# Plane Spotters...



## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

Most of us have seen some of the stunning photos of the fast jets training in the mountains and valleys of North and Mid Wales, taken by those hardy chaps who trudge up those mountains in all weathers to try and get those spectacular shots. The flight crews know that these chaps are there lying in wait with their lenses poised at the ready, so imagine their surprise when they reviewed their shots.


















As a licence payer I reserve the right to use the photo from here. h34r:


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## glug (Mar 20, 2010)

I'll look out for him tomorrow, at Biggin Hill. :thumbup:


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## Barreti (Apr 18, 2008)

What a pleasant change to read the powers that be laughed it off as a light hearted moment. Far too often in this country we seem to want to crucify anyone who dares to show any semblance of a GSOH

Nice find thunderbolt.


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## BlueKnight (Oct 29, 2009)

That is really tame. In 1982, we were showcasing our new Aurora ( Canadian version of the P3 Orion) in Gibraltar. Imagine the looks on the face of Her Majesty's Jaguars escort when they saw a bunch of full moons in daylight.!

It was worth a Queen's ransom in beer. What a party... I lost Â£20 bet to a barmaid. We had just been issued our A/C patch from Lockheed when she said "I've got one!" Can't be. I said. Wanna bet she said? Cocky and confident I said " Sure" How about twenty? In a flash she pulled the patch from under the counter.

Fecking Canadian crew before us had traded the patch for a pint.... So my Â£20 note went into her tip jar...


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## Chromejob (Jul 28, 2006)

Mooned another flight crew in the air through observation windows ... never happened ... no one saw a thing.... 

But I can tell you once I was flying over the states in our HU25C "Nightstalker" (equipped with the early F16's radar), and I picked up 4 targets really close together, heading opposite direction. High altitude, maybe FL 250 or 300, as we were. We asked ATC who that was, and the controller told us it was "company traffic." Code words meaning, "not supposed to be talked about." One of the very few times I was able to lock up a target and see it shrug me off with ACM or whatever it was called (very particular indication on the APG66 display). The close they got, the clearer it was 4 targets. It was like winking at someone across the room, only in this case it was way up high, no else around, at a distance of several miles. AFter two of these, the "traffic," 4 USMC FA-18s heading the opposite direction, asked ATC, "Um, did we copy correctly that's a *Coast Guard jet*?" Soon enough we all tally-hoed (visual contact as far's ATC was concerned, though in our case it was radar contact). They conned in a bit to fly by us nearly co-altitude (hey, we all had superb radar systems to arrange a close pass with plenty of safety margin) ... it was a beautiful site, clear day, bright sun, and lots of hand-waving across the clouds.

Light hearted moments are what made the long hours and poor pay worthwhile. Bravo, MoD -- tell people to get a life, indeed.


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## BlueKnight (Oct 29, 2009)

David Spalding said:


> Light hearted moments are what made the long hours and poor pay worthwhile. Bravo, MoD -- tell people to get a life, indeed.


Looks like we had a lot in common. The RCAF did fly the Falcon 20 for VIP duties now replaced but he Bombardier Challenger 604. I have a lot of fond memories from my Air Force days. But getting back to the CP-140, we were conducting a check flight for a new CO to the Squadron, ( VP 404) a former C-130 pilot from my previous Squadron.( 426 Sqn. (T) )

So here we are at angel 250 with both port engines feathered in simulation ( and loosing altitude) when he killed #2 in an attempt to relight. Free beer at the mess that night? Fecking right!

When my wife and I were transfered out, we had a great send-off at a small Inn next to the base. Actually this Inn was the only place with a chef (?) and wine with dates on the bottles. eh eh... And we did dine there quire often. But the camaraderie was foremost over the snooty and pretentious allures of the "Chez Loose Sphincter" type restaurants in the nearby big city.

Just basically down to earth people.

( Going away plaque)


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## Phillionaire (Jan 23, 2010)

A not so light hearted moment that made a big uproar on the gold coast

Indy time couple of years ago, the army blackhawks were out and about for the crowds, and one of the crew had a big sign saying "show us your boobs" and was hanging it out the side. Huge outcry, papers sensationalising, pilot ended up losing their job.

What they never bothered to report was the full story, where the pilot was female, and the full sign was about breast cancer awareness and the importance of check ups.

a picture tells a thousand words, but its only the first two hundred that the papers require to build a story, irrespective of truth


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## glug (Mar 20, 2010)

This thread needs a picture so here's a random shot from the Biggin Hill Air Fair at the weekend;


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## glug (Mar 20, 2010)

Or a nest of Vipers;


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

glug said:


> Or a nest of Vipers;


Great shot of the Strikemasters. Haven't seen one of those in the air for a long time.


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

I found this link for your enjoyment. Some stunning photos.


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## glug (Mar 20, 2010)

thunderbolt said:


> I found this link for your enjoyment. Some stunning photos.


Amazing to see the jets from above.

That's one site bookmarked now, thanks.

I'm living in the wrong place. All I see are boring commercial flights approaching Heathrow :thumbsdown:


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## BlueKnight (Oct 29, 2009)

http://www.flixxy.com/best-low-pass-jet-fly-bys.htm

Try this one on for size and hang on to you wig........


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

glug said:


> thunderbolt said:
> 
> 
> > I found this link for your enjoyment. Some stunning photos.
> ...


I know what you mean, don't get many fast jets other than Hawks flying over the house. I keep telling myself to go to RAF Valley for the day but never find the time to go. :no2:


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## glug (Mar 20, 2010)

BlueKnight said:


> http://www.flixxy.com/best-low-pass-jet-fly-bys.htm
> 
> Try this one on for size and hang on to you wig........


How that guy in 3 didn't flinch I cannot imagine. Huge danglies!!


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## jaslfc5 (Jan 2, 2007)

im off to see this next week ,looks interesting.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10434348.stm


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

jaslfc5 said:


> im off to see this next week ,looks interesting.
> 
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10434348.stm


I'm not into the arty side of it but that looks like it would be worth seeing.


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