Cool things seen on FlightRadar

[IJWS15]

Large RC aircraft - first one I have seen on radar

[TCEvo]

tonyvid said:

It was just gobsmacking quite how many aircraft are there, you have to get on a coach at the PIMA museum as the base is an active one, it trundles up and down while a grizzled ex-airforce chappie gives a brilliant and humourous talk about it all - you start by driving past about a mile of C130s!

Excellent - I've wanted to go there ever since getting a copy of Desert Boneyard years ago; assume you're a UK citizen (as I'm sure I'd read somewhere a while back that it was now restricted to US Nationals)?

Any more pics?

[smack]

TCEvo said:

Excellent - I've wanted to go there ever since getting a copy of Desert Boneyard years ago; assume you're a UK citizen (as I'm sure I'd read somewhere a while back that it was now restricted to US Nationals)?

It is open to non US citizens, but as of 2017 it has to be booked at least 16 days in advance, and currently the tours are not operating. I'm kicking myself that I didn't do it when I was a regular visitor to Phoenix years ago before they implemented the changes and you could turn up on the day. But when it all opens up again, a mate wants to join me on a trip there - he is an Aircraft Engineer, and his wife doesn't understand or will entertain joining him in visiting an aviation museum, so a boys trip to AZ it is.

[tonyvid]

TCEvo said:

Excellent - I've wanted to go there ever since getting a copy of Desert Boneyard years ago; assume you're a UK citizen (as I'm sure I'd read somewhere a while back that it was now restricted to US Nationals)?

Any more pics?

Here you go! I was working in Scottsdale and flying home that evening but really wanted to see this place so 6am start down to Tucson, booked onto the first bus tour of the day(passport needed), boiling hot walk around PIMA and then back to the airport for 6pm....I can't imagine trying to do a round trip in the UK with that sort of journey ahead of a flight!

[tonyvid]

[naturals]

It's a fantastic place - the actual museum part (which is over the road from the aircraft graveyard) is worth a day on its own.

You're also not far from Pimal which is a pretty cool site packed full of old commercial jets. I was lucky enough to fly into there a few times. I'm led to believe it isn't very visitor friendly though.

[anonymous-user]

It’s amazing in google earth with the whole area now in updated 3d

[tonyvid]

naturals said:

It's a fantastic place - the actual museum part (which is over the road from the aircraft graveyard) is worth a day on its own.

Indeed! I'll just leave these last 2 pics for you all. My only recommendation is don't go in June when it is 46c...

[Dr Jekyll]

Anyone know why the Gnat in the first picture is painted green? I mean to ask when I was there but forgot.

[HM-2]

Dr Jekyll said:

Anyone know why the Gnat in the first picture is painted green? I mean to ask when I was there but forgot.

Isn't that an F-101 Voodoo? Looks like its still in Vietnam-era paint.
Maybe one of the photo-reconnaissance variants?

-E

Yep, definately looks like an RF-101

Edited by HM-2 on Tuesday 23 February 17:04

[Dr Jekyll]

HM-2 said:

Dr Jekyll said:

Anyone know why the Gnat in the first picture is painted green? I mean to ask when I was there but forgot.

Isn't that an F-105 Thunderchief? Looks like its still in Vietnam-era paint.

Behind the nose of the F-105/Rf-101 or whatever there's a T-33 or similar, look behind that.

[HM-2]

Ah yes I see it now. Er, no clue!

[aeropilot]

Dr Jekyll said:

Anyone know why the Gnat in the first picture is painted green? I mean to ask when I was there but forgot.

No idea.....Pima seem to think its a correct RAF test flight scheme according to one US web page, but T&L website below is more useful info, and therefore no one knows why its painted this odd green other than err, septics innit

https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/gnat/surv...

[anonymous-user]

naturals said:

It's a fantastic place - the actual museum part (which is over the road from the aircraft graveyard) is worth a day on its own.

You're also not far from Pimal which is a pretty cool site packed full of old commercial jets. I was lucky enough to fly into there a few times. I'm led to believe it isn't very visitor friendly though.

The museum looks awesome! Is there an ANA 787 there?

[NM62]

Dr Jekyll said:

HM-2 said:

Dr Jekyll said:

Anyone know why the Gnat in the first picture is painted green? I mean to ask when I was there but forgot.

Isn't that an F-105 Thunderchief? Looks like its still in Vietnam-era paint.

Behind the nose of the F-105/Rf-101 or whatever there's a T-33 or similar, look behind that.

Royal Air Force Flight Test Colours according to this

[Total loss]

IJWS15 said:

Large RC aircraft - first one I have seen on radar

Have a look off the Welsh coast near Harlech, the RAF fly theirs out of Llanbedr.

[anonymous-user]

NM62 said:

Dr Jekyll said:

HM-2 said:

Dr Jekyll said:

Anyone know why the Gnat in the first picture is painted green? I mean to ask when I was there but forgot.

Isn't that an F-105 Thunderchief? Looks like its still in Vietnam-era paint.

Behind the nose of the F-105/Rf-101 or whatever there's a T-33 or similar, look behind that.

Royal Air Force Flight Test Colours according to this

Google street view runs through the museum also.

[ecsrobin]

Total loss said:

Have a look off the Welsh coast near Harlech, the RAF fly theirs out of Llanbedr.

Don’t the RAF fly out of Aberporth? Llanbedr was setting up as a commercial drone operating area and I’ve been along to some trials there but all civilian.

[DavieBNL]

ecsrobin said:

Total loss said:

Have a look off the Welsh coast near Harlech, the RAF fly theirs out of Llanbedr.

Don’t the RAF fly out of Aberporth? Llanbedr was setting up as a commercial drone operating area and I’ve been along to some trials there but all civilian.

The Army (certainly not the not RAF!) operate Watchkeeper out of - what was - Aberporth (it's now known as West Wales) on some training and trials flying. There has been some occassional MoD sponsored activity at Llanbedr but, as you say, the site is now commercially owned and operated and primarily used by industry for the testing of unmanned systems.

[LotusOmega375D]

LotusOmega375D said:

Turkish Airforce C130E approaching Prestwick after a long flight from Ankara. According to Google, the distance is 4175km and the Herc has a range of 3800km...

Coincidentally just arriving back at Prestwick from what looks like a transatlantic return flight.