Back to:

RAF Leeming Aircraft Photography Event

By David Thompson

25 July 2023

RAF Leeming held its first of what they billed as “the first of many opportunities to photograph some of the finest military aircraft at close range” going on to add “We want to make these aircraft more accessible to you – their most dedicated fans – and the 25 July is the first step.” but sadly the day got off to a poor start with the much emphasised 1030 start time slipping badly after the bus failed to appear although we did get a Typhoon flypast in its place !

The event was supported by Eventbrite with a suggested donation of £30 which did appear a little steep for the opportunity to photograph one each of a Qatari Hawk, a Hawker Hunter Aviation Hunter and a University Air Squadron Tutor but you were airside and after all it was the first of many opportunities to photograph some of the finest military aircraft at close range, possibly ! There was a maximum ticket allocation of 50 places available but with the aircraft available being advertised numbers were low, in fact less than half as I only counted 21 punters out on the flight-line although we were joined by both the Lord Mayor of York and The Sheriff of York although I suspect that neither of them nor their guests paid for the privilege !

The aircraft were lined up on the former 100 Squadron pan but these finest military aircraft were quite compact and to add photographic insult to injury bright yellow safety barriers had been placed around the Hawk which rendered photography pointless although these were later removed but movement around the pan was quite restrictive with the Station media comms team looking after us but views into Hangar 4 and the two Hawk T1’s could easily be had as were opportunities to view and photograph the other three Qatari Hawks on the flightline, two of which flew while we were there so a bonus in that respect. Sadly the potential of a Chinook participating failed to appear as they were on nights, the Tutors buzzed around the circuit and two F-15’s were clearly heard and occasionally glimpsed above and through cloud as they circled nearby Dishforth and Topcliffe.

Because of the late start our stay on the pan was slightly extended but everyone appeared to have enjoyed themselves even if we hadn’t seen some of the finest military aircraft at close range although the Hunter was a close contender to that description and always nice to see, more so when they are flying and in that respect we are lucky to have two of them based at Leeming. In school report terms the event promised little for the experienced aviation enthusiast and nothing at all for the ‘togger and did not disappoint in that respect but has the potential to do much better next time, perhaps asking other Stations for their experiences on holding aviation enthusiast days, Brize Norton and Coningsby being two, as well as drawing on feedback from the day itself of which I think there was much !

SERIAL	A/C TYPE	OPERATOR	UNIT	NOTES
Main Gate
ZH552	Panavia PA-200 Tornado F3	Royal Air Force	N/A	carries badges of 11, 23 and 25 Squadrons on its fin and five
				cine-camera zaps for missile trials works at A&AEE Boscombe Down
Flight-line
G-BYXJ/XJ	Grob G115E Tutor T1	Royal Air Force	Northumbria UAS (11 AEF)
ZB137	BAE Systems Hawk T2A	Qatar Emiri Air Force	11 Squadron
ZZ191/91	Hawker Hunter F58	Hawker Hunter Aviation	N/A	splinter camo scheme, not yet airworthy
ZB131	BAE Systems Hawk T2A	Qatar Emiri Air Force	11 Squadron	flew as Javelin
ZB132	BAE Systems Hawk T2A	Qatar Emiri Air Force	11 Squadron	flew as Scarab 11
ZB136	BAE Systems Hawk T2A	Qatar Emiri Air Force	11 Squadron	flew as Javelin
Hangar 4
XX253	British Aerospace Hawk T1A	Royal Air Force	RAFAT	under restoration to display standard
XX317/CO	British Aerospace Hawk T1A	Royal Air Force	N/A	for display on inner-gate
ZB135	BAE Systems Hawk T2A	Qatar Emiri Air Force	11 Squadron	maintenance
ZB138	BAE Systems Hawk T2A	Qatar Emiri Air Force	11 Squadron	maintenance
ZB139	BAE Systems Hawk T2A	Qatar Emiri Air Force	11 Squadron	maintenance
Flying
G-BYUD/UD	Grob G115E Tutor T1	Royal Air Force	Northumbria UAS (11 AEF)	c/s "Geordie 2"
G-BYWK/WK	Grob G115E Tutor T1	Royal Air Force	Northumbria UAS (11 AEF)	c/s "U.A.Q. 13"
G-BYXJ/XJ	Grob G115E Tutor T1	Royal Air Force	Northumbria UAS (11 AEF)	c/s "U.A.Q. 04" from the photo-shoot
G-BYYA/YA	Grob G115E Tutor T1	Royal Air Force	Yorkshire UAS (9 AEF)	c/s "U.A.X. 73"
ZK383/383	Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon T3	Royal Air Force	29 Squadron	Overshoot c1030 as TYP13001
91-0313	McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle	US Air Force	494FS/48FW	JTAC work over Dishforth and Topcliffe
92-0364	McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle	US Air Force	494FS/48FW