RAF Leeming base visit by the Friends of Leeming Aviation Group

15 October 2015  13:45 – 16:45

Gate
ZH552 Tornado F3
Stands on display outside 90SUHQ where the Javelin previously stood and therefore not really a 'gate guard' as such ! On the tail fin it carries the squadron crests of the three former Leeming based F3 squadrons ; 11 , 23 and 25 and below the port side air intake are 5 cine-camera zaps signifying the aircraft's role as a camera ship during the Meteor missile trials whilst flying with QinetiQ at Boscombe Down before it's retirement from service in July 2013 .

Main ASP
100 Squadron
XX258/CE Hawk T1A
XX202/CF
XX198/CG
XX346/CH
XX339/CK
XX280/CM
XX191/191
XX303/303

The squadron have two aircraft detached to Coningsby in support of the Air Combat Power Visit , ACPV , taking place there . Four of the Hawks flew in pairs during our visit and departing at 15:00 were Aggressor 1 and 2 , XX202/CF and XX346/CH , for a 90 minute sortie up to the Fort William area in support of Exercise Joint Warrior 15-2 followed at 16:00 by Trespass 1 and 2 which departed to LFA613 off the east coast for a 105 minute sortie operating with Hotspur Control at RAF Boulmer .

Visitors
ZD740/088 Tornado GR4
50+41 Transall C-160D
50+75 ditto

Northern HAS area
ZA600/EB-G Tornado GR4 special 41 Squadron tail artwork , 1916-2011 - 95th anniv.
and noted parked outside a HAS .

Also here and using the former 25 Squadron HAS area are 29 Squadron who have detached from their base at RAF Coningsby because of the ACPV and are operating off the northern taxi-way adjacent to the HAS site . The German Tornado aircraft were also operating from this area during their recent stay until departing this morning , and before our visit . Technically I saw Tornado ECR 46+56 , c/s GAFM70 , depart back to it's base at Schleswig at 14:35 but only as a blip on a radar screen !

There are ten Typhoons on detachment and they are ;

ZK379/BB Typhoon T3 29
ZJ806/BE ditto 29
ZK382/BG ditto 29
ZJ814/BH ditto 29
ZJ801/BJ ditto 29
ZK320/BR Typhoon FGR4 29
ZK331/BT ditto 29
ZK381/EX Typhoon T3 6 Squadron markings
ZK325/FK Typhoon FGR4 1 Squadron markings
ZK304/FM ditto ditto

The Typhoons were flying throughout our visit and those sorties noted were ;
Coningsby 29 , a T3 departed at 14:29 to D513 off the Northumberland coast
Triplex 42 a T3 off at 14:14 ) all to D323B off the North Yorkshire coast
Triplex 43 an FGR4 of at 14:15 )
Triplex 41 another FGR4 off at 14:16 )
Gunfighter 52 a T3 at 14:26 ) both to D613 off the east coast of Scotland
Gunfighter 51 an FGR4 at 14:26 )
Cobra 62 a T3 off at 14:44 and departed to D323A off the Yorkshire coast

The ground crews and their support equipment depart by road on the 16th and the aircraft will depart for home next Monday , the 19th .

With thanks to Mick Britton , Meds , Killer Watts , the 29 Squadron ground crews and the ATC staff for their help and co-operation during our visit .

David Thompson