Vernon Harrod, 29 Sqn Phantom pilot - pic of the day #6

".. Just about to get airborne on my last patrol sortie before going home. RAF Stanley, June 1983, Vern Harrod

" From my logbook the a/c was XV 495. We flew a FIPZ patrol as a pair of F4s with AAR support. Practice intercepts and practice visual identification. Couple of days later it was Airbridge back to Blightie. The sensory difference from a South Atlantic winter to England in mid summer was quite something..."

Was the starting / warm up procedure vastly different in the Falklands? Thinking icing , lubes coming to temp etc?

VH "..no it was the same. As long as you had a short taxi the engines had time to heat through..."

The a/c is well armed, even has a gun. I read that you were usually armed to the teeth on every sortie ..just in case

VH "..we weren't there to be messed with so routinely flew with a full weapons load..."

Below Vernon Harrod photo - flying to Ascension Island 1983

Vernon Harrod's FB page here

also on this blog;

British Phantom pilot training here

F-4 Phantom Squadrons in the RAF in 100 photos  here

Phantom Pharewell - German Air Force JG 71 Richthofen F-4F's retiring this weekend here

More on RAF Phantoms - a brief history here

Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Lightning F6 XS 932 of 11 Sqn RAF Leuchars

 

by Steve Gyles

"..I took this one on 23 April 1970 from Lightning F6 XS932 of 11 Sqn RAF Leuchars. It was approx 3 hours into a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) sortie at 0700 hours. Got back in time for breakfast.

I was scrambled at 0400 hours against 80 unknown inbound tracks to the north. The Victor tanker had been on a lower alert at Leuchars and got airborne 15 minutes behind me. The other Lightning had been on turnround following an earlier scramble that morning. He followed about 5 minutes after the tanker.
Between us we got 20 intercepts. I got 10; the other Lightning 7; and the Victor tanker 3. We probably saw another 40 to 50 aircraft either on radar or visually. It was more a case of avoidance than interception. On one occasion I was with a 4-ship of Badgers when a shadow went over me. I looked up to see 4 more of them about 500ft above crossing on a 90.

I took the photograph with the QRA camera when we were on recovery. The Bear was heading straight at Leuchars. With about 200nm to go he rocked his wings and turned away. I never saw the original photo. My entire roll of some 70 happy snappies was sent immediately down to UKMoD. It was the following weekend that this one appeared in the Daily Telegraph. Apparently the Soviet Union were celebrating Lenin's centenary with a massive air and sea exercise..."

Arrival of three long-range Tu-22m3 bombers at the Russian base Khmeimim in Syria, May 2021 - Picture of the day

 reposted from the syria.mil.ru photo galleries

Supermarine Scimitar F.1 ' a real 'hot rod' for its day - Solent Sky Museum

 

From Steve Bond's " Fleet Air Arm Boys " (Grub Street)

"..the Scimitar was a real 'hot rod' for its day ..but was quite heavy and had only small wings. It was big; the biggest single-seat aircraft operating from a carrier at that time and the last FAA machine with guns, four 30 mm cannon. It could carry four 1000 lb bombs and had a nuclear capability. Its two engines produced 23 000 Ibs of thrust which made for a very spritely acceleration....of the two types I was flying at the time, the Scimitar had the power whereas the Hunter had the manoeuvrability. But if the Scimitar was getting into trouble he could just open the throttles and disappear... we intercepted an American task force about 400 miles east of Iceland. An F-4 attempted to interfere with us, but it was no contest. Then an F-8 tried his luck but the US military was not trained in air combat manoeuvring while we were very aggressive..."

below; Supermarine Scimitar - XD 236 seen during early June 1968. This machine was lost the same month on June 26, 1968 flying into high ground in cloud on St Catherines Down, Isle of Wight killing the pilot, Naval Airman 1st class Tony Patton. Patton's radio altimeter failed in bad weather. He was flying a sortie as a target for HMS Corrunna. Adrian Balch photo

Also on this blog; 

Supermarine Scimitar at Farnborough 1959 

Death of Commander John Russell, commanding officer of 803 Naval Air Squadron, the first squadron to operate the Scimitar

