Arriving at Reims 3.30 PM from a very quiet Florennes, the following was noted here:
Reims-Champagne, 8 September 2008
610/33-CI F1CR
606/33-CU F1CR
104/12-KG M2000C o/s
/XN TBM.700
Gendarmerie checked us but no problems.
Reims-Champagne, 9 September 2008
/XE TBM.700
104/XJ TBM.700
636/33-NL F1CR
627/33-NA F1CR
605/33-CO F1CR
604/33-CF F1CR
613/33-CC F1CR
661/33-NK F1CR
614/33-NR F1CR
606/33-CU F1CR
610/33-CI F1CR +2
After spending some hours next to the taxiway and "last-chance" checkpoint, we were sent away by military guards inside the fence. We witnessed the return from the road under the approach after which we saw no reason to stay and we decided to make a late lunch-stop at St. Dizier on the way to our castle-hostel in Nancy.
St. Dizier-Robinson, 9 September 2008
/JCV AS.350 Gendarmerie
2x F1CR recce run
106/7-HG Rafale C
326/7-HY Rafale B
309/7-HB Rafale B
319/7-HN Rafale B
308/7-HA Rafale B
315/7-HK Rafale B +1 (or C)
1x MH.1521 preserved aeroclub
Again checked by Gendarmerie and again no issues. We did not plan a stop here but we took some nice pics in a short period from the famous soccer field.
Luxeuil-St. Sauveur, 10 September 2008
326/4-AS M2000N
/4-BY M2000N
/4-BJ M2000N +4
One of the main goals of this week. Lots of flying activity but unfortunately an equally active Gendarmerie. Soon after finding a fantastic position for landing shots incl an overview of the base I was forced to delete my pictures. It is allowed to view the planes, even from very close by. As we are into pics not numbers we decided to leave, even though the Gendarmes did not specifically told us to.
On to main goal #2: Colmar-Meyenheim, along with the 2000N a soon to be extinct species. Both the Gendarmerie at Luxeuil and a local at Reims (former S. Etandard and Vautour pilot) confirmed all F1's will be wfu in 2 years time.
Contrary to Luxeuil, both the Gendarmerie and the local flying treats remained in their shelters. We only witnessed the return of 3 F1's as we were approaching the base. It became extremely quiet and equally hot after that so we decided to chase goal #3: Taste and buy some great Alsace wines along de 'Route du vins'.
Next morning saw the whole region covered in low clouds and fog. When even an overshooting TBM.700 at Colmar could hardly be recognized through the mist and all activity ceased (runway lights went off, engines we heard running shut down), it was time to make decisions. With Luxeuil out-of-bounds, Nancy only interesting for pics in the morning (plus we heard evening-flying when we spent the night in Nancy), Bremgarten and Lahr dead for years, weather forecast not looking bright and Payerne judged too far, we moved on to Ramstein.
Ramstein AB, 11 September 2008
63-834/RS C-130E 37AS USAFE
64-240/RS C-130E "86AW" USAFE
68-935/RS C-130E 37AS USAFE
00300 C-20H 76AS USAFE
40081 C-21A 76AS USAFE
40083 C-21A 76AS USAFE
40112 C-21A 76AS USAFE
90003 C-5A 89AS AFRC
90012 C-5A 137AS NY ANG
90022 C-5A 167AS WV ANG
31285 C-5B 9AS AMC
33118 C-17A 183AS Miss ANG
33124 C-17A 437AW AMC
44128 C-17A 6AS AMC
44132 C-17A 6AS AMC
44138 C-17A 729AS AFRC
60002 C-17A 437AW AMC
90060 C-17A 62AW AMC
Some rain, some sunny spells made for some nice shots, but we missed the arrival of 2 Galaxies when we were at the Kindsbach hill. We stayed in a hotel close by and fell asleep with the sound of circuiting Hercs and arriving heavy metal. Next morning it was grey and as we came closer to Spang where we hoped to see some AMI's and Ami's the weather deteriorated. After a short break here we went home again.
Spangdahlem, 12 September 2008
1x AMX departed
2x Tornado ECR departed
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