NEWSLETTER 12/11

31 December 2011

Well this is it, the final ELAS newsletter, it is epitomised by the fact that much of what is written below you will have already been able to read elsewhere not least the fiasco of the Voyager delivered to Brize!

I have enjoyed being able to do this for more years that I can recall now and I am grateful for the many messages of support and thanks that I have received.

I will not be giving up the hobby and will still be in a position to support other groups, magazines etc with information and perhaps BMAL may also get more of my attention with updates in the future so please do not stop sending in your bits of information it will always be useful and get used.

Christmas is done so all that remains is too wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Hammers

Royal Air Force

Harrier

Amid all the controversy the disposal of the fleet following the large scale sale to the USA has begun with the arrival at Southampton Docks of at least 14 aircraft for onward shipment. Noted so far have been GR7 ZD319, ZD323, GR9A ZD322, ZD380, ZG510 and T12A ZH653.

Other disposals have seen GR9A ZD433/45A departing for the FAAM however due to a monumental cock up it was sent to RAFM Cosford who had even started to put it back together again! The aircraft destine for the RAFM is GR9 ZG477, this had reached Boscombe Down on 13/12. However once the mistake had been sorted both aircraft arrived at their correct destinations on 20/12 with ZD433 having its registration crudely changed to ZD488!

Hercules

XV299

4266

Broken up at Cambridge 6/12.

(King Air)/Shadow

ZZ504

FM-48

14Sqn

D/d 12/12 ex G-CGUM.

Merlin

ZJ128/M	HC3	50153	28/78Sqn	Ex MDMF.
ZJ132/Q	HC3	50177	Ag-WHL	Ex 1419Flt on mod work.

Sea King

XZ590/F	HAR3	WA856	VAHS	Cleared to make one flight on 20/12 from Chivenor to Fleetlands can anyone confirm this happened?
XZ592/H	HAR3	WA858	22/203(R)Sqn	No longer current at Valley believed to be covering at another location but can anyone confirm please?
XZ598	HAR3	WA864	22/203(R)Sqn	D/d 15/12 ex VAHS.
ZH545/Z	HAR3A	WA1011	22Sqn ‘B’ Flt	D/d 5/12 ex SKAMG ‘SRG126’.

Tornado

ZA393/008	GR4	BS060	31Sqn	Ex WLT Marham.
ZA449/020	GR4	BS079	Op Herrick	Ex TEF Lossiemouth.
ZA544/037	GR4	BT015	WLT Marham	Pwfu ex 15(R)Sqn.
ZA548/040	GR4	BT016	31Sqn	Ex 9Sqn.
ZA549/041	GR4	BT017	TMS Marham	Pwfu ex 15(R)Sqn.
ZA554/046	GR4	BS019	31Sqn	Ex TEF Lossiemouth.
ZA589/057	GR4	BS032	Op Herrick	Ex TEF Lossiemouth.
ZA611/073	GR4	BS048	9Sqn	Ex CMU.
ZD713/081	GR4	BT039	9Sqn	eX 2Sqn.
ZD745/093	GR4	BS126	Lossie Wing	Ex Op Herrick.
ZD746/094	GR4	BS127	31Sqn	Ex 9Sqn.
ZD749/097	GR4	BS130	31Sqn	Ex Lossie Wing.
ZD812/104	GR4	BT043	TEF	Ex 15(R)Sqn.
ZD842/105	GR4	BT044	31Sqn	Ex 15(R)Sqn.
ZD848/109	GR4	BS146	31Sqn	Ex BAETF.
ZD890/113	GR4	BS150	9Sqn	Ex Lossie Wing.
ZG705/118	GR4A	BS172	TEF	Ex 12Sqn.
ZG714/124	GR4A	BS181	Lossie Wing	Ex TEF Lossiemouth.
ZG727/125	GR4A	BS184	BAETF	D/d 14/12 ex 9Sqn ‘Marham66’.
ZG756/131	GR4	BT054	15(R)Sqn	Ex TEF Lossiemouth.
ZG779/136	GR4	BS189	Marham Wing	Ex Op Herrick.

