RAF Lyneham - 18/04/2007

With a Cottesmore Aviation Group visit to RAF Lyneham planned for the afternoon, it made sense to use the morning to try out the spot we'd seen countless excellent shots from down the western end of the airfield.

We arrived to find one of the based short C-130Js in the circuit.

Soon after that was joined by one of the two red and white Tucanos from Boscombe Down, and then later by a Defender AL2 and a 55(R)Sqn Dominie from Cranwell.

Heading in the opposite direction was one of the green Special Forces C-130Ks. Unfortunately it was timed to coincide with the sun going in... The Herc that had been bashing the circuit also performed an opposite end approach and vacated the runway where we were stood.

With the time pressing on we needed to reposition to the main station car park. In doing so we passed by the end of the cross runway, just as another K model was about to depart. The light was so good that we just had to stop.

Unfortunately, a few months later this aircraft would be lost in a heavy landing accident in Afghanistan.

Eventually we made it to the main gate where we were met by the Station MCO. After an overview talk about RAF Lyneham's role we were divided into two groups, with one heading off to the ramp to get up close and personal with a Herc, while the other group (in the first instance, us!) got to go for a look around the J-Model simulator.

That was a really excellent opportunity and having been on a low-level excursion in Wales, I told the instructor that I'd like to see Dunny land the beast. He decided he'd ramp things up slightly, pausing the simulation and repositioning ourselves in the Bristol Channel. Off in front was a boat. It was a flat-top aircraft carrier, and Dunny's challenge was to land us on it! Well, our wheels did indeed touch the top surfaces of the deck, but unfortunately we didn't quite stop in time, ending up dropping off the end... Great fun!!

Now it was our turn to go out onto the ramp where we were given full run of a 'J'.

At this point the tour was scheduled to come to an end, but one of Geoff Hibbert's contacts, Flt Lt Simon Hickey, himself a Hercules pilot, very kindly offered to take us out near the runway to shoot the movements for the next hour or so.

After that and with the light still excellent we moved around to the gravel bank on the approach at the eastern end. Because of its height we were able to shoot stuff taxying out and on finals. Conditions just kept getting better and better...

Andrew Jewson and myself headed off to find our accomodation for the night - a nice little farmhouse B&B that was a bit closer to our destination for the next day - a first attempt at Salisbury Plain!