Devon and Cornwall - September 2002
(First published in "Osprey" November 2002)
The relocation of the Yeovilton Air Day to September, an exercise at St. Mawgan and lots of nice new Merlins at Culdrose seemed to indicate that a few days in the South West were called for.
Sunday is traditionally a quiet day in the military world, so the time was spent in a leisurely drive west taking in a couple of W+R locations as well as indulging my other interest in military vehicles at the Cobbaton Combat Collection. First stop was just off Junction 26 of the M5 at the premises of Military Aircraft Spares Ltd on the Poole Industrial Estate on the outskirts of Wellington. Here a Hunter composite built around the fuselage of XG164 stands as a gate guard, although it’s not actually at the gate! As you approach up the hill the tail fin, cockpit canopy and then top of the fuselage come into view over the bushes on the right hand side of the road. Second stop was Eaglescott where another Hunter, this time ex FRADU GA11 WT744/868, stands guard. However, the real reason for the visit was to be reunited with an old friend. Perusal of "Wrecks and Relics" had revealed that two Cadet TX3 gliders were stored here and sure enough hanging on the hangar wall were WT867 and XA289.
It was the second of these I had come to see since on 27th May 1973 it had been the mount for my A & B certificate solo flights after training at 634 GS St. Athan. Also in the hangar was ex AAC Chipmunk WZ882/K (G-BXGP). Final call of the day was at Chivenor where Sea King HAR3A ZH544 stood ready for the next SAR scramble and two Vigilant T1s, ZH128/TP and ZH146/TT, were busy training today’s crop of Air Cadet glider pilots.
As John Cleese used to say, "And now for something completely different". St. Mawgan had been selected as the venue for National Collective Training 2002 or Exercise Cornish Talon as it was referred to by some sources. This event had been scheduled for various times over the past couple of years and in its eventual form was much reduced in content from that originally rumoured. The idea was to practice operations from a bare base environment and to this end all personnel and equipment required for the exercise was brought in from outside. A large tented accommodation area was set up and aircraft were operated from three flightlines. On the far side of the runway were the hides for the Harriers of 3 Sqn, whilst on the camp side of the airfield were the Jaguars operated by 54 Sqn and F16s from 2 Wing Belgian AF. Aircraft noted on 23/9 were as follows: (Sqn mks carried shown in brackets)
Harrier GR7
ZD329/10 (3)
ZD346/13 (3)
ZD354/21 (3)
ZD461/51 (3)
ZD470 (4 anniversary mks),
ZG471/61 (4)
ZG505/76 (3)
ZG506/77 (3)
Jaguar GR3A
XX112/EA (6)
XX723/GQ (54)
XZ355/FJ (41)
XZ364/GJ (54)
XZ366/FS (41)
XZ392/PF (16R)
XZ394/GN (54)
XZ399/EJ (6)
F16AM
FA-88
FA-89
FA-104/FS
Also involved with the exercise were Cobham plc Falcon 20s G-FRAS and G-FRAT, while the fuselage (at least) of Jaguar XX722 had been roaded in from St. Athan for BDRT.
A fine day was spent logging and photographing the proceedings together with the following visitors : ZD850/AJ-T (617), ZD811/BK (14), ZA458/DG (31) + an unidentified 13 Sqn example all Tornado GR4/4A, XX403/U Gazelle AH1 AAC as well as resident Sea King HAR3s XZ587, XZ597 and ZE370. Civil traffic at Newquay Airport included Skybus BN2 G-BUBN and DHC-6 G-CBML, Brymon DHC-8 G-NVSA and Ryanair 737 EI-CSF.
Another day, another airfield, so 24/9 was spent (mostly) at Culdrose. Noted during the day from the viewing enclosure and on the guided tour were :
FRADU Hawk T1A XX157, XX167, XX171, XX226, XX234, XX238
700 OEU Merlin HM1 ZH845/CU-535, ZH843
750 NAS Jetstream T2 XX476/CU-561, XX488/CU-562, ZA110/CU-563, XX478/CU-564, ZA111/CU-565, XX484/CU-566, XX487/CU-568, XX486/CU-569
771 NAS Sea King HAR5 XV661/CU-821, ZA167/CU-822, XV666/CU-823, ZA134/CU-825
820 NAS Sea King HAS6 ZD630/L-012, ZG816/014, ZD634/503, ZA133
824 NAS Merlin HM1 ZH852/CU-583, ZH849/R-265, ZH851/R-267, ZH859
849 NAS Sea King AEW5 ZD636/L-183, ZE420/L-184, XV697/CU-185, ZE418/CU-185
Sea King HAS6 ZA135/705
Sea King ASaC7 XV649/CU-180, XV672
SFDO Harrier GR3 XV753/53
Harrier T4 XZ145/45
Lynx XX510/69
Merlin ZF641
Sea King HAS6 XV657/DD-132
Wessex HAR1 XS876/523
Wessex HAS3 XPI37
ETS Sea King HAS6 XV706/017
Preserved were Buccaneer S2 XV359/R-035 and Sea Hawk F1 WF225
Merlin Moon Magic
ZH852/CU-583 from 824 NAS
photo 6
Sea King ASaC7
XV649/CU-180
849 NAS HQ Flight
Two Jetstream T2s from 750 NAS practice some close(!) formation flying
During the afternoon a change of scenery was needed so the short journey was made to Predannack. Here the Royal Navy practices aircraft fire-fighting and crash rescue techniques using a number of old airframes. The following were noted from the footpath on the southern border of the airfield : WT308 Canberra B6, XV786/S Harrier GR3, XE668/DD-832 Hunter GA11, ZD631 Sea King HAS6, XS868 Wessex HAS1, XS516/Q, XT468, XT762 all Wessex HU5 plus two other Wessex that defied identification and a hulk the could possibly have been the mortal remains of Wasp HAS1 XS529.
Former Fleetlands Gate Guard Wessex HAS1 XS868 now serves the trainee firemen at Predannack
The journey home on 25/9 started with a quick look at Culdrose which was made worthwhile by visiting FOST SA365N ZJ165 and Apache AH1 ZJ175 which had arrived for trials on the Dummy Deck. An equally quick passing look at St. Mawgan produced visiting 1 Sqn Harrier GR7 ZG474/64 and NAF Mildenhall UC12Ms 163843 and 163836/7C. The rest of the days military haul was predominately of the preserved/warbird variety. At Bodmin L4 Cub 480015/44-M (G-AKIB) was sitting in a hangar whilst at Liskeard Lightning F6 XS936 was sitting on a pole! "Real" military aircraft visible at Plymouth were limited to 727 NAS Herons G-BVHE and G-BVHG. Exeter produced a good crop of Hunters, namely : WT799/879, XF321, XJ639/H, (XF300)/"WB188" plus two more ex RN examples. The final stop of the day was at the excellent little museum at Dunkeswell with its attendant Vampire T11 XE982. All in all a good few days away grabbing a few gap fillers before going into the winter (semi-)hibernation.