Harrier Farewell Flypasts

[anonymous-user]

A few farewell flypasts are taking place in December.

Must pass thanks to the various posters on forums that have provided this information.

Next Friday (I believe about 9am in the Morning though not 100% on timing) 4 Harriers will perform a flypast over Ark Royal at Portsmouth.

On 9th there will be a flypast over Cottesmore by Harriers in the shape of a number 1:

http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=42&am...

On 15th there is a final flypast of 16 Harriers in a Diamond formation over Cottesmore and other front line bases in the area.

The 15th is scheduled to be the last day of Harrier flying.

Just thought I'd give an advanced "Heads Up" for anyone in the area.

[Mojocvh]

And the sad thing is the great unwashed will never notice their passing.

[anonymous-user]

Final flypast is scheduled for Wednesday next week, with Tuesday and Thursday as alternative/reserve days.

The flypast is due to take in the following airfields, between 1315 and 1420.

Marham
Wyton
Wittering
Stamford
Cranwell
Waddington
Scampton
Coningsby
Cottesmore
Oakham
Cottesmore

[Simpo Two]

The last 10 Harriers left RAF Wittering ('Home of the Harrier') today according to local TV news.

They've been in service for 41 years so a pretty good run really. How many other airplanes have been in front line service for that long?

[anonymous-user]

Well the GR9's (GR7) have only been in service since about 1989.

This retro one looks rather smart. Should be out and part of the flypast next week.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showt...

[Eric Mc]

Simpo Two said:

The last 10 Harriers left RAF Wittering ('Home of the Harrier') today according to local TV news.

They've been in service for 41 years so a pretty good run really. How many other airplanes have been in front line service for that long?

Plenty.

[davepoth]

Bear in mind those are GR9s which were bought in the 90s IIRC. We've got some stuff in service which has been knocking around at least twice as long.

[anonymous-user]

Yep, the Puma, Dominie, VC-10 and C-130K have all been in service for quite a while now. The last 3 haven't got much longer to go now. Dominie is going early next year.

[eccles]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

It's easy to forget that 'modern' stuff like the Hawk has been in service for getting on for 35 years, the Tornado for just under 30 years.
God that makes me feel old!

[Simpo Two]

When you think that airplanes were once 'state of the art' for only a few years, sometimes less, it makes you wonder if we've gone as far as we can go. Short of stuffing more software in them, the curve is levelling off. Same goes for cars too.

[tank slapper]

I don't think that is the case - more that the driving factors for development have changed. The major explosion in technology development was driven firstly by the immediate needs of WW2, and subsequently the cold war. Expense was very much a secondary factor when there was an enemy continually coming up with new designs and ideas.

Since the end of the cold war, countries have stopped planning for large scale wars and are focussing much more on small scale expeditionary conflicts. Finance is a much bigger influence now that the evil empire of the Soviet Union can't be used as justification for spending.

I think that there is always going to be a leap in capability when a new technology is discovered (eg jet engine, computers etc), but there will always be new ways to apply existing technology.

[aeropilot]

Eric Mc said:

Simpo Two said:

The last 10 Harriers left RAF Wittering ('Home of the Harrier') today according to local TV news.

They've been in service for 41 years so a pretty good run really. How many other airplanes have been in front line service for that long?

Plenty.

Canberra did 55 years front line RAF service.

[anonymous-user]

eccles said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

It's easy to forget that 'modern' stuff like the Hawk has been in service for getting on for 35 years, the Tornado for just under 30 years.
God that makes me feel old!

Some airframes in the Chinny fleet are knocking on the door of thirty years old now too.

[knight]

A guy I work with has just told me that he was flying into Duxford recently and whist in the circuit he was buzzed by a 4 ship of Harriers doing a farewell flypast

[mrloudly]

Start date/time: 15/12/2010 12:55 UTC
End date/time: 16/12/2010 14:40 UTC
Activity period: 1255-1440
Lower height limit: 000
Upper height limit: 030

FORMATION TRANSIT BY 16 MIL FAST JET ACFT ACFT. THE FORMATION WILL
FORM UP IN VCY OF 5239N 00033E (MARHAM AD) FROM 1305 HR AND THEN
ROUTE:
5239N 00033E (MARHAM AD) 1318 HR
5221N 00006W (WYTON AD) 1322 HR
5237N 00029W (WITTERING AD) 1326 HR
5239N 00029W (STAMFORD) 1327 HR
5302N 00029W (CRANWELL AD) 1401 HR
5310N 00031W (WADDINGTON AD) 1402 HR
5318N 00033W (SCAMPTON AD) 1404 HR
5306N 00010W (CONINGSBY AD) 1411 HR
5244N 00039W (COTTESMORE AD) 1415 HR
5240N 00044W (OAKHAM) 1416 HR
5244N 00039W (COTTESMORE AD) 1420 HR
THE FORMATION WILL REMAIN IN VCY OF 5244N 00039W (COTTESMORE AD)
UNTIL 1430 HR PRIOR TO LANDING.
16TH IS RESERVE DAY. TIMINGS, HGT AND ROUTE ARE APRX AND MAY CHANGE
DUE TO WX OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS. 10-12-0055/AS 1

[mark387mw]

eccles said:

the Tornado for just under 30 years.
God that makes me feel old!

Me as well, first posting TTTE in 1981, last posting Harriers at Cott 2005 (left on redundancy ).

[eccles]

mark387mw said:

eccles said:

the Tornado for just under 30 years.
God that makes me feel old!

Me as well, first posting TTTE in 1981, last posting Harriers at Cott 2005 (left on redundancy ).

I can remember the big party BAe threw for us at Valley to commemorate 10 years of service for the Hawk back in 1986. A whole hangar full of beer!

[mcdjl]

Does anyone know of some good vantage spots near oakham/cottesmore for some aircraft spotting then? I might be tempted to head out that way for a late lunch break....

[anonymous-user]

O.K Here we go:

Your best bet is here:

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/spotting/c...


Point C is a good place.

[DamienB]

The flypast itself is likely aimed at the hangars on the airfield from the north (all previous ones have been) so while point C may well be good for a final close-up look at individual Harriers taxiing, taking off and landing (all rather dependent on wind direction), it may not be the best spot to actually see the flypast in all its glory.

RAF Wittering has seen its last Harrier movement - this aircraft, which was the last of 8 to leave on Friday just gone: