Holiday in SE Asia, 3rd week, A-5J (pics)

[stipjes]

Me and my girlfriend are enyoing a 3 week holiday in South East Asia . During the holiday I will be trying to do some spotting in the heat. The first place to visit is the Musee de L'Armee Populaire in Vientiane (Laos) last Monday. The place was deserted but it seems to be low- and raining season.

The MiG.21 arrived 2 years ago (if I look on the GE pics).


Always great to see An.2's.


When I passed the gate at the IAP I only saw new Mi.171's on the platform so I thought the old one are withdrawn.


WMOOS writes that in the back of the museum 2 aircraft are stored but they are actually preserved wrecks. This Cessna they call a L.20 which was in use in 1959???? according to the plaquette...... What is a L.20? Ow and it was used by the Vientiane Puppet Soldiers. Anyway, WMOOS quotes it as being T-41B 67-151636.


The plaquette in front of this UH-1 does not mention the preserved wreck is a Heuy. It does mention that there are pieces of 2 F-105's (on shot down by women in 1968) and a USAF F-4H..... and that 505 aircraft where shot down in Operation Lamson 719.....


High quality paint in the 60's .


A day later I visited the IAP on a scooter. I will post some pics later.

[stipjes]

The next morning I get up early. The scooter rental opens at 7 so after arranging the papers and a short verstappen sprint I arrive at the airport around 8. There is some activity at the military side so hope is born for some action shots . I drive to the opposite site of the airport in the hope to find a good spot if flying would start. There is a platform there too. On Google Earth I saw the 2 MiG.21's and a Mi.26 stored there. I did find the platform (with civil stored stuff) but did not see the military aircraft. You can get closer in the dry season but in the current rain season the fields are to muddy to walk in. I do see some Z.9's though, two are parked outside:

I can find it on the internet as being a Z.9/H425 but his brother 34079 is not there yet, first sighting?
These aircraft must be a different unit or part of the Air Force for some reason (spotters theory).

A bit closer to the terminal I find a spot near the runway. The locals dont greet but dont seem surprised so the next half hour I spent there. First a new Mi.171 takes off on the far taxi way (in front of the to be constructed terminal).


An Air force EC.155 according to internet (I thought it must have been a Z.9) is flying circuits, must be military :


In the mean time I think I see a Ka.32 taxi but 10 minutes later I realise it must have been a fanta morgana (jetlag).

After a while a Mil takes off from the runway (which is close), I was happy to see it is an "old" one but Mi.172 is painted behind its cockpit.... I hope Wikipedia is correct ("Mi.17-2 is an export version of Mi-8MTV-2") and they forget to paint it like Mi.17-2...

After the 172 takes off a military man passes me and I am thinking I will get questioned... Luckely he just looks at me and stops 20 meters down the road. Time to go back to my girlfriend in the hotel .

In the afternoon we take a bus north and pass the airport again, with my eyeball one I can read the serial of a Ka.32 being RDPL-34077, at least I got the serial .

(special thanks for Stephan for photosjopping my pics , I have no PS on my laptop but steef does not mind to process them

[Stratofreighter]

raining season.

Nah... That "rainy season" is over here in Europe now, not in Laos.....

Keep your photos coming!

[Stephan Lodewijks]

Nice tourist/spotter trip, Pat! And you're welcome!

Steef

[stipjes]

The start of the second week was a bit boring (aviation wise). From Vientiane we took a bus to Vang Vieng. The is an old Air America (CIA) runway in the middle of the village present which is still in use as a marked place, parking, road, toilet for animals (and people). Besides that we visited waterfalls, hiked, cycled and enjoyed the great landscapes here. After a few days we headed north to Luang Prabang, an old colonial town. At the airport (very close to town) a Thai Gvmt Beech was present for calibrations. I include some civil stuff because it looks ok (and there was nothing else ).







From Luang Prabang we flew to Yangon, more on this visit later.

[stipjes]

Myanmar was not really a part of the initial plan but my girlfriend really wanted to go there so we did. I visited the country in 2000 and my god, what a (negative) change. I won't mention all the changes but from almost no cars and almost no other motorised transport in Yangon in 2000 to a complete traffic meltdown is unbelievable.
Luckely they still have aircraft. After a day of sightseeing I left to the airport at six in the morning (one hour bij "train", if that is what you want to call it) and arrived, after some walking in the approach around eight.
17 years ago I visited the south site of the airfield and found a good spot there. Because of the SW wind I had to try to find a spot on the north site this time.
I end up in a rice field under a small tree for some shadow. The heat and humidity are awfull in the rain season but I am happy with the result of 3 hours with my feet in the mud:
17 years ago I only spotted the Y-8's. In the years after (digital photography kicked in) I "hated" myself for not photographing them then but after ten minutes on my muddy spot (including a leach that I could net get disconnected from my left foot) the heavy prop sound approached.