Floyd Werner - Cobra pilot

 

Vulcan to the Sky - Op Safeguard

 

ITN News report on the fund-raising efforts still required to build a hangar for XH 558 at Doncaster/Finningley

Thanks @itvcalendar for covering @vulcantothesky’s #OpSafeguard yesterday! Let’s make this happen #twitterVForce #STEM #Heritage pic.twitter.com/s3ZCVbVE7g

— Stephen Liddle (@steveliddle558) November 16, 2021

74 Sqn, Lightning T.4, 1 Sqn Harrier GR 1- ebay photo find #120

 

, XM 974 'T' seen at Leuchars on 19 Sep 1964

1 Sqn, Harrier GR.1, XV751 'N' at RAF Kinloss, 1972

20th TFW, F-100D Super Sabre, 55-3684 at St Mawgan, 19 Sep 1964 

VMFA-122, F-4B Phantom II, 151447 '00-DC' at Amarillo, 1966

TF-8A Crusader, 143710 on USS Independence, 1967

Latest selection from Moleys on ebay here

Wattisham Phantom 'Phinale' 74 Sqd 1992 scrapbook - Ebay photo find #119

 

Flt. Lt. Archie Liggat with his navigator Flt. Lt  G. Whitehurst in front of XT 914 at Wattisham on May 19, 1992.

Below; images from an " R.A.F. Wattisham historical Display Book" sold on ebay, featuring photos and clippings depicting the history of 74 Sqd..." 

 

Kawasaki Ki-45 'Dragonslayer' and Japanese aircraft Ebay finds - Ebay photo find # 118

 

Thanks to 'snautzer'

Kawasaki Ki 57 transport

In 1938, when the Ki-21 heavy bomber began to enter service with the Imperial Japanese Army, its capability attracted the attention of the Imperial Japanese Airways. In consequence a civil version was developed and this, generally similar to the Ki-21-I and retaining its powerplant of two 708 kW (950 hp) Nakajima Ha-5 KAI radial engines, differed primarily by having the same wings transferred from a mid to low-wing configuration and the incorporation of a new fuselage to provide accommodation for up to 11 passengers. This transport version appealed also the navy, and following the flight of a prototype in August 1940 and subsequent testing, the type was ordered into production for both civil and military use.

This initial production Ki-57-I had the civil and military designations of MC-20-I and Army Type 100 Transport Model 1, respectively. A total of 100 production Ki-57-Is had been built by early 1942, and small numbers of them were transferred for use by the Japanese navy in a transport role, then becoming redesignated L4M1. After the last of the Ki-57s had been delivered production was switched to an improved Ki-57-II, which introduced more powerful 805 kW (1,080 hp) Mitsubishi Ha-l02 14-cylinder radial engines installed in redesigned nacelles and, at the same time, incorporated a number of detail refinements and minor equipment changes. Civil and military designations of this version were the MC-20-II and Army Type 100 Transport Model 2, respectively. Only 406 were built before production ended in January 1945. Both versions were covered by the Allied reporting name "Topsy"

Below; 

Japanese Army Air Force Nakajima Ki-49 Helen bomber at Japan in 1945. This Ki-49 is equipped with TAKI 1 radar antenna in the nose and wings.

Another Ki-49

Aichi E13A Jake seaplane at Ominato base, Hokkaido, 1945

C6N Myrt Saiun Recon Plane at USA in 1946.

Ki-48 Lily New Guinea 1943

Kawasaki Ki-45 'Dragonslayer' heavy fighters of the Japanese Army in 1945.
They are fitted with twin obliquely-firing 20 mm Ho-5 cannons, similar to the German Schräge Musik. However, ramming 'kamikaze style' attacks on US B-29 bombers by Ki-45s were also recorded. pic.twitter.com/rHAcvwQzVK

— Trev Clark's Obscure Aviation History Page . 🚁 (@clark_aviation) July 3, 2021

Lockheed Constitution, JATO take off, Douglas Skyrocket -1949 Press photo - ebay photo find #117

 

Thanks as ever to "Snautzer"  for continuing to find some amazing photos

Fairey Barracuda, Luftwaffe special schemes and Blinder - Ebay photo find #116, picture of the day #6

