Hi all,
I am still trying to post the last days of our trip before 2009.....
Today another "big" base visit was planned at the second Royal Navy base. Extra interesting since the museum storage was having an open day as well today!
RNAS Yeovilton
815 sq hangars/outside:
XZ232/321 Lynx HAS.3S HMS Endurance mks
XZ234/302 Lynx HAS.3S
XZ254/3023 Lynx HAS.3S
XZ690/313 Lynx HMA.8
XZ693/304 Lynx HAS.3S
XZ694/314 Lynx HAS.3S B flt mks
XZ696/311 Lynx HAS.3S B flt mks
XZ720/MC-360 Lynx HAS.3S HMS Manchester mks
XZ727/301 Lynx HAS.3S
XZ731/326 Lynx HMA.8
XZ735/325 Lynx HAS.3S
(ZD254)/306 Lynx HAS.3S tail separate
ZD258/308 Lynx HMA.8
ZD260/427 Lynx HMA.8
ZD565/365 Lynx HMA.8
ZF560/348 Lynx HMA.8 HMS Chatham mks
847 sq hangar/platform:
Lynx AH.7: XZ178, XZ180, XZ182, XZ192, XZ654
702 sq hangar:
XZ239/633 Lynx HAS.3S
XZ248/639 Lynx HAS.3S
XZ736.642 Lynx HMA.8
ZD251/638 Lynx HAS.3S
ZD266/645 Lynx HMA.8
727 sq:
Tutor: G-BYVF, G-BYVK, G-BYWM, G-BYXK, G-BYXS
846 sq hangar/outside:
XZ922/ZA Sea King HC.6
ZD625/P Sea King HC.4
ZG820/- Sea King HC.4
845 sq hangar:
ZA310/B Sea King HC.4
ZA313/- Sea King HC.4
ZB507/F Sea King HC.4
ZF117/X Sea King HC.4
LOEU hangar:
XZ236/699 Lynx HMA.8 GIA
XZ691/MR-444 Lynx HMA.8 HMS Montrose mks
XZ698/312 Lynx HMA.8 B flt mks
XZ723/697 Lynx HMA.8
ZD268/698 Lynx HMA.8 LOEU mks
Sea King AMG hangar:
XV647/28 Sea King HU.5 771 sq mks
XZ585/A Sea King HAR.3 22 sq mks
XZ920/PW-707 Sea King HU.5 771 sq code
ZA297/W Sea King HC.4 no mks
ZH543/X Sea King HAR.3A 22 sq mks
848 sq hangar/platform:
ZA291/N Sea King HC.4
ZA299/D Sea King HC.4+
ZA314/WT Sea King HC.4
ZE425/WR Sea King HC.4
ZF116/WP Sea King HC.4
ZF123/WW Sea King HC.4
ZG822/WS Sea King HC.4
fire dump:
XS513 Wessex HU.5 no mks or code anymore!
XV755/M Harrier GR.3 233 OCU mks
(XW630) Harrier GR.3 no mks
ZB601 Harrier T.4 fuselage, no mks
(773) Sea King Mk.47 ex Egypt, no mks
flying club hangar:
(B1807) Pup u. rest (the real thing!!)
VR930/O-110 Sea Fury FB.11 RNHF, 802 sq mks
WB657/908 Chipmunk T.10 RNHF, BRNC Flt mks
XF690 Provost T.1 G-MOOS, am I right that the yellow tailband is CFS?
(XP849) Scout AH.1 G-CBUH, ETPS c/s
XR240 Auster AOP.9 (G-BDFH) no mks
XW784/VL Kittiwake I (G-BBRN) no mks
1377 Chipmunk T.10 (G-BARS) Port AF c/s but ex WK520
G-AZSE Auster AOP.6 (ex VF552)
G-BTIO SV.4 c/n 303, ex civil?
