As Mpacha rightly says, Apaches have been at Wattisham for a year now: the first were inducted in late Feb/Early March of 2005.

There were 10 in evidence at the July 2005 open day for 3 Regiment AAC, and 662 Squadron were only waiting for another pair to fill their complement of 8 in total.

Enjoy having them in your neighbourhood!

He was not spot on.

Of course he was!!

JN got a ban for a silly, childish remark about a certain nationality (someone will have to explain to me how that’s “racist”: are you and I from a different “race”?)

A French poster gloried in the idea that a jihadist would use a Typhoon to commit a further attrocity such as July 7th, 2005 on London. His punishment? The thread was sanitized: no further action.

Why should an obviously knowledgeable contributor like JN get a ban when there are two Trolls posting abusive and personally insulting messages to this forum? It’s been going on for months yet no action is taken.

Fluffy, Steve…. just curious, did either of you read reply No.30 before posting?

-Dazza 😉

Apologies, Dazza. We were posting at exactly the same time so, no, I hadn’t read yours until much later on!

Incidentally, 29 Squadron Typhoons were up and flying again yesterday from Coningsby, and F.2 ZJ822 was also flying out of Warton. This one first flew on Jan 6th, so is almost certainly to be handed-over to the RAF shortly.

Couple of quick points:

1) At a guess I’d say the RJAF Squirrel photos were taken at Marseille/Marignane by one of the guys that contributes to the Provence Air Spot website. IIRC it was noted/photographed at Marseille around a year ago.

2) AFAIK it’s only confirmed that one single AS.350B3 was returned from the UAE to Eurocopter, and then supplied to Jordan. It was assumed there would be more, but I haven’t heard if this has been proven. If anyone finds out more I’d be interested too.

3) It’s probably better to look at the UAE Squirrels and Fennecs as a coincidence of timing rather than trying to link the two procurements: UAE began to receive AS.350B3 models in 2001, but it was then decided to contract-out helicopter flight training. The Fennecs were bought for a completely different purpose and, AFAIK, this was not dependent upon any part-exchange deal for the Squirrels between the UAE and Eurocopter.

Dear Steve, Great comments on the Whirlygigg. I agree the surface of the trackway to be in excellent condition (no cracks or weed penetration) considering that it has been in place for fifty plus years! And on near marsh too! (Warham Greens or Stiffkey Marsh?)

Hi Fred,

The local place names are a little confusing, aren’t they? English Nature own (or are at least responsible for) the saltmarsh to the north and east of the site, and a notice board almost next to the eastern perimeter of the launch track names it as Warham Marshes. Warham Greens also exists and, the way I understand it, is that the land south of the coastal path (ie what is considered 100% terra firma) constitutes Warham Greens, whilst anything north of the path (ie the saltmarsh) is named marshes. This is the same further east at Stiffkey: both Stiffkey Marsh and Stiffkey Greens exist alongside one another. I think Warham is more applicable to where the launch track is located, but not the APC camp, which is definitely in Stiffkey territory!

Can you please ewxplain your reference to DOD?. My use of the designation A2 is taken from Radioplane and USAF documents (such as USAF AN 28-10C-26 Flight Operating Instructions for USAF series OQ-19D Target Aircraft, issed 19 FEB 1951).

I am certain that’s my own error, Fred. When I saw ‘A2’ in the thread title I thought it was reference to the earliest Radioplane drone which, in early 1942, the US Department of Defense referred to as an ‘A-2’. This was very quickly changed when new designations were applied and became the OQ-2A.

I now realise that we are talking about a slightly later era and the drones flown from the site were no doubt OQ-19D variants.

I assume that you live in the area and as I live in Shipdham I suggest we talk on the telephone sometime. My number is 01362 820 101.

I do indeed. But only very recently moved to the Kelling area. Weybourne Camp is all of a 2 minute walk from my place in fact; hence my interest in a fascinating local subject! I will certainly give you a call this weekend.

Your pictures are very good and I would very much like to know how to insert them into the Forum pages. Please tell me how! Regards, Fred Butcher

I think Moggy did the honours with this! I only posted the watch office like that because, after resizing it, it still didn’t quite make the forum limit. I’ll post some more photos shortly, so I hope you will approve of those too.

Best regards

Steve Rush

Many thanks for posting that diagram, Fred.

Inspired by your posting I took a wander down there this afternoon and had a look at what remains of the launch site. I had actually been there before on a walk between Wells and Stiffkey without realising what it was! Local birders refer to the spot as either ‘the whirlygig’ or ‘the gibbet’, apparently.

This page has a couple of shots but, judging by how much vegetation there was surrounding the central pivot post today, these must be a couple of years old, at least:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/bell.s/Corner/Whirlygig.htm

If anybody is interested in any pictures of the site today I can post them here later on this evening. I also snapped a couple of the dome and watch office up at Langham on the way home.

Steve Rush

Since the end of 2004 but as you said, something is strange and the released of new rafales too low.
You can easily heard rumors of electronics troubles on french forums.

Thanks, Glitter: it’s nice to know that there are some of you Guys around here are happy to live in the “real World” along with the rest of us 🙂

I can also confirm that Rafale B s/n 306 was reported for the first time today. So maybe the next batch of aircraft will be delivered shortly…presumably to CEAM at Mont de Marsan like the previous 3?

Best regards

Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News

1,5

Staring from when exactly, Glitter?

It’s almost June and so far only two new Rafales have been seen at Merignac in the whole of 2005: Rafale C 102 and and Rafale B 307. I assume there is a 306 also…but nobody has seen it yet. As far as I’m aware neither have flown yet…but I don’t have confirmation of that so far.

Not meant as any sort of critique: I’d be interested to know when a forecast of 1.5 per month is for.

Looking forward to the next few weeks: I will be at the JPOs at Luxeuil, Tours, Phalsbourg, Etain, Le Luc, Hyeres, Istres, Cazaux and also the Paris Salon on the Wednesday and final Sunday if anyone else is attending these…?

Best regards

Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News