First aviation day of 2009


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I had hoped to sneak a quick visit to EK in I just didn't know when would be the best time

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E4-B command a/c currently in mid Atlantic followed by VC-25 (Air Force 1) and C-32 ( Air Force 2 ).

I don't know how far in the fighter escort will stay with them.

No parking currently allowed on the roads anywhere near Stansted Airport except in the main car park, only then if you have a proven reason to be there.

What a waste of bloody money, I gather that the UK security arrangements alone are costing £7.8m.

Doesn't our Gordon travel in a scheduled airliner.

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And just to finish my day off nicely, A Hurricane has just performed a 20 minute display above our site showing spectacular climbs, victory rolls and low passes.

Now I must get some work done before I go home

Rog

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Just found this on another site I look at

Mexican AF 757 TP-01 now back down south @16:07L 8,375ft looking like its inbound Stansted. Squawking 5405

posted at 16.30pm. Looks like it's not just Obama thats getting the special treatment!!!

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PMs sent to all re Wednesday

any probs please let me know asap ta

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Just the one day to go......we're off to Sleaford ( yep you're all jealous ..hee hee ) today.....so amid the shouts of 'Yippee'....wont be posting fer a few days.......see yous tomorrow.

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Just heard, through the grapevine, that the Display Practise Typhoon, was down to Zero feet at lunchtime Monday, Twos up, and flying the full routine with a belly tank on board too.

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We are going to have to try for the 'Just Jane' taxy run at 11.00am so don't hang around over that coffee Rog !!...LOL

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Great, car passed MOT with flying colours, and I have a bit of petrol money, see youse tomorrow. Are you going to Conno before Petwood as I'm setting off early and will have to pass the place first in any case, in fact depending on how well I do journey wise I'll probably go there first if the time is right.

I have one problem, I can't remember how to work my old film camera, it's a complicated effort when you haven't used it for a few years, is it the same set up as an SLR digital.

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Don't worry about pics if it's causing you a problem , cos I'll take loads and can post them onto you.

Rough itinery

06.00 leave mine with Denshaw

07.15 Leave Rog's with Rog and Rob (The Oracle)

8.00 Coningsby (Typhoon if she's up and the BBMF)

10.00 Woodhall Spa (Petwood) collect you and Fynger + 1

11.00 East Kirkby for the Lancaster Taxy run

12.30 Bluebell for lunch

here after is subject to change if we were to see the Typhoon display at the first attempt (08.00)

1.30 back to CBY (Typhoons and anything else)

or Waddo/Cranwell whatever takes your fancy really, and so on till we've had enough!!

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I have just come across a minor problem

I have booked us in at 12.30 for lunch at the Bluebell, but if the Typhoon doesn't display at 8.00, it may display at 1.00 , meaning we have to order eat drink and be merry in half an hour, I have tried ringing the Bluebell (to rebook for 12.00) but get no answer , I am going to try again later. Of cource if we see the display at 8 it won't be a problem.

(It was up at 1 on Monday)

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Display Typhoon up yesterday (Monday) at 08.10hrs, not up at all today so fyngers crossed we should be in luck tomorrow at some point, the weather looks good after initial light showers, PM is forecast for clear skies

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I'd just like to say that I had a great day yesterday and met some fantastic people who were very kind, generous, enthusiastic about everything, extremely good humoured, easy to get on with and quite frankly, the salt of the earth.

Thanks to Beefsteak, Plantfitt, Denshaw and Mr and Mrs Fynger for giving me the tonic that I needed.

I won't bore you with all my pictures, I haven't got the prints anyway, but just a few before Beefsteak sorts through his massive film department.

It was very wet and windy in Braintree at 6:30 in the morning, on the way I called in at the gate at Alconbury to view the (plastic?) F-5E Aggressor:-

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Being late for the Typhoon practice, I got to Petwood at 9:45 where Mr and Mrs Fynger were already drinking coffee in the posh lounge, a commotion outside found Beefsteak desperately waving his giant lens around in search of a Red Kite. After coffee we looked at all the 617 Squadron wonders in the bar:-

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Then it was off to East Kirby for a peek at the Lancaster running up via the fence, we weren't dissapointed:-

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Does anyone know how I get this bit of video to play?