outside at different spots:
XZ722/671 Lynx HMA.8 Black Cats c/s
XZ730/632 Lynx HAS.3S 702 sq code
ZD252/700 Lynx HMA.8 LOEU mks
XV676/ZE Sea King HC.6CR (846 sq)
others:
(WK608)/906 Chipmunk T.10 RNHF, BRNC Flt mks
WV911/C-115 Sea Hawk FGA.4 std with RNHF, 801 sq mks
XT765/J Wessex HU.5 pr, 845 sq code
XX261/- Hawk T.1A no mks (FRADU)
XX316/316 Hawk T.1A no mks (FRADU)
XZ206 Lynx AH.7 dump, no mks
XZ257 Lynx HAS.3S dump, no mks
XZ728/AW-326 Lynx HMA.8 pr gate, 815 sq code
ZD578/000-122 Sea Harrier F/A.2 pr gate, 800/801 sq mks
When we were at the fire dump two Lynxes landed at the 847 sq platform. I read one off as XZ643, but this should belong to 657 sq, is this a mistake for XZ648 which does belong to 847 sq? And the other one looked like XZ186, but that can't be right. It had Royal Marines titles and the small version of the serial, making it impossible to read off for sure at that distance..... A great tour, with only one disappointment: when we were at the 815 sq side we saw the special VAAC Harrier on the other side, but when we finally made it to that platform the Harrier ahd already departed. We asked if it was expected back however, and were told it would come back in the beginning of the afternoon. Since this is a really rare bird we decided to wait, and with success!
Seen from outside were:
XV700/ZC Sea King HC.6 845 sq
XW175 Harrier T.4 VAAC QinetiQ
XZ237/305 Lynx HAS.3S 815 sq
XZ697/641 Lynx HMA.8 702 sq
When the Harrier came back it made a few touch and go's, making us run from one spot to another and back, first betting on the wrong spots all the time. But finally we managed to make a few brilliant pictures, so it was worth the waiting.
When it finally taxied to the platform we quickly left to visit the FAA museum storage facility, which had one of their regular open days.
FAA museum storage Cobham Hall, Yeovilton
(8359) Short 184 fuselage, no mks
(N5518) Sea Gladiator II frame only
Z2033/N-275 Firefly TT.1 1771 sq mks
(DP872) Barracuda II fuselage, no mks
VV106 VS.510 no mks
VX272 P.1052 HS Group mks
VX595 Dagonfly HR.5 no mks
(WM292)/841 Meteor TT.20 FRU code
WP313/CU568 Sea Prince T.1 750 sq code
WS103/VL-709 Meteor T.7 FRU code
WT121/CU-415 Skyraider AEW.1 849 sq mks (real id WT983)
WV106/C-427 Skyraider AEW.1 outside, 849 sq mks
WW138/Z-227 Sea Venom FAW.22 809 sq mks
XA129 Sea Vampire T.22 no mks
XA466/LM-777 Gannet COD.5 849 sq mks
XA864 Whirlwind HAR.1 no mks
XB480/537 Hiller HT.2 no mks, 705 sq code
XG574/PO-752 Whirlwind HAR.3 771 sq code
XG594/517 Whirlwind HAS.7 771 sq code
XJ481/VL Sea Vixen FAW.1 no mks
XK488 NA-39 no mks
XL853/PO Whirlwind HAS.7 no mks
XN332/759 P.531 771 sq code
(XN334) P.531 no mks
XN462/17 Jet Provost T.3A 1 FTS mks
XP142 Wessex HAS.3 HMS Antrim
XS508 Wessex HU.5 no mks
XS527 Wasp HAS.1 no mks
XT176/U Sioux AH.1 no mks
XT427/606 Wasp HAS.1 829 sq mks
XT778/O-430 Wasp HAS.1 "Achilles", 829 sq code
XW864/54 Gazelle HT.2 Sharks mks
XZ499/003 Sea Harrier F/A.2 801 sq mks
XZ574 Sea King HAS.5 old c/s, no mks
XZ699 Lynx HAS.2 old c/s, no mks
? Fairey IIIF frame only
G-ABUL Tiger Moth II (ex XL717)
AE-422 UH-1H ex Argentina
(0729/1-A-)411 T-34C-1 ex Argentina
Plus the tail of Sea Hawk WF219 and Camel replica "B6401". An interesting collection here. Too bad there's not enough space in the museum to display the rare types that are stored here, but luckily the stored collection can be seen a few times a year. The Sea King and Lynx are in the old dark blue c/s, like they wore during the Falklands War. The staff was very friendly and helpful and allowed us to come back at the end of the open day to photograph a few aircraft that were behind barriers. And in between those two visits we had a look around in the museum itself.
Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton
Hall 1:
N2078 Baby (composite of 8214 & 8215) no mks
plus many replicas
Hall 2:
L2301 Walrus I no mks
(L2940) Skua I wreck
N1854 Fulmar II no mks
N4389/4M Albacore I 827 sq mks (tail of N4389, rest is N4172)
P4139 Swordfish II no mks (real id HS618)
(DP872) Barracuda II cockpit, no mks
EX976 Harvard IIa no mks
KD431/E2-M Cordair IV 768 sq mks
KE209 Hellcat II 899 sq mks
SX137 Seafire F.XVII no mks
VH127/R-200 Firefly TT.4 812 sq mks
WJ231/O-115 Sea Fury FB.11 802 sq mks, HMS Ocean
WN493 Dragonfly HR.5 no mks
XB446 Avenger ECM.6B no mks
(1420) Lim-2 N Korean mks (but ex Pol AF)
Hall 3:
LZ551/G Vampire prototype mks
WA473.J-102 Attacker F.1 800 sq mks
WV856/163 Sea Hawk FGA.6 806 sq mks
XD317/R-112 Scimitar F.1 800 sq mks
XL503/E-070 Gannet AEW.3 849 sq mks
XN957 Buccaneer S.1 736 sq mks
XS590/E-131 Sea Vixen FAW.2 899 sq mks
XT482/Z-M/VL Wessex HU.5 exit to carrier
XT596 Phantom FG.1 no mks
(XT769) Wessex HU.5 no mks, entrance to carrier
XV333/H-234 Buccaneer S.2B 801 sq mks
Restoration hall:
AL246 Martlet I no mks
Hall 4:
(VR)137 Wyvern TF.1 bare metal
WG774 BAC.221 no mks
(XA127) Vampire T.22 no mks, nose only
XL580/723 Hunter T.8M 899 sq mks
XP841 HP.115 no mks
XP980 P.1127 no mks
XZ493/N-001 Sea Harrier FRS.1 800 sq mks, parts of XV760
And that was the museum. Again a very nice collection, only problem for the photographers is the bad light.
We had a few other stops planned today, but since Yeovilton took us so much time all in all we had to choose. And since Babcary was on my list for a long time, and the choppers here keep moving on the choice wasn't too difficult.
Deer Park Farm, Babcary
(XW892) Gazelle AH.1 c/n 1165
XW906 Gazelle AH.1
XZ299 Gazelle AH.1 c/n 1524 (G-CDXE)
(XZ315) Gazelle AH.1 c/n 1596, cabin only
ZA730 Gazelle AH.1 c/n 1799 (G-FUKM) interesting registration.....
(ZA774) Gazelle AH.1 with tail of another one
G-CDNO Gazelle AH.1 c/n 1385 (ex XX432)
G-LEDR Gazelle HT.2 (ex XW857)
G-SWWM Gazelle HT.2 c/n 1033 (ex XW853)
Also present was civil only Gazelle G-GZLE with c/n 1145 and the tails of ZA774 and XZ936. So it turned out to be a good choice! These are all inside two barns (on private property), apart from G-SWWM which was outside on a heli pad. We asked if we could have a look around and that was no problem. They do maintenance work here, and also sell Gazelles abroad (like GZLE which has moved on to Hungary by now).
We were going to spend the night near Boscombe Down again, but we made two quick stops underway.
Kingston Deverill
G-BVK(U) Venture T.2 (ex XZ557)
The weather was rather appaling by now, and the whole place was deserted. But luckily we managed to get a few looks inside the hangar through some narrow gaps and we managed to see the Venture we came for.
At our last stop we were not so lucky though. We tried to see the Viking at nearby Longbridge Deverill, but here everything was closed as well and no Viking was seen. So it was now time to get something to eat, and get ready for bed.
As always corrections, additions and comments are very welcome.
That´s all folks!
Hielko Overeem, Frank Mink & Patrick Dirksen
Tristar Aviation
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