Kip Dawson

Last weekend saw the annual airshow at RAF Waddington were the show team had assembled a mouthwatering selection of aircraft from around the globe. The highlight for many being the the first appearance in the West of the RoKAF Black Eagles display team with their T-50B aircraft. Here is a selection of what was seen over the weekend......... the weather, was to say the least, changeable !! Black Eagles Another display team making their first appearance at Waddington was the Royal Saudi AF with their Hawk Mk.65's One of the themes at the show, was Combat ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition & Reconnaissance) and representing some of the different ISTAR platforms where........... From Australia......... a Wedgetail From Sweden ....... an Erieye and from Norway ... a Falcon 20ECM Now a few special colour schemes The RAF showed off their 3(F) Sqn Typhoon the pilot's just seem to get younger then a couple of Tigers............... Czech Gripen Austrian Saab ......... just taxied back in after his display continuing with the cats ........... here's the Royal Navy 'Black Cat' Lynx and a Swiss AF Super Puma ............landing after his dsiplay Hope you like, will post a few more later if anyone is interested. Kip

KC The Airbus A330MRTT is indeed a UK airframe.......... MRTT016 is construction number 1033 and should have the RAF serial ZZ331. Regards Kip

A bit late, as I forgot to take my camera cable, so unable to download photos until I got back to the UK on 30th Dec........... really nice to meet up with Waiping, unfortunately due to my delayed flight and Uncle Norman's early departure, we missed each other. Anyway here is a few of my photos, starting with some of the static........... Starting with some of the Singapore contingent Really do like these Block 52 F-16D's Followed by the locals the elderly 'Nuri'. Has a replacement been ordered yet? the smart little Aermacchi the brutal Flanker and the soon to be replaced Fulcrum then some from the final display........ in no particular order Take off's first sight for me of a 'twin stick' TUDM Fulcrum the impressive if rather ugly Rafale why did they send the same two as 2009 !!! this was also here in 2009 not really a 'take off' as it flew in from Butterworth and of course the obligatory 'Rhino' nice paint job Landing and taxiing...... for us in the West a rare sight of a Hawaii based Globemaster with 'air brake' deployed with last century 'air brake' deployed !! stop !! cameraman on taxiway what's going to replace these at the next show? Finally........ Laurie B has already posted a photo of the 3 Hornets in the late afternoon flypast, so here's the 3 single seat Hawks a couple for interesting support aircraft seen on the Mon and Tues following the show a fifty year old Herc !! built in 1959 and still looking in great shape support for the Navy Super Hornets other interesting support seen which I didn't get pictures off, couldn't get out of the pool quick enough Il-76TD......came to collect the 'Tigre' C-160R Transall and C-135FR tanker for the Rafales CH-47SD for the RSiAF F-16's Best wishes for the new year to all MWingers. Regards Kip

I went for the departures on the Sunday morning in 2009.............arrived at 0800.........a C-130 landed at 0810 and the first departures (unless some had departed before I got there, although I think I would have heard them at the hotel) started with the RF-5E at 0815 and most had departed by 1100, except the Singapore contingent that left the following day (guess they don't open their airbases on a Sunday. I will be there again on Sunday morning to catch the early birds. Hope to see a few MWingers around the fenceline. Regards Kip

I will be arriving during the show on the 10th (Silk Air flight)and will also watch/photograph the departures (from outside the fence) on Sunday. Hope to meet up with some of you. Kip

Is this the one you mean Waiping ? This was noted at Toulouse last week. Have to say it does look rather nice. Enjoy Kip

Royal Air Force Typhoons will be taking part in LIMA 2011 The RAF has deployed 4 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to RMAF Butterworth for Exercise Bersama Lima 2011. Noted leaving RAF Leuchars (in Scotland) earlier this week were the following 6 Sqn jets............... ZK313/EN, ZK314/EO, ZK317/ES all FGR.4 model and ZK379/EX T.3 trainer model. The RAF have confirmed that two of these aircraft will stay behind after the above exercise to participate in the Langkawi event. Another arrival from the UK for the show, will be me !!! Will be arriving on the Saturday (10th Dec) before the show starts and hope to meet a few MWingers as well. Who else is already committed to going? Kip