Typhoon

ZJ803/BA	T3	BT004	TMF	D/d 15/12 ex R2 upgrade ‘Typhoon24’.
ZJ806/BE	T3	BT007	29(R)Sqn	Ex TMF.
ZJ910/BV	FGR4	BS001	29(R)Sqn	D/d 9/12 ex TMF.
ZJ917/QO-G	FGR4	BS008	3Sqn	Ex 29(R)Sqn.
ZJ920/QO-A	FGR4	BS011	3Sqn	Ex 11Sqn.
ZJ921/QO-H	FGR4	BS012	TMF	D/d 9/12 ex 3Sqn.
ZJ923/DM	FGR4	BS014	11Sqn	Ex 3Sqn.
ZJ934/QO-T	F2	BS025	BAE Warton	D/d 15/12 for R2 upgrade ex 3Sqn ‘Typhoon24’.
ZJ936/QO-S	FGR4	BS027	29(R)Sqn	D/d 19/12 ex R2 upgrade ‘Typhoon23’ 29 are doing the acceptance rather than TMF.
ZJ942/DH	FGR4	BS035	TMF	D/d 16/12 ex 11Sqn.
ZJ943	FGR4	BS036		Fuselage noted back at CBY 7/12 ex JATE.
ZK305/DE	FGR4	BS056	29(R)Sqn	Ex EC/29(R)Sqn.
ZK306/BT	FGR4	BS057	29(R)Sqn	Ex ED/29(R)Sqn.
ZK307/BU	FGR4	BS058	29(R)Sqn	Ex EE/29(R)Sqn.
ZK308/BW	FGR4	BS059	29(R)Sqn	Ex EF/29(R)Sqn.
ZK309/QO-P	FGR4	BS060	29(R)Sqn	Ex EG/29(R)Sqn was d/d 13/12 ex EG/6Sqn ‘Leuchars13’.
ZK324/EI	FGR4	BS085	6Sqn	D/d 14/12 ex TMF ‘Leuchars13’.
ZK325/EQ	FGR4	BS086	6Sqn	F/n in full 6Sqn marks 8/12 and d/d 19/12 ‘Leuchars28’.
ZK326/EP	FGR4	BS087	TMF	F/n in full 6Sqn marks 8/12.
ZK328	FGR4	BS089	TMF	D/d 15/12 ex BAE Warton ‘Typhoon69’.
ZK331	FGR4	BS092	BAE Warton	F/f 15/12 ex production.
ZK333	FGR4	BS094	BAE	F/n outside 20/12.

Further 6Sqn examples ZK312/EM, ZK314/EO, ZK317/ES and ZK318/ET were believed to have been d/d to CBY 22/12 however the reason for this is not known at present.

VC 10

XV101/S	K1	831		D/d 20/12 to Bruntingthorpe for spares recovery and scrapping ex 101Sqn.
XV102/T	C1K	832		D/d 12/12 to Bruntingthorpe for spares recovery and scrapping ex 101Sqn.
XV106/W	C1K	836	101Sqn	D/d 5/12 ex DSG ‘RRR845’.
XV107/X	C1K	837		D/d 13/12 to Bruntingthorpe for spares recovery and scrapping ex 101Sqn.

Voyager

(ZZ330)	K2	1046		D/d 21/12 to Brize Norton. This aircraft was expected to be serialled ZZ331 but carried 330 on the nwd on arrival and later when stickers were removed was reported to have serial ZZ330 underneath. On 22/12 however the aircraft was put on to the UKCAR as G-VYGA. Myself and others strongly believe that this aircraft will eventually emerge as ZZ331 though.
(ZZ333)	K3	1275	Cobham	D/d 13/12 to Hurn as EC-330.

Fleet Air Arm

Hawk

XX217	T1A	FRADU	Ex HSF.
XX281	T1A	HSF	Ex FRADU.
XX301	T1A	FRADU	Ex HSF.

Lynx

XZ235/630	HAS3S(ICE)	016	LHFT	Wfu ex 702NAS due RTP 3/2012
XZ696	HAS3GMS	135		Has gone to Air & Ground at Hixon.

Merlin

ZH828/14

HM1

50040

820NAS

Ex 69/814NAS.

Sea King

ZA293/A	HC4	WA907	845NAS	D/d 5/12 ex VAHS.
XV649/180	ASaC7	WA637	857NAS	D/d 18/11 ex VAHS.
XV656/185	ASaC7	WA644	VAHS	D/d 30/11 ex 857NAS.
XV714/188	ASaC7	WA685	849NAS	Ex VAHS.

Army Air Corp

Gazelle

XX440

AH1

1184

The former GAZ3 with the Fleetlands Apprentices was noted road running on 9/12 to an as yet unknown detination.

Wildcat

ZZ404	AH1	474	Ag-WHL	Noted outside at Yeovil 20/12 in with Army titles.
ZZ405	AH1	475	Ag-WHL	Noted outside at Yeovil 22/12 in with Army titles.

Civil Registered Aircraft

Tutor

Confirmed with the Southampton UAS on 22/12 were:

G-BYUH

G-BYWW

G-BYXD

G-BYXE

G-BYXI

G-BYXJ