Araxos

1Northern approach

The northern approach is difficult to spot at and luckily not much used. If they do, you can best take one of the dirt tracks just east of the road leading to the gate.

2Runway 18 last chance point

The last chance point can be seen from outside of the base but you are very close to the fence in the middle of farmland and you stick out like the proverbial sore thumb. To get here, take either the first or second dirt track after the road to the gate. The first will take you straight to the fence on a dismal track all the way along the fence line. The second road is slightly better and leads to an asphalt road, go right and past the cemetery. You reach the fence line too, but from the opposite direction.

3Dump and 336 Mira area

Around the base some views can be gained of the operational ramps, as well as a storage and dump area. For this you have to venture far into the farmland dirt tracks on the east side of the base. It is a bit hard to explain how to get there, from the graveyard mentioned at spot 2 drive eastbound on the asphalt road. You will reach a small village, ignore the road going left but proceed to the Y-junction and go right at this fork and then right again. Just after leaving the 'build-up' area, the road bends left and you can go left or keep to your right. Both lead to the same area. The latter, keeping right, is slightly longer but takes you right up to the Starfighter dump. For this, keep on this track. At the T-junction, go left and immediately right and proceed. Take the first track left, it is lined by trees and bumpy but do-able. This will go south and to the fence, follow the fence left and you are within touching distance of the dumped aircraft at spot 3.

4336 Mira ramps

From the place directly after the small village, where you were presented a choice described under spot 3, go left instead of keeping right. Take the third 'through' track to the right, this sounds silly but you will get the point when you are actually there; the reasonable ones are covered with gravel as opposed to just grass or sand... This will lead you to the south side of the eastern outskirts of the airfield. You can go into the farmland and walk to the dump, you will end up at spot 3. Drive, or walk, up and down a bit on the south side to make as many Corsairs as possible. Most are parked on a flight line but some are in front of shelters along the taxiway as well.

5Alternative routes

Instead of taking the third gravel track described under spot 4, take the second one right. You will have to make a left just after the sharp bend to the right. Go on and you will have reached spot 3 from the other direction.

Easiest way out is to track back on the route you came. Alternatively, go straight along the fence line from spot 4. The road bends to the left and you have to follow this all the way until you reach a T-junction, this will be after about 3.5 km. Go right. At the first fork, you can go right and reach the main road with some difficulty, keeping left is the better option. At the next Y-junction go right. This path will take you to the Lápas-Araxos road again. If you are fed up with gravel, you will have to make a left after the 3.5 km stretch. After a couple of hundred metres the asphalt starts. Go right and just follow this road which leads to a village on the road to Andravida. Alternatively, some 450 metres after the asphalt started you can go right and get to the Lápas-Araxos road again. It is a real jig saw but the map should be fairly accurate, have fun!

6Southern approach - AM

Hard to explain, but after under passing the 36 approaches you can go north on a small track leading straight to the south easternmost corner of the perimeter. From here you can catch taxiing aircraft, landing aircraft and the last chance point of 36R.

7Southern approach - PM

The main runway used, is the southern approach. In the afternoon, you will have to find a place near the Lápas-Araxos road that runs along the western side of the base and parallel to the approaching aircraft. The road is busy and there are always people at work in the surrounding farmland, not ideal.

8335 Mira area

Lastly if the foliage allows, you can also have a peek on the flight line of 335 Mira. This is done from the aforementioned road running past the base northbound towards Araxos.