Something to look forward to seeing...............this was it's first flight on 23rd Feb wearing it's factory registration F-WWYO. Have to say it looks good in the new livery. Regards Kip

Was on holiday here from 12th to 31st Dec and didn't see any Finnish aircraft, however we did have a large number of Finns staying in our hotel!!! Although I did manage to catch this rather anonymous Turkish registered A.310 TC-VEL (used to be operated by Kuzu Cargo). Sorry about the poor quality, I had to rush to get off the sunbed !!!! Kip

Just one for December before flying off to Langkawi for a holiday............ This has probably been delvered by now..... 9M-FYH Kip

Here's a selection of new ones for November......... hope you enjoy I'll start with the smallest A320-200 F-WWIB cn 4491 A320-200 PK-AXO A320-200 F-WWDQ cn 4531 A320-200 F-WWBJ cn 4508 A320-200 F-WWBC cn 4505 A330-200 F-WWKT cn 1184 A330-300 F-WWYJ cn 1168 A330-300 F-WWYI cn 1177 A340-500 F-WWTZ cn 1102 and now the big boys........... the 14th and (I think) last for Singapore Airlines A380-800 F-WWSX cn 0071 the first for Korean Airlines A380-800 F-WWAT cn 0035 and lastly another one for Quantas.... unless it's now been grounded !!! A380-800 F-WWAD cn 0047 I'm now off to pack my case ready for my flight on Saturday LHR - KUL to spend Xmas in Langkawi Kip

Here's a selection of new airframes seen in October. Most will be heading your way in the next few months!!! A330-300 F-WWYX c/n 1157 A330-300 F-WWYV c/n 1146 A330-300 F-WWKK c/n 1156 A380 F-WWSM c/n 065 A330-300 F-WWYG c/n 1165 will become 9M-XXH A320-200 F-WWBG c/n 4404 A330-300 F-WWKR c/n 1163 A330-300 F-WWKJ c/n 1169 A320-200 F-WWIH c/n 4445 A320-200 F-WWID c/n 4493 and finally one for Pieter............ A330-200 F-WWKP c/n 1161 will become PH-AOM Hope you enjoy Regards Kip

A bit dated, I forgot to upload any photo's from my second visit to Holland this year. Anyway seven intrepid travellers arranged to visit the above event, travelling through the night from the UK to arrive at Gilze-Rijen at breakfast time, spend the full day at the show and then drive back to the UK !!!!!!!!!!!! Here's some of what we saw....... From the based units 298 Sqn 300 Sqn 301 Sqn Some others from the host nation Brand new for the Navy the NH-90 The 'NEW' ex US Navy Hercules And of course the spectacular F-16 Those of you who went to LIMA 2009 will have seen the unusual combination of a RSiAF Apache displaying with a F-16, well the Dutch appear to have copied the act .......... But the Apache didn't do this Hope you enjoy............ I will post some of the visitors in a few days..... Kip

Is this what you mean Uncle Norman....... And a bit further over .......... Keith

Nice set of photos Weihong............ It's a shame that it is normal for some of the good stuff to disappear before the Public days. Anyway here's a few arriving the week before !! For me the stars of the show...... Pakistan AF JF-17 'Thunder' With their transport, which left for the USA before the show started Especially for Hakan another shot of very attractive looking 'Wedgetail' Here's one for Phil M, it was crammed into the static when I was there, so the credit for his shot goes to 'Global Ranger' Just a few more............ Was particularly impressed with the A400M.... not sure which airforce this one is destined for From Nigeria an ATR-42 For the Chilean Navy a Casa 295M From Italy a very nice looking AW-139 and one of the two 'Spartans' and finally from the USA a spooky RU-21 Keith

