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plane spotters will enjoy this one





pasty

A different kind of pasty
Jul 5, 2003
30,180
West, West, West Sussex
I used to be based at RAF Cranwell which, apart from being the Officer training college, was also the jet pilot school. Because of that, visiting pilots used to "show off" a little with landing and take-off. One of the most impressive I saw was a visiting Lightening, which went screaming down the runway and I remember thinking he's going to run out of runway soon, at which point, the pilot almost seemed to sit the plane on it's arse and went up at nearly 90 degrees with the afterburners going!
 


skipper734

Registered ruffian
Aug 9, 2008
9,189
Curdridge
I used to be based at RAF Cranwell which, apart from being the Officer training college, was also the jet pilot school. Because of that, visiting pilots used to "show off" a little with landing and take-off. One of the most impressive I saw was a visiting Lightening, which went screaming down the runway and I remember thinking he's going to run out of runway soon, at which point, the pilot almost seemed to sit the plane on it's arse and went up at nearly 90 degrees with the afterburners going!

That was the Lightning's party trick.
 




bha100

Active member
Aug 25, 2011
898
I used to be based at RAF Cranwell which, apart from being the Officer training college, was also the jet pilot school. Because of that, visiting pilots used to "show off" a little with landing and take-off. One of the most impressive I saw was a visiting Lightening, which went screaming down the runway and I remember thinking he's going to run out of runway soon, at which point, the pilot almost seemed to sit the plane on it's arse and went up at nearly 90 degrees with the afterburners going!

Would love to have seen that, i enjoy this one.

 




skipper734

Registered ruffian
Aug 9, 2008
9,189
Curdridge
Here you go!

 








Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,401
In a pile of football shirts
I used to sit on the Ladies Mile beach at Akrotiri watching them do circuits, takes-offs, barrel rolls the lot. If I was lucky the old man would take me onto the airfield and we'd sit by the control tower and watch Lightnings, Victors, Vulcans, the whole lot, that was back in the early 70s.

Recently (2010) I had an invite from the head of ATC at RAF Akrotiri to go and meet and watch 800 Naval Squadron doing excercises in practice for Afghan trips. Met a cracking chap, nicknamed Casper as he was a fair lad from Scotland, and he showed us all round his plane, he'd been flying it for about 8 years, and was just back from Bagram (I think it was Bagram).

61227_467664911634_1991615_n.jpg 61872_467665131634_8381042_n.jpg

We then went to the control tower to watch them in action

60862_467665881634_139100_n.jpg 61169_467665601634_1053803_n.jpg

We had a blooming wonderfull day, sadly 800 squadron was disbanded as part of the defence spending review the following year.

But the overwhelming memory of the day was at 5pm a Tristar full of soldiers took off for Afghanistan, the squadies were smiling & waving out the windows as the plane taxied past us, Jesus, I don't think I would have been smiling at that moment in time.

60862_467665886634_2571579_n.jpg
 


Sergei's Celebration

Well-known member
Jan 3, 2010
3,603
I've come back home.
Phil did you ever see the plane that 'definitely does not fly' from Akers? I saw it a few years back and was amazed and kinda humbled.

The lightening take off is a performance take-off i believe. Here is one from a Euro fighter

 


Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,401
In a pile of football shirts
Phil did you ever see the plane that 'definitely does not fly' from Akers? I saw it a few years back and was amazed and kinda humbled.

Of course I haven't, never, not several times in the 70s, or even 4 years ago, and I definitely didn't see one 3 years ago around 11pm taking off and silhouetted against the moonlight make a steep ascent a few miles offshore either. I also understand that a couple of years ago one didn't crash and burn into the side of one of the control buildings.
 




Sergei's Celebration

Well-known member
Jan 3, 2010
3,603
I've come back home.
Of course I haven't, never, not several times in the 70s, or even 4 years ago, and I definitely didn't see one 3 years ago around 11pm taking off and silhouetted against the moonlight make a steep ascent a few miles offshore either. I also understand that a couple of years ago one didn't crash and burn into the side of one of the control buildings.

Great stuff! When i saw it i just stopped and stared in amazement, it sounds a bit silly but it looked really majestic and becuase not many people can say they have definitely not seen one i felt a little privileged.

I didn't know that one didn't crash into a control building! :ohmy: Bet that caused a few trans-atlantic calls!
 


Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,401
In a pile of football shirts
Here isn't one taking off from Akrotiri, in broad daylight I tell yer, it's just not there

[yt]jIP4W9_hwkI[/yt]
 






Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,401
In a pile of football shirts










Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,401
In a pile of football shirts
While you lot in Cyprus were not seeing planes that didn't exist we WERE seeing U2's and SR71's at Farnborough and Mildenhall and we have the photos to prove it,

Ha ha, I get you, but not considered so sensitive when its knocking about in Blighty though. You should have seen what I used to see when I worked at Brize Norton and 'RAF' Upper Heyford, now there was some messed up stuff going on there.
 


Sergei's Celebration

Well-known member
Jan 3, 2010
3,603
I've come back home.
Ha ha, I get you, but not considered so sensitive when its knocking about in Blighty though. You should have seen what I used to see when I worked at Brize Norton and 'RAF' Upper Heyford, now there was some messed up stuff going on there.

Watch World War Z the new block buster as some of it was filmed at Upper Heyford, you might recognise some of it.
 



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