RAF Tornado aircraft farewell flypasts

[The Q]

Nothing near us on the maps, not that that matters.
I remember when they did a fly past of RAF Neatishead with the Vulcan, we all got ordered out to watch it go by.... it went over at 5000 feet... a dot in the sky...

Shortly after they were reprieved for the Falklands..

[Lawrence]

@daffy  if you can get Thursdays when available chap that would be appreciated

I'll see what I can find Lawrence. I'm relying an another source to filter the correct NOTAM from this site:

https://notaminfo.com/node/5

It's a long list and not in strict date order by any means, and so far no sign of the Thursday flight. I'll monitor the source over the next two days to see if it appears.

Found out Leuchars should be 11:15 - 11:30 ish

[daffy]

Not found a NOTAM yet for Thursday, but RAF Marham's Twitter page has this this morning:

Subject to weather and aircraft serviceability the Tornado GR FINale flypast timings for Thursday 21st February are as follows 1115 – 1130 Leuchars Station 1130 – 1145 RAF Tain 1145 – 1200 RAF Lossiemouth.

Hope that confirms your post @Lawrence .

[daffy]

The first day is here.

Weather looks set to be fair, with good visibility and low chance of any rain. I'm spoilt for choice for viewing as I'm midway between RAF Coningsby and the seafront at Skegness. I'll choose to go to the airbase as the three aircraft in the formation will be down low and dirty straight down the runway from roughly SSE. There's a nice riverside walk that will bring me around to the runway so I will have no problem parking in what will be a crowded viewing area.
At Skegness the height of the flypast is likely to be a lot higher, and going by the location data in the NOTAM they will probably be hundreds of yards offshore, paralleling the coast.

Good luck to all who turn out to see them, whenever and wherever you are. 

[daffy]

URGENT UPDATE RE TODAYS ROUTE AND TIMING

OC Marham announced about 20 mins ago that weather for refuelling en route may not be good enough, so this MAY change route and timings, but this will not be known precisely, in the OC's words "right until the very end".

If no refuelling possible, they will not be visiting Spadeadam and Whitton, and therefore they will be approx 25 mins earlier than listed at Wharton and Spamesbury, and at Leeming and all points thereafter they will be approx 35 mins earlier than planned.

Note that this all may change if refuelling is successful. Only way to be sure is to keep checking the RAF Marham Facebook page where updates are made first.

I'm off out now, so Bon chance.

[Fardap]

https://twitter.com/RAFMarhamMedia/status/1097841049496625153

For those on twitter for updates @RAFMarhamMedia

[daffy]

Had a nice afternoon at Coningsby, arriving well ahead of the earliest anticipated arrival, but as it turned out they were bang on original timing on the NOTAM of 15:14.
I was at the WSW end of the runway, expecting them to bat down the line of the runway, but they kept well left and parallel to it, aligned to pass directly over the control tower before banking right to continue their flight north-eastwards. It was all over in a moment, so my advice to any wishing to see them tomorrow or Thursday is to get some height so they are in view for longer. Three aircraft in close V formation, and surprisingly quiet for Tornadoes.

Loads and loads of folks out to see them, as witnessed by the traffic queue to leave! I'd avoided that by walking the riverside and took a leisurely amble the mile or more back to my car.

Coningsby was an excellent choice, as from the time I arrived at runway's end until I started the walk back I was treated to no less than nineteen Typhoon take-offs, mainly singles but a couple of pairs, as well as a couple of circuits and bumps. As car drivers crawled along I was also rewarded with some lovely sun-kissed hanger-breaks by about ten of the Typhoons returning.

[GroupC]

Hadn't looked into the flypasts owing to work and stuff but as very good luck would have it I went out on my bike straight after work and lo and behold a few minutes later, right over my head, 3 Tornados. All unexpected and noisy like, very good!

[Lawrence]

Had a nice afternoon at Coningsby, arriving well ahead of the earliest anticipated arrival, but as it turned out they were bang on original timing on the NOTAM of 15:14.
I was at the WSW end of the runway, expecting them to bat down the line of the runway, but they kept well left and parallel to it, aligned to pass directly over the control tower before banking right to continue their flight north-eastwards. It was all over in a moment, so my advice to any wishing to see them tomorrow or Thursday is to get some height so they are in view for longer. Three aircraft in close V formation, and surprisingly quiet for Tornadoes.

Loads and loads of folks out to see them, as witnessed by the traffic queue to leave! I'd avoided that by walking the riverside and took a leisurely amble the mile or more back to my car.

Coningsby was an excellent choice, as from the time I arrived at runway's end until I started the walk back I was treated to no less than nineteen Typhoon take-offs, mainly singles but a couple of pairs, as well as a couple of circuits and bumps. As car drivers crawled along I was also rewarded with some lovely sun-kissed hanger-breaks by about ten of the Typhoons returning.

Best not mention that I used to run the Typhoon Simulator at Leuchars then, don't want you getting over excited @daffy 

[The Q]

Coningsby was a good place to watch tornado's,  especially from the back door of the avionics building,  when installing test equipment  to support the ADVs,.  1988-9... 30years ago where did the time go...

[The Q]

Had a nice afternoon at Coningsby, arriving well ahead of the earliest anticipated arrival, but as it turned out they were bang on original timing on the NOTAM of 15:14.
I was at the WSW end of the runway, expecting them to bat down the line of the runway, but they kept well left and parallel to it, aligned to pass directly over the control tower before banking right to continue their flight north-eastwards. It was all over in a moment, so my advice to any wishing to see them tomorrow or Thursday is to get some height so they are in view for longer. Three aircraft in close V formation, and surprisingly quiet for Tornadoes.

Loads and loads of folks out to see them, as witnessed by the traffic queue to leave! I'd avoided that by walking the riverside and took a leisurely amble the mile or more back to my car.

Coningsby was an excellent choice, as from the time I arrived at runway's end until I started the walk back I was treated to no less than nineteen Typhoon take-offs, mainly singles but a couple of pairs, as well as a couple of circuits and bumps. As car drivers crawled along I was also rewarded with some lovely sun-kissed hanger-breaks by about ten of the Typhoons returning.

Best not mention that I used to run the Typhoon Simulator at Leuchars then, don't want you getting over excited @daffy 

You lot are walking through my history,  I fitted a load of test equipment for the F3s there as well.

[daffy]

I wouldn't say I was excited, just impressed, and thankful for all who protect the country and keep the peace - including those who help(ed) in training and testing.

[Lawrence]

Sounds like @The Q  was a 'fairy' and probably kicking around the mob about the same time as me, I had a proper trade though 

[The Q]

Sounds like @The Q  was a 'fairy' and probably kicking around the mob about the same time as me, I had a proper trade though 

Yep But not on these in the RAF,


When I was in I worked on these amoungst other things../

PS 1976 to 88 in the RAF, 1988 to 2001 working on Tornado bases as a civilian..




I went to many more RAF bases as a civilian than I did in the RAF..

[daffy]

All seems okay for today's flight.

This is one of the photos on RAF Marham's Facebook page this morning that is most appropriate here: