One more operational day left. But we started the day looking for more old Gazelles....
Bourne Park, Hurstbourne Tarrant
XX638 Bulldog T.1 G-DOGG, no mks
(XW902)/H Gazelle HT.3 std, c/n 1199, tail of XZ933 mkd as XZ936!
XX406/P Gazelle HT.3 no mks, c/n 1344, G-CBSH
(XZ321) Gazelle AH.1 std, c/n 1614 (G-CDNS)
XZ933/T Gazelle HT.3 being worked on, c/n 1735, tail of XZ936
ZB627/A Gazelle HT.3 no mks, c/n 1914, G-CBSK
G-DFKI Gazelle HT.2 c/n 1216, ex XW907
G-BHZT Bulldog 120 (ex Botswana OD6)
Also seen was PA.18 G-BGYN (c/n 18-7709137, I guess this has no mil background? Interesting is seeing XZ933 with the tail of XZ936, since yesterday we also saw a tail of this same bird at Babcary. And the "real" one should still be operational with QinetiQ as well.... This was my fourth visit here, and as always people were very friendly. I never knew that they are connected to the Babcary lot though! While we were here an Army Gazelle with code D came flying overhead. Can someone tie this up for us?
Another place we visited before, but with very limited success, is Thruxton. We decided to give it another quick try.
Thruxton
WK611 Chipmunk T.10 no mks (G-ARWB)
(XV130)/R Scout AH.1 (G-BWJW)
(XV799) Scout AH.1 dump, wreck
XW613 Scout AH.1 (G-BXRS) which markings does this carry (was present at Northolt Photo Call)?
G-APVL Scout AH.1 (ex XP166)
G-NOTY Scout AH.1 (ex XT624)
G-AAHY DH.60M this is qouted as ex Swiss AF, CH-480. Is this correct??
We got the same unfriendly welcome here like last time, they are not keen on spotters at all.... Most companies even have a sign on the door saying they don't want spotters. Luckily we still managed to see a few warbirds!
And then it was finally time for some operational action again.
MoD Boscombe Down
XX154 Hawk T.1 no mks (ETPS)
XZ939/9 Gazelle HT.2 ETPS
ZD242/P VC.10 K.4 std
(ZE416) A.109E ETPS
ZE433 BAC1-11/479FU QinetiQ
ZF510/510 Tucano T.1 QinetiQ
ZG857/89 Harrier GR.9 4 sq (tdy QinetiQ?)
ZJ646 Alpha Jet QinetiQ
ZJ649 Alpha Jet QinetiQ
Tutor, Southampton UAS: G-BYUL, G-BYXB, G-BYXD, G-BYXJ
In the large hangar behind the VC.10 a rather big aircraft was seen, which looked like an Andover or so. Also in the helicopter hangar were seen a Merlin HM.2, an Apache and outside in front of this a Chinook (HC.3?, came in from a testflight). If someone can tie those up we would be very grateful! Again a nice score here, and this time with better light as well. Since it was Friday afternoon by now we were wondering what to do. Hielko wanted to go to Middle Wallop, and finally managed to persuade us.
Middle Wallop
ZG846 Islander AL.1 (1 Flt, 5 Rgt)
ZJ244/44 Squirrel HT.2 (2 Rgt, 670 sq)
ZR321 A.109E 32 (TR) sq
When we arrived we only saw a single Gazelle parked on the platform, and the Agusta, and everything looked deserted. So we started threatening Hielko we would kick him all the way back to the Netherlands if that A.109 would't be the single one we still needed. But he was lucky, after some 15 minutes it took off and it was the one!
We also saw two Apaches arrive, but reading those off......
Since all military flying had ceased by now we decided to try our luck with some warbirds again.
Old Sarum
FR886 L-4J G-BDMS (real id 44-80753)
XX704 Bulldog 122 G-BCUV (real id Ghana G-112)
44-80752/E-39 L-4J (G-BCXJ)
G-ACDI Tiger Moth II (ex BB742)
G-EMSY Tiger Moth II (ex T7356)
Also seen was Do.27 D-ECOX (c/n 2018) and Cap.10 G-LORN (c/n 282), am I right that these didn't serve in the military? One of the main targets here was former Dutch AF L-21 G-BKJB, and we were told that this one had moved on to Compton Abbas. Tiger Moths G-ANOO and G-ANRN never lived here, they were just visitors apparently. Chipmunk WB565 and Bulldog XX554 did live here but moved on with unknown destination (anyone who kows more about their homebase?), Bulldog HKG-5 lives at Kemble, and Bulldog HA-TVA was seen by myself in Hungary this summer.
Compton Abbas was in the wrong direction, but since none of us had ever visited this place we decided to check it out.
Compton Abbas
G-GRRR Bulldog 122 (ex Ghana G-105)
G-HBBC Devon C.2 (ex VP961)
When we arrived here the owner and his family were just locking the place up, ready to go on holiday judging by the amount of suitcases they were carrying. Bad timing! But they did tell us that the Piper we came for was not an inmate of Compton Abbas, so who knows where this is?? Luckily the two daughters made the drive worthwile anyway, wow.....!
And now we had to head back to London, since our last weekend was going to be spent in that area. One more stop was made underway though.
Solstice Park, Amesbury
(ZA804) Gazelle HT.3 pr
This one is preserved on a pole on the East side of the shopping complex immediately next to the A303. It is modified to look like some kind of insect, interesting.
And again we didn't make it to our hotel before dark, but who cares.... We were getting ready for a day out in London, finally!
As always corrections, etcetera......
That´s all folks!
Hielko Overeem, Frank Mink & Patrick Dirksen
Tristar Aviation