German Luftwaffe to procure 35 F-35 and 15 Eurofighters

 

"..the decision to procure the F-35 has been made. What this means for the Luftwaffe is explained by Generalleutnant Ingo Gerhartz.."

"...There was only one response possible to Putin's aggression and that was to show our determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our NATO allies already operating the most modern warplane currently flying anywhere in the world. The decision to procure this jet strengthens our ability, together with our partners, to support NATO airspace and defend the alliance. All 35 aircraft will serve with Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 33 (formerly Jagdbombergeschwader 33) ..."

The Geschwader (Tactical Air Force Wing 33, abbreviated as 'TaktLwG 33' ) is based in Büchel (near Spangdahlem) and operates the Tornado IDS under its Kommodore, Oberst Thomas Schneider. The additional Eurofighters to be purchased will be operated in the electronic warfare role 

Die Entscheidung #F35 Kampfjets zu beschaffen ist getroffen. Was das für die Luftwaffe bedeutet, erklärt Generalleutnant Ingo Gerhartz im Video. Weitere Informationen sind auch hier zu finden: https://t.co/kompBEFwRd pic.twitter.com/ICKCCFpfe8

— Team_Luftwaffe (@Team_Luftwaffe) March 15, 2022

Hendon RAF Museum's 'newest' exhibit - Lysander R9125

 

Visited the RAF Museum, Colindale (Hendon) London on Sunday. What a fantastic place - shame that the collection is a bit all over the place at the moment. The Fw 190 S-8 (dual cockpit trainer) is currently dismantled awaiting a move, but apparently both the Dinah and the Ki-100 from Cosford are coming down to north London. The RAF Museum's 'newest' exhibit though is Lysander R9125. Recently restored, the Lysander is now on public display at Hendon in the corner of Hangar 5 opposite the He 162 and Vulcan. No idea why. The finished scheme is accurate down to the "inverted" paint detail on the engine cowl gills - which replicates how it actually looked in a WW2 photograph. Note how for the second photo I went over the rope to try and get a view of the cockpit..only partially successful...

Russian invasion of Ukraine - the fate of the Antonov An -225 Mriya at Hostomel airport - destroyed! - latest edit March 2023

 

Below; posted on twitter and re-posted here using their 'embed' code, a Russian state TV reporter broadcasts from Hostomel airport north of Kyiv. As she cowers as gunshots ring out, the camera takes in a view inside of the hangar housing the An 225, showing that it has been almost completely destroyed. Of course the reporter is saying that it was destroyed by Ukrainian artillery, but it is almost certainly the case that it was destroyed by the Russians..Having now watched the recent Channel 4 programme on the 'battle' for Hostomel, it would seem that the Russians were correct - as Ukranian artillery laid down a barrage on the airfield to prevent further use of the runway and as a prelude to a counter-strike..

BREAKING New footage from Gostomel airport shows the Antonov An-225 Mriya on fire https://t.co/DQpNm9OUZl

— AIRLIVE (@airlivenet) March 3, 2022

Footage of the An 225 on fire at Hostomel airport

Sad sight for avgeeks: Antonov's An-225 Mriya on fire at Hostomel airport. https://t.co/q7nzXGB728

— Aeronews (@AeronewsGlobal) March 3, 2022

Russian State TV report from Gostomel Airport in Kyiv. Sadly An-225 completely destroyed. pic.twitter.com/9kN04Gkz91

— Aldin 🇧🇦 (@aldin_ww) March 4, 2022

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..."