One extra pic because the plane looks great.

I did not know they had a Fokker 70...

I did not know they have Beech 1900's...

I knew they have CJ6's but never expected one to fly by....


All in all 6 or 7 different military aircraft but no fighters unfortunately . There are a few MIG.29's and F7's based here. The next day I had another chance. In the afternoon we visited temples .

[Alpha Kilo One]

Hi Patrick, not only the pictures are fun. I also enjoy the story. Keep them coming! Together they give a very good feeling.

[stipjes]

Hi Patrick, not only the pictures are fun. I also enjoy the story. Keep them coming! Together they give a very good feeling.

Thanks, here is the next set .
A day later I visited the same spot again after spending an hour between chickens and groceries in the train. On the way to my spot in the rice Paddy I slipped (rainseason and mud) and ended up in the Paddy itself..., lost my flip flops and looked like a wanderer while a leach found me as his new home... After some cleaning I waited for something to happen and was happy to see one of the two newer Y-8's leave (5819 Y.8F-200E).
Just after its departure I heard some hand clapping, it was the police who spotted me..... I grabbed my back (with my camera already inside) and walked towards them (omg....). To get in the Paddy I had to cross a little bamboo bridge (unprofessionally and quickley build for 45 kilo Burmese farmers). When I got on it it collapsed and I could not reach the police anymore.... Strange situation but to make a long story short they let me go and I continued spotting from a spot much further away from the approach.
At 12.30 I left for Yangon and again the fighters did not fly . I will have to be back soon.... Children days Thailand? .

















In the late afternoon we left Yangon by plane for the new capital of Nay Pyi Taw. Two Indonesion Hercules compensated for missing out of the fighters . Last year I visited Indonesia and we missed the yellow white Hercules three times because it landed downwind (click here for the report http://forum.scramble.nl/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=122694). Near the airport terminal a T-33 is preserved in front of the military gate:

Our plane was parked close to the Herc:





The sleeping fighters , at least I read the serials.....




Later in the week I will post the pics of the remote but easily accesible new Services Museum in Nay Pyi Taw.

[CJ]

Nice pictures & stories. Next year you might want to consider January 4th, which is their Indy day. Should be flypast somewhere near NPT.
P

[Hans van Herk]

and was happy to see one of the two newer Y-8's leave (5819 Y.8F-200E)

Than you are ready as the other new Y8F crashed on 7 June 2017.

Regards,
Hans van Herk

[stipjes]

and was happy to see one of the two newer Y-8's leave (5819 Y.8F-200E)
Then you are ready as the other new Y8F crashed on 7 June 2017.

Ok Hans, I am complete now . And uhhhh, CJ, ok, we fly jan 2nd to BKK?
After Yangon we flew to the new Myanmar capital of Naypyidaw. Since 6th november 2005 it is operational . It is situated 320 kilometers north of Yangon and it is a bizar region (not town because its area is huge). I stole a short story from internet and made it a bit more compact:

"There are a few things that immediately strike you when entering the capital. Firstly, Naypyitaw seems a wholly manufactured city without a soul. It is a bit like Vegas for politicians, soldiers, police, bureaucrats and all their associated hangers-on. It is a monster of a place - the 'planned zones' are spread over some 400 square miles. Using any mode of transport it is a real challenge getting here and working out where you are.
The other thing that strikes you is the scale of the road building. It beggars belief. Some of the distributor roads and particularly the road running alongside the Parliament are nine lanes wide. So you are looking down eighteen lanes of 'runway' with not a single vehicle to be seen. The final initial thing to strike you - there seem to be no 'ordinary' people living here. The city of Naypyitaw is like a window on this contradictory nation. Inexplicable. The scale of the infrastructure investment is a huge draw on the limited wealth of the nation.

