

[CJS]

The Spitfire is a lovely shot

[FarnboroJohn]

The Spitfire is a lovely shot

Thank you very much!

[stuart n]

A few of mine from the last couple of weeks. Don't usually get military movements that high over here but they seem to be making use of the quiter airways:


CH-47D Chinook HC.6 ZA683 - 18 / 27 Squadron RAF Odiham by stu norris, on Flickr


C-17A Globemaster III 08-8199 - 62nd Airlift Wing McChord AFB by stu norris, on Flickr


C-5M Super Galaxy 85-0004 - 436th Airlift Wing Dover AFB by stu norris, on Flickr


A400M Atlas C.1 ZM419 - 24 / 70 Squadron - RAF Brize Norton by stu norris, on Flickr

[FarnboroJohn]

Some nice contrailers there - no idea when I last saw a Galaxy! Canadian C-17 keeps coming over me but only when it's cloudy!

[FarnboroJohn]

Catchup - I didn't realise I'd put a couple of non-competition winners onto Flickr and not here a week ago. Another Army Air Corps Wildcat (if I was still a number-cruncher I'd be pretty pleased with the house score on those the last few weeks). A couple of Chinooks were most unsporting and went absolutely straight over the house giving me only a view of their bellies. Being in formation albeit a loose trail, only one was squawking, as well.

20200513 (12)_ZZ524_AgustaWestland_AW159_Wildcat_AH1 by John Dixon, on Flickr


20200513 (14)_ZA683_Boeing_Chinook_HC6A by John Dixon, on Flickr

On with the back garden show to more recent events. Royal Navy Wildcats have been much rarer on the scene so this one was appreciated as a small variation from the regular AAC fare; and a Chinook HC5 wokka-ing through the deep dusk up towards London during the evening.

20200519 (5)_ZZ522_AgustaWestland_AW159_Wildcat_HMA2 by John Dixon, on Flickr

20200519 (8)_ZH900_Boeing_Chinook_HC5 by John Dixon, on Flickr

[FarnboroJohn]

Army Air Corps Wildcat circling between Farnborough and Sandhurst. Good view being had by the casual-looking back-seater!

20200520 (24)_ZZ523_AgustaWestland_AW159_Wildcat_AH1 by John Dixon, on Flickr

[FarnboroJohn]

A fat-tanked Chinook HC5 heading SW across Farnborough on its way back to RAF Odiham on 20 May.

20200520 (37)_ZH901_Boeing_Chinook_HC5 by John Dixon, on Flickr

[FarnboroJohn]

1 June and a sign that the Army is getting back to normal with the familiar growl of our first Apache past the house since the beginning of lockdown.

20200601 (5)_ZJ213_Westland_Apache_AH1 by John Dixon, on Flickr

[FarnboroJohn]

The weather going off is not helping, (I haven't caught a heavy over the top for some time now due to cloud) but after a lull helicopter activity seems to be ramping up again.

Bit of a catch up:

20200602 (5)_ZH851_European_Helicopter_Industries_MerlinHM2 by John Dixon, on Flickr

20200602 (10)_ZA710_Boeing_Chinook_HC6A by John Dixon, on Flickr

20200603 (9)_ZH891_Boeing_Chinook_HC6A by John Dixon, on Flickr

20200608 (8)_ZA710_Boeing_Chinook_HC6A by John Dixon, on Flickr

[FarnboroJohn]

Quite busy on the 9th of June. Pity the light was so awful but a decent array of flybys including three Apaches (a single and a pair in trail):

20200609 (4)_ZJ186_Westland_Apache_AH1 by John Dixon, on Flickr

20200609 (5)_ZK556_Boeing_Chinook_HC6A by John Dixon, on Flickr

20200609 (8)_ZJ188_Westland_Apache_AH1 by John Dixon, on Flickr

20200609 (10)_ZJ199_Westland_Apache_AH1 by John Dixon, on Flickr

[FarnboroJohn]

I had a fairly close eye on ADSB Exchange on 10 June. First off I caught the two Apaches that had gone North-east the previous day coming back after overnighting away, perhaps at Wattisham. A Chinook was next in the worst weather of a generally pretty miserable day. Late on, a pair of Apaches that had started from Wattisham and travelled across East Anglia and crossed the East Midlands to Stafford before dropping down to SPTA, came growling across Farnborough together. Only one was squawking (I assume the lead aircraft) but I kept an eye on them and near Wattisham the other lit up so I could nail his serial as well.

20200610 (15)_ZJ188_Westland_Apache_AH1 by John Dixon, on Flickr

20200610 (16)_ZJ199_Westland_Apache_AH1 by John Dixon, on Flickr

20200610 (18)_ZK556_Boeing_Chinook_HC6A by John Dixon, on Flickr

20200610 (20)_ZJ186_and_ZJ195_Westland_Apache_AH1 by John Dixon, on Flickr

[Spiny Norman]

RAF C-17 today over Edinburgh, performing many practice approaches to Edinburgh Airport.