Wittmundhafen (ETNT) - 2008

[perry dirkx]

The newly fenced off area has always been military terrain, to be used in case of an emergency to drop fueltanks and so.
Maybe they want to get it a little more safer this way.

Cheers,
Perry

[Iwan Bogels]

Edit: see this topic as well!

He Iwan, I took the liberty of taking your Wittmund overview and do some extras on the west side.

Thanks ! I hope your predictions are right, and the eastern part of the base stays accessible from the middle through the end of the runway. That would leave lift off and drag chute shots from runway 08 (most of my pictures in this topic), as well as line-up, lift off and drag chute shots from runway 26.

Next to that both ends will keep their landing opportunities, although you need some ladders. But that's only a minor inconvenience compared to a Beyond Visual Range situation when the fence is placed outward for about 500 meters.

Fingers crossed,
Iwan

[Iwan Bogels]

I heard there will be a ringroad around the soutern side of the base.
But when I look at the place from the new fence, they can build a whole new sheltercamp.... (for the EF2000 maybe)

Grtz Rene

Hi Rene,

Sounds like a plausible option when you look at the map. There doesn't seem to be any real reason for a ring road, except to facilitate one single building on the other side of the runway.

If they can build a ringroad on the eastern part of the base without moving the fence, they can do the same on the western end. So there is more reason to include the large unused area.

Perry could be right about the safety issue. But right now Wittmund has about 50 (!) Phantoms in its inventory, and I ask myself where they have put all these. How many Eurofighters are they going to get ?

A third shelter camp could provide with some extra photo opportunities, but it could also lead to extra taxiways which require more airbase area to be bought from outside the fence.

Who knows. Maybe someone can ask tomorrow, during the photocall. I'm sure the PAO will know a bit more...... Please, do ask !

Cheers,
Iwan

[Redskin301]

Iwan and others,

I went out yesterday to Witmund and theyu discovered that they can use de MP to sent us away constantly. Maybe this was because of the spotterday today, there were many spotters active around the field. Luckely if managed to get a really good serie of phantom shot from the "forbidden" area. It costed me a lots of camo tricks but it worked ou. The only thing i would say with this to other spotters is; stay away from the fence when there is no activity. Also don't leave your ladder there because the securty will notice this and sent you away

For the rest i had a great day at "Phantom city" and Iwan, thanks for sharing your info before, it was very usable during my stay

[D.R.]

Not able to make the spottersday today but able to go to Wittmund tomorrow. Is there any flying tomorrow, adn also what time doe the waves go out normally?

[Iwan Bogels]

Is there any flying tomorrow, adn also what time doe the waves go out normally?

Flying tomorrow ? No clue. But I don't see why they shouldn't.

Time ? First wave around 08.00, last wave between 16.00 - 20.00.

Sorry no more detailed info than this.

[Stefan]

Is there any flying tomorrow, adn also what time doe the waves go out normally?

Flying tomorrow ? No clue. But I don't see why they shouldn't.

Time ? First wave around 08.00, last wave between 16.00 - 20.00.

Last one in probably a lot sooner:

P3274/08 - NO ALTN, NO APCH, NO TKOF, NO LDG EXCEPT QRA A-SCRAMBLE. DAILY AFTER 1500, 28
JUL 15:00 2008 UNTIL 01 AUG 06:00 2008. CREATED: 17 JUL 14:03 2008

Greetings,
Stefan

[nilsko]

Iwan and others,

I went out yesterday to Witmund and theyu discovered that they can use de MP to sent us away constantly. M

I wonder for how long they are going sustain this behaviour. Wittmund will become more popular now the Phantom in German service becomes rarer. So will spotter activity at the fence (new or old ). Let's hope they'll relax somewhat..

[Otto]

During a visit to ATC at Wittmund today we asked about the fence-changes Iwan mentioned earlier in the photo-topic. Key requested to place any spotter info over here:

Looking at the future of Wittmund we can expect the EF2000 in a couple of years (depending on the politics )
For this they plan to build a complete new tower on the other site of the runway. This will be positioned just left of the radar. Problem with the old tower is the limited height. From the tower they can't oversee the 2 shelterareas.
The new tower should be identical to the one at Holzdorf. Height will be 23 meters. So that's why they moved the fence. According to ATC some more fence-moving can be expected behind the radar.
They (still) have no clue about changes in the rest of the infrastructure.

There should be over 60 Wittmund-Phantom-inmates Due to this large number there's a lack of hangar/shelter space. So most of the time several Phantoms will be parked at the platform near the F-4E/F-104G.

Next year JG.71 will celebrate it's 50th birthday. For this a static-show will be presented. Unfortunately they have no clearance for airdisplays
It's unclear if they will organize an open day/spottersday.

Due to a shortage in ATC personal they fly 2 instead of 4 missions a day. In this case during the morning.

Hope this helps

[Otto]

Some additional info from this afternoon:

GAF304 C-160D 50+69 LTG.61 (nice sarajevo landing)
QRA training flight: F-4F 38+55, 38+74
DIXIE16 F-4F 37+16 WTD.61 (nice departure)
D-EOJC C172P

Other Phantom's: 37+26, 37+84, 37+85, 37+96, 38+29, 38+45, 38+54, 38+66.

[perrie]

The A-4N Skyhawks were:
N431FS (white c/s) flying
N432FS (white c/s) in hangar behind static in two pieces
N434FS (white c/s) flying
N437FS (white c/s) flying
N262WL (camo !) flying
N268WL (grey) on static

There was also a RC-12 flying over, unfortunately my 300mm lens is too small to read the serial...

Per

[perrie]

Oh, and at Jever were some F-4F's that could hardly be called Phantoms.

A Phantom was towed in the small hangar left of the scrapyard. To my surprise it was the 38+64 that was at Wittmund earlier. So it is maybe flying out of Jever or it is destined to become a Coca Cola can real soon

Per

[Arjan]

Hi all,

Anyone for the RC-12 that overflew the airfield on the end of the spottersday?

Many thanks,

Arjan

[perrie]

Hi Oscar,

Where did you note the other Phantoms?

Per

[Otto]

Hi Perrie, we saw them in the two maintenance hangars left of the TWR.