In the previous reports I think I went through most of the possible spots, for this one it was just one main spot. This was the great spot on the southside of the sea-airport ramp, reached by taking the Claudius-Dornier-Strasse and the gravel track up the hill.
We arrived shortly before 8 o'clock, and the ramp was already filled with 3 A-4s and 3 Alpha Jets. One further Alpha Jet was in the tents, and in the right hangar the TA-4 and the A-4 534 were visible. The left hangar stayed shut all day.
The first Alpha Jets started up at 8:15.
C-FHTO/104 Alpha Jet Top AcesThe local choppers from MFG5 were rather quiet, but at least two Lynx's took the skies. The 83+04 was one of them. A few choppers came in for what seems to be a little event. A B206 from Bückeburg, a Bundespolizei Puma and a FBS Cougar (82+02) all dropped in. We focused on the Top Aces, so unfortunately no decent shots from this event, as the distance to the runway is just too big from the Top Aces flightline.
The local flying school H135 was pulled out of it's hangar, but in contrast to earlier the little movable platform it is on was placed a bit further to the left on the ramp. This way it won't interfere with taxiway shots.
D-HTMJ H135 MFG5The early birds that started at 8:15 came back. The second one of the flight was the black Alpha Jet:
C-GVTA/009 Alpha Jet Top AcesAfter the first A-4 (later more on that one) the third Alpha Jet took to the skies
C-GFTO/038 Alpha Jet Top AcesThe first A-4 that had taken off was a special one for me. After all the visits I never got the TA-4, but also never got the 'blue' A-4. After it's return, I'd say I can tick that one on the list:
C-FGZS/337 A-4N Top AcesA Sea King (89+50) dropped in for the event and later departed again. It seems to have come from a different field, as it didn't start from Nordholz that morning.
The Top Aces crew drove one of their tugs to the tent with the Alpha Jet, and a dash along the fence put me on the right side for the light. A quick question "Excuse me, are you going to move the Alpha Jet?" was answered by a yes, and was followed by stopping for about 10s after it was clear of the tent so we could take the following picture.
C-GJTA/057 Alpha Jet Top AcesShould you guys ever see this: you are the best! For me, the second new Top Aces plane of the day.
The Alpha Jet (038) returned, and a Luftwaffe H145 (77+07) came in for a short stop, followed by new action on the flightline. The last two A-4s started up, and the sun promptly returned for duty when they departed:
C-FGZO/532 A-4N Top Aces
C-FGZD/367 A-4N Top AcesAfter 1,5 hours the A-4s weren't back, and the sun was now completely gone. On our way back, we spotted a NH-90 making it's way back to the base, so we grabbed that one. Not the best shot, but also to show how different the conditions were after 15:00.
79+51 NH90NTH MFG5At 15:30 the black Alpha Jet departed once again, and the two A-4s still didn't return. We decided it wouldn't bring better pictures when we waited for them to return, so we left.
Hope you like them!
Regards
Bram