Tamizi The Phantoms were very active, we saw about 14 different ones flying during our 2 days, but then the day after they were all grounded due to ejection seat problems (also affected some Tornados)and the day after that everything stopped due to the volcanic ash. Pieter Thanks for the comments and our thanks go to your countrymen and women for the superb hospitality we received in Leeuwarden town......... the hotel, the restaurants and the local spotters at the base......... So on with the second day spent at Leeuwarden Air Base The base hosted aircraft from several NATO countries for what should have been 2 weeks of Frisian Flag. Not sure if all the days included flying, but the day we were there they flew 2 sorties........ a mass launch of 51 aircraft in the morning and 44 aircraft in the afternoon !! Some spectacle Starting with the host base and representing the different squadrons From Volkel.........the other KLu F-16 base Especially for Pieter - the Finnish Hornets Followed by more F-16's - from Norway The USAF sent Eagles from the UK Sweden sent Gripens.....unfortunatly the twin stick didn't fly for us And yet more F-16's........... from Poland And finally a very stealthy looking Da.20ECM from Norway One last photo........ not sure if this was connected with the rapidly approaching ash cloud, but in the afternoon the sun had this large halo around it !!! Hope you enjoy Keith

On 12th April a group of us (17 in total)flew from the the UK to spend two days in Germany and Holland. On arriving in Bremen we collected our hired vehicles and drove to Wittmund Air Base, where we saw ........... The locals The visitors for exercise Brilliant Ardent From France - Mirage 2000N's From Turkey - F-16's And some interesting overshoots......... It was then back into the vehicles and head across the border (must haved blinked and missed it) into Holland for our overnight stay in Leeuwarden, ready to spend the next day photographing the Frisian Flag participants ............ to follow Keith

Congratulations Capt TK .... Keith

Excellent shots Chaity, keep on posting. Very interesting the new CM model. How many of the eight have been delivered ? The other MB-339AM's are flown by 15 Sqn, is this a new squadron (certainly new squadron markings) for the new model and are they still based at Butterworth ? Any chance of posting a full log of what has arrived. Cheers Kip

9M-NAA noted at Luton airport, UK on Sat 21st November. Kip

Looks like there will be more international spotters than international aircraft !! I will be coming over from the UK and arriving in Langkawi on the Saturday afternoon during the display. Will be hoping to catch the departures on the Sunday. Will any MWingers still be around ? Although the number of participating aircraft looks like being lower than previous events, the quality of aircraft for us europeans is quite good. On the subject of acrobatic teams or lack of .......... the Red Arrows (who live at the bottom of my garden, appeared 2 years ago, probably as a result of an order for Hawk aircraft from the Indian AF ) are at this time of year doing their winter training, with the new team members, which this year include for the very first time a female pilot ( Flight Lieutenant Kirsty Moore ) who is flying 'Red 3'. Here's a photo taken this week after one of the training sorties Keith (Kip)

Thanks for the reply Pieter You are right , there were other specially painted aircraft at KB, however they were 'non tiger' schemes and I didn't include them as they were a bit 'off Topic'. Since you mentioned the RNethAF F16, here's a photo of 'Sheik' taxying back in after a practise display at nearby Sanicole. For any of you MWingers not fortunate enough to see this display, it is arguably the best single aircraft display currently doing the air show circuit. Finally, I'm not exactly new to MW, I had problems logging in from the UK, and despite trying all the suggestions from the helpline, ended up having to re-register !! Cheers Keith [Kip]

The annual Nato Tiger Meet took place this year in September at the Belgium AB at Kleine Brogel. In excess of 50 aircraft from different Nato countries took part in this week long event and as normal the host base is open to spotters/photographers on the Friday. The invitees are all Squadrons that have some connections to 'Tigers' and as usual some aircraft have special paint schemes for the event....... The host nation [belgium] provided.... a suitably painted preserved Starfighter a SF260D and the host Base provided a F-16AM from Norway from Spain from Germany from Switzerland from Czech Republic from France Mirage 2000 with Female Pilot Rafale B Other countries that provided aircraft with no special markings were.......... Hungary [Gripen],Italy [AB212], UK [Merlin], Portugal [F-16], Netherlands [F-16] Looking forward to 2010 when the event will take place at Volkel AB in the Netherlands KD