 

Fairey Barracuda TR Mk.III MD837 Merlin Engine Aug 1944

pic.twitter.com/QgLrlJr7k9

— Skies-of-Glory (@violetpilot1) October 29, 2021

A great image of the Soviet TU-22 (NATO reporting name 'Blinder') a supersonic nuclear bomber of the Cold War.
Like some NATO nuclear bombers, it also saw 'conventional' operations in smaller conflicts, such as the Iran/Iraq war and Libyan strikes against African countries. pic.twitter.com/FdIGIyvAWa

— Trev Clark's Obscure Aviation History Page . 🚁 (@clark_aviation) October 29, 2021

V-Force trio in flight and Harrier GR. 3 on the Falklands - picture of the day #5

 

The RAF V Force. A Vulcan B1A (XA904), leads a Valiant (XD869) and a Victor B1 (XA931). The Vulcan is in the combined colours of 83 Squadron and 230 OCU. XD869 is from 214 Sq and XA931 is from 232 OCU. Note white 'anti-flash' colours (crown copyright 1958) pic.twitter.com/EeSle1WE3v

— Cold War Aircraft (@coldwaraircraft) October 26, 2021

One for you @HarrierPres A No 1 Squadron Harrier GR.3 takes off from the airfield at Port Stanley during the Falkland War. (Crown copyright 1982) #aviation #coldwaraircraft pic.twitter.com/IFjY1JC4ap

— Cold War Aircraft (@coldwaraircraft) October 26, 2021

Sea Harrier FA 2 taxies in the UK !

 

So this just happened!

For 9 months we have been flat out restoring ZH798 to ground run and be taxi capable

This aircraft is currently, at this moment in time, the only SHAR FA2 outside of the USA that lives and breaths. It’s also now for sale.#happinessisvectoredthrust pic.twitter.com/rHlmwdyea1

— Jet Art Aviation (@JetArtAviation) October 15, 2021

The Poseidon Force welcomes its sixth aircraft, ‘Guernsey’s Reply’

 

The Poseidon Force welcomes its sixth aircraft, ‘Guernsey’s Reply’, to a growing Maritime Patrol fleet that is enhancing security in the North Atlantic together with @RoyalNavy and the UK’s allies. #NextGenRAF https://t.co/OluP0z4Psf

— RAF ISTAR (@RAF_ISTAR) September 21, 2021

Hawker Siddeley Nimrod XV 229 - the last RAF Nimrod MR.2 to fly.

 

Nimrod XV 229 was the last RAF Nimrod MR.2 to fly. The airframe was retired to Manston, Kent during late May 2010 and used for smoke evacuation training at RAF Manston Defence Fire Training and Development Centre which closed last year (2020). The local RAF Manston history Museum managed to save the front 37 feet otherwise it would have been another rare aircraft lost to the scrap yard. The cockpit section was open to the public at the 'Open Cockpit' Day held yesterday, 19/09/21. Famously developed from the DH comet airliner the Nimrod was powered by four RR Speys. The control yokes of XV 229 were/are notable for the large red 'N' button on both sticks - 'N' for 'nuclear' apparently - this aircraft type could launch/drop nuclear depth charges. 

Chaos at Kabul airport - Afghans climb onto taxying C-17

 

ویدیو - هجوم مردم به سوی یک هواپیمای نیروهای امریکایی در میدان هوایی کابل pic.twitter.com/7qdpHXi9Qu

— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) August 16, 2021

No words can describe these scenespic.twitter.com/NTBX38n5wA

— Ali Folladwand | علی فولادوند (@drfolladwand) August 16, 2021

Harriers, Lightnings, Phantoms and Jaguars at Leuchars in 1978 - Ebay photo find #115

 

Royal Air Force Jaguar XX 732 ( a/c and pilot lost after crashing near Hawick, 27 November 1986 ) and Lightnings on runway at RAF Leuchars, early 1978..

Lightning XR739 at RAF Leuchars, early 1978

Phantom FG 1 XV576 at RAF Leuchars, early 1978

on offer from ebay seller germanyneon here