Please note Beefsteak trying to avoid assaulting everyone with his appendage:-

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Then it was off to the crash gate at Conningsby to view some Typhoons, except I liked this Lightning:-

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Then off to the Bluebell for the famous Lincolnshire Ham and Dambuster Bitter lunch, where the Fyngers had their reunion with the landlord:-

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Some more memorabilia and a nice roaring fire:-

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Then back to the BBMF hangar at Coninsby for a guided tour by our guide, Tom Jones, he didn't sing a note though:-

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Most of the aircraft were undergoing maintenance:-

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We thought we were in luck as the Lancaster was due to have it's first flight of the season, but the wind put paid to that, I reckon the rear gunner was dissapointed:-

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Then it was off to the end of the runway and a cup of coffee:-

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Please note that we did get a wave from the pilot of the Typhoon:-

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Then this Hawk sneaked up on us:-

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Back to the Petwood for our farewells and my attempt at a group picture, yes, that bloody timer did work, but only after I'd given up:-

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I decided to take the scenic route home by driving right through the middle of the Fens, I didn't get far as the Typhoons were coming in over the Boston road, but I could only take any pictures of them in the air with the 'proper' camera, it was a good spot and I hung around for half an hour.

Near Holbeach, I came across this little gem in the car park of a cafe:-

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It was a lovely evening, this was near Welney Fen where I was astonished to find myself driving alongside a Barn Owl in flight, sorry didn't manage to catch it and take it home. Typical Fen scene:-

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It didn't finish there as I pulled up in a lay by near Soham to watch a USAF KC-135 from Mildenhall doing circuits, I eventually got home at 20:30, it was much quicker wandering through the countryside than hammering along those motorways.

Once again, thank you all, I look forward to the next trip, I bet Beefsteaks panicking to get home to download his hundreds of shots!!!!

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Great day as usual and once again great company, I thank you all for coming over.

As you say firbeck "salt of the earth" I think we left a lasting impression on the locals as being friendly and of good cheer so in no way did we let NOTTSTALGIA down.

As I turned into the close where I live last night at about 17.59 I received a text message on my phone from a mate at Tattershall informing me that THE LANC was up, yes Ian it took off at the last minute round about six as we were told by Tom Jones, just for the record though, there was nothing at all flying today from any of the local bases so yesterday was the right choice.

firbeck, check out the serial number on that Hunter at Gedney, it doesn't correspond to a Hunter I have been informed, did you get a picture of the Howitzer that's at the other end of the car park?

Great pictures by the way and like the rest of you I look forward to Beefsteaks pictures of the day.

once again thanks for coming over all of you and I hope you will want to come again, even if only for the Ham and Eggs

Rog

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7:05 Thursday....just got home...sore feet.....will tell more of the story on my blog later...Met some great dudes...we had a brilliant day.......sleep needed at the mo so half dead.......thanks fer the invite.....will get some of my pics done tomorrow hope yous guys enjoy the DVDs.........HA....we've come home with a lovely bottle of Beefy Champers......AND A GREAT WEDGE OF HAM AND A DOZEN EGGS off Alan at the Bluebell....WHEEEE.

And no one explained why it was called a 'Hangar' when everything was on the floor...nothing Hanging at all. ?

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I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news ,but it's going to take me a few days to get sorted here, as on my way home from my mums I had rather a nasty prang (My pride and joy looks like it's been written off by a stupid blind scouse tw*t)

Every body else is fine but I have just got out of hospital (10.pm) after he hit me at about 4.30pm!! I have a bust rib and a badly bruised chest ,and it's a bit hard to type at the moment.

But it was a great day out

More to follow

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thats sh#te mate....wish you a speedy recovery......

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