Anyway, when we woke up in our very luxurious, huge, empty, in the middle of nowhere hotel our taxidriver of the day was already waiting for us. After breakfast he took us to the museum. It was a 45 minute drive from region number 1 where we stayed.....
In an article (in this messageboard) last year someone mentioned "Andy Davey finally got chance to visit the Defence Services Museum in Naypyidaw, Myanmar February 2 2016. Through various contacts he managed to get permission to take photos; The first westerner to do so as far as I'm aware!". EvD visited the museum later and so did we. Acces is easy and you do not (and never needed according to our driver) photo permission. here is an impression of the museum (ow, forgot to mention, the heat is killing....):































In 2000 I visited the museum when it was still located in Yangon. The advantage is much more planes now, the disadvantage is the fact that almost everything is parked outside now (besides a DH.82, 3 gliders, a Vampire and a S2R).

[stipjes]

A log of the museum:

The Sokol 6503 that ZAP16 noticed in 2016 was not seen. Is this a typo?
Near the outside display 6 aircraft are preserved inside, the Tiger Moth is sitting in the entrance hall:
2403 Commander S2R-H80
UB0001 Dart T.51
UB0006 Capstan T.49
UB0014 Swallow T45
UB156 Tiger Moth DH.82.
UB503 Vampire T.55

outside:
0001 FH.227E
1520 Fantan A5C
1524 Fantan A5C
1623 Airguard F-7M
1633 Airguard F-7M
2010 SF.260MB
2306 Turbo Trainer PC.7_
2509 CJ-6A
2613 Skywagon Ce.180.
3517 Shooting Star AT-33A
3530 Shooting Star AT-33A
3602 PC.9_
3803 FT-6_
4373 Expeditor D18S
4380 Queen Air B65.
6082 B.47G-2
6104 Alouette III SE.3160_
6108 Alouette III SE.3160_
6124 Jet Ranger B.206B
6202 AB.205A-1
6506 Sokol W3A
6507 Sokol W3A
2112) Husky D5/180
UB154 Chipmunk T.20
UB211 Provost 53
UB409 Seafire F.XV
UB421 Spitfire S.89
UB466 Sea Fury FB.11
UB471 Sea Fury FB.11
UB6009 V.44A
UB6166 Huskie HH-43B
UB653 Otter DHC.3.
UB-735 Dakota C-47B
UB-736 Dakota C-47B

The Sokols (and PC.9?) must have been too modern?

[stipjes]

My last hope for photographing jets in Myanmar is Mandalay. I do not know what kind of jets will be based there (if any at all) because the A-5's are said to be withdrawn. When we arrive at the airport on wednesdayevening I ask some locals if jets have been flying, this is the case . They fly around nine.
On Thursday we visit the palace in Mandalay, luckely the T-33 and the Provost still exist (the WMOOS mentioned that they are probably gone). During the Thursday I convince my girlfiend to take a detour the next day and not drive directly to the village with temples we want to visit. We agree to stay an hour at Mandalay airport so time is limited but I already had my share of spotting... . At 7.00 we get up and after breakfast we start our 35km scooter trip to the airfield. When we landed I spotted a temple in the approach. This is our first stop. After 10 minutes two Yak.130's arrive. I did not even know they have them.... The spot is too far away from the approach hence the quality but I do not want to get closer to the approach if nothing else is flying. For the next 45 minutes nothing happens and we decide to leave. I am happy but a bit dissapointed that there are no F-7's or MiG.29's flying, hope is a bad thing.
Just as I want to pack my stuff I hear a rumble.... From the elevated temple I can see a few bits of the airfield and I cannot believe my eyes when I see a camoflaged MiG.19 tail appearing through the trees every now and then. I realise the A-5's still fly, or at least one but it looks a bit strange.....
Anyway, I think this is one of the best spotters moments in my life. With a loud noise it takes off and for the first time in decades I pray that it will return, and if it does it will land at the right approach..... Civil aircraft take off and land from both directions.
We quickly move closer to the approach for a better shot and after finding a second spot (on the first one we get sent away) we wait. Not short after smoke appears in the approach, I am happy and all set! After it flies by I check my pics. WTF! All out of focus, I go nuts... the lens setting got on manual focus. The best spottersday in years turns into the worst. Bad bad bad. But I am very relieved when I hear the rumble again.... It is an overshoot . I get a second chance . Here are the results (the Yak's are heavely cropped):











The next day we fly back home via Bangkok and Helsinki. I was a nice holiday. I guess an A-5J is rather unique in the spotters world, I am happy to share it ?

[Alpha Kilo One]

Potverdikkie! Lucky you.
Good, better, best....!

[Erik_7Xi]

F***!!!

Ahm, very nice photo