Some questions

Location : Scottish Borders

Had my first trip to lakenheath in a long long time on Thursday past (16 07) and had a whale of a time. I had my kids with me and spent quite a lot of the afternoon answering a billion questions as best as I could but there are a few where I had no idea so lets see if anyone can help.

I lost count of the number of sorties launched but it must have been well over twenty in the afternoon,is this typical or did we catch a busy day?

I kept telling the kids that the more that took off meant more returning later but very few aircraft returned in the four hours we were there, what sort of sortie length is typical?

The time from start up to launch seemed incredibly long with the "last chance" chaps in on hurry to clear the jets. One flight of four got airborne forty minutes after start-up. It seems a bit profligate, the RAF boys seem to get off in about ten (only to return within five with a sick jet)

How come the American ground start trollies make so much noise when firing the jets up, they sound like Moto GP bikes doing the ton!

Playing national anthems over the tanoy system, what's that all about?

The overhead joins from any direction, very odd!

Location : Mildenhall

1...no, normal day. Sometimes more.
2...sortie normally 1 to 1 and a half hours.
3...they get the jets off the ground as quick as they want...no idea why the delay !!
4...no idea why so much noise when starting jets... (big engines perhaps?)
5...National anthem is played every day at the same time (English and American) it is fun to see all the Americans stand still and face the base (if you live near) when it's played....they stop mowing the lawn etc !!!!
6...overhead joins....yes, they join from everywhere...but you can bet your life the guy in the control tower has let them !!!
Dave.

Location : Scottish Borders

Thanks for the reply, if that's a normal day then I'm moving down, the kids'll come with me but the wife ... hmmm

Location : Nottingham/Mildenhall

Thats the yanks for ya,fanny about like one oh. Laughing

Location : Westhorpe Spotter Watch Member : yes

hey guys has anybody seen 221 lately as i have only got to get that 1 to finish the marking off for lakenheath has it been flying lately as every time i go there it has not been out?.

Reaper2595

Location : East Anglia Spotter Watch Member : Yes

Reaper2595 wrote:: hey guys has anybody seen 221 lately

97-0221 '492 FS' was up and about on 14th July.

Location : Elgin Spotter Watch Member :

Pictured on the 13th July.

Some questions 3754989228_6bf5c9887b

Location : Westhorpe Spotter Watch Member : yes

cheers macc i will have to go to Lakenheath tommorow cheers.

Location : Elgin Spotter Watch Member :

1. One of the days I was there 28 aircraft were launched in about and hour and a half, action never stopped till 2PM (started at 8AM.)

2. 1-1.5 hour, sometimes 2 hours for tanked up ones. More if they get refuelled or land somewhere else.

3. Well it works, I think they choose sortie times at 10, but will crew up at 9 so they can do all the checks but stay on time.

4. Because some start up in HAS's or infront of HAS's which seems to amplify the volume, they are generally high pitched anyways.

5. Every day at 4.30PM to signal the end of the working day for the people in the office (what i was told, don't shoot the messenger)

6. They only seem to join three ways, straight in approaches, circuit (flown down the runway) or joining downwind.

Hope this helps.
All these answers are based on the 4 days i spent outside the fence in the last 2 weeks.

Location : Gatwick Spotter Watch Member : No

Whilst were on the subject; Has anyone seen 335 out & about recently, been chasing that bugger for 2 years. Believe it was damaged a long while back, would this make the pilots a bit less keen to fly in it?

Location : Ipswich, Suffolk Spotter Watch Member : No

Spirit of Kitty Hawk wrote:: Whilst were on the subject; Has anyone seen 335 out & about recently, been chasing that bugger for 2 years. Believe it was damaged a long while back, would this make the pilots a bit less keen to fly in it?

i just had a look through my F15 pics and couldnt find any sorry Sad

i just got one of the very few diecast models left of F15C LN 84-001 and would be greatfull if anyone had any pictures of that and/or knows of its activity recently as i havent caught it yet, cheers.

Location : Elgin Spotter Watch Member :

SoKH; Can't find any pics of it, will keep looking.
Again the 13th July.
Some questions 3758261933_1b3e062555_o

14th July

Macc

Location : Ipswich, Suffolk Spotter Watch Member : No

excellent cheers for that

Subject: Re: Some questions 2009-07-28, 12:42

The noise you hear on start up isnt the ground start trolly it is the starter motors themselves.

It starts with an extremely low pitched rumble and builds until the turbine blades are up to speed at which point the fuel system is ignited. the starter disengages giving the strange decending whine whilst the distinctive jet noise increases.

Ocurrs twice once each engine. Ground start trollies are used to ease the load on the aircrafts on board batteries untill the electrical system comes on line, usually after the first engine has lit.

Location : Scottish Borders

Cheers chaps for all the replies, its suprising all the little differences in equipment and procedures that you get between the 'unified " NATO members.
I managed to take quite a few shots like the one of 001 on the 14th except that at 300th of a sec with a non stabalised lens, standing on a fence post shooting one handed I didn't get one that was usable-who would have thought!