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It looked like a dark cloud over the horizon. About
30 Helicopters were swarming in to the RNAS Yeovilton, also known
as HMS Heron. In front the mighty Westland Commando HC.4 and behind the
old but powerfull Westand Wessex HU.5. Two Hawker Harrier FRS.1 flew
overhead "top cover". The Commandos brougt in the Royal Marines and the
Wessex even more Marines, artillery pieces and Landrovers. It was a quite spectacular scene, but the Royal Navy
liked to show the audience the power of the Fleet Air Arm which they had used to recapture the
Falkland Island one year earlier.
It was the year 1983 and I was a
young spotter - at that time.
For me it was the most spectacular military assault I have ever
witnessed. In the year 2016 I was again at HMS Heron
and watched the traditional show part of the assault,
of which more later.
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
British Naval aviation
The British Naval aviation is only a shadow of its former strength, but the Air Day at RNAS Yeovilton ist still one of the attractive ones in the UK. At first we saw the landing of a big American McDonnell DouglasC-17 Globemaster III. In its belly was a Baby Globmaster. The miniature C-17 has been used all across the United States to promote the Air Force Reserve and bolster recruiting efforts at air shows, parades and other community events. The 315th Airlift Wing’s mini C-17 made its first trip across the pond on 30. June and was a huge hit at Yeovilton Air Day 2016. The 315th Airlift Wing won the “Best Static Display” award.
Beech Avenger (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Westland Wildcat (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Westland Lynx (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
BaE Hawk (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Westland Merlin (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Mc Donnell Douglas Phantom (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
BaE SeaHarrier (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Agusta A-109 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Mc Donnell Douglas C-17A Globemaster III 315 AW (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Mc Donnell Douglas C-17A Globemaster III 315 AW (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Mc Donnell Douglas C-17A Globemaster III an the Mini 315 AW (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Mc Donnell Douglas C-17A Globemaster III and the Mini 315 AW (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Panavia Tornado (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Panavia Tornado (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Transall (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Transall (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Aerobatic Teams
Three aerobatic teams showed their performance in the sky over Somerset. The Polish Orlic team with seven PZL-130 Orlik turboprop trainers, the Royal Jordanian Falcons with a special Arab music and of course the Red Arrows from the RAF.
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Classic Military and cold war eara
In
this part of the show were
some very special aircraft
shown, and with this I don’t
mean the very agile demonstration of the North American OV-10C Bronco. It was quite
astonishing to see how fast this tiny
small aircraft can roll and turn. I mean the not so
specatular performance of a MIG-15UTI from the Norwegian Air Force
Historical Flight and the huge De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 from the Fly
Navy Heritage Trust.
It was the first time for me to watch this all
weather fighter of the sixties. In today's standards the performance is
not quite spectacular, but so see a second generation fighter to fly
today is
beautiful. The FAW.2 was in the Markings of 899 NAS
which was based on HMS Eagle
until July 1971. The FAW.2 was flown by former Harrier pilot CDR
Simon Hargreaves.
In the colours of the 829 NAS was the very small
Westland Wasp HAS.1. The
paint scheme was somewhat
strange with light grey patches , but this
paintjob was carried in the 1982
Falklands conflict.
North Ameerican OV-10C Bronce (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
North Ameerican OV-10C Bronce (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Westland Wasp HAS.1 XT787 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Westland Wasp HAS.1 XT787 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Westland Wasp HAS.1 XT787 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Warbirds
Sadly the Hawker Fury FB.11
didn’t take to the air. Other Warbirds were the Seafire LFIIIc from Air
Leasing and the Corsair FG-1D from the Fighter Collection.
Fittingly for
a Navy airshow it was in the colours of an 1850 NAS Corsair from the
Britisch Pacific Fleet.
Also present was Elly Sallingboe‘s B-17G Flying
Fortress which made some nice
low wing flyby’s
Hunt the Bismarck was the motto for the Fairey Swordfish LS326 of the
Royal Navy Historic Flight. The Stringbag is a must on every RNAS
Air Day. The highlight is always the fly by with the saluting TAG* and
Observer in the second Cockpit. The Battle of Britain
Memorial Flight provided the pairing of Hurricane Mk IIc PZ865 and
Spitfire Mk Vb AB910. They performed
a formation entrance before splitting for their own solo routines. To
complete the single engined warbirds lineup was Supermarine Seafire LF
III PP972 in the hands of Richard Grace who flew a superb routine around the sky
Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 VR930 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Vought Corsair IV KD345 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Vought Corsair IV KD345 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Supermarine Seafire LF III PP972 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Supermarine Seafire LF III PP972 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Fairey Swordfish LS326(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Fairey Swordfish LS326(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Fairey Swordfish LS326(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Hurricane Mk IIc PZ865 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Spitfire Mk Vb AB910 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
The Helicopters and Jets
In the more modern part of the
air display the the Air Day 2916 two Westland Lynx HMA.8 (ZD257 and
ZD565) and two Westland Wildcat HMA.2 (ZZ396 and ZZ375)showed how to
blow up an enemy ship with Sea
Skua Missiles. The ship was actually a
part of the airfield. The Royal Navy Black Cats Display Team with
two Westland Wildcat HMA.2 showed the performance of the new
Wildcat compared with the old
and trusty Lynx. The Wildcat is
an improved version of the
Westland Super Lynx and now in use by the British Army and the Fleet
Air Arm. The FAA procured 34 HM.2 and the Army 28 AH.1. To compare with the Westland Lynx,
the FAA ordered 60 and the Army 113 examples.
On 23 March 2015, the Royal
Navy's first Wildcat HMA.2 began its initial operational deployment at
sea, onboard HMS Lancaster.
BaE Typhoon ZK352 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
BaE Typhoon ZK352 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Dassault Rafale (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Dassault Rafale (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Front line fighter jets were also on show from the Royal Air Force and Aéronavale providing displays. Demonstrating its own sky tearing ability was the Typhoon Solo display (ZK352) from 29 Sqn and flown by Flt Lt Mark Long. A pair of Rafale M aircraft operated by Flotille 11F at Landivisiau showed off the French Navy's abilities
Dassault Rafale (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Dassault Rafale (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Dassault Rafale (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Dassault Falcon 10 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Antonov AN-28 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
NH-90 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Aerospatiale Gazelle (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Westland HM.2 Wildcat (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Westland HM.2 Wildcat & HMA.8 Lynx Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Westland HM.2 Wildcat (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Westland HM.2 Wildcat (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Westland HM.2 Wildcat (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Westland HM.2 Wildcat & HMA.8 Lynx Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Westland HM.2 Wildcat (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
The Assault
The last Show Block on the Air Day is always the
assault. The bad guy's sometimes called "Yeovil irregulars" or like this
year "terrorists". Some of the "terrorists" captured
a All Terrain Armoured Vehicle and a Lorry and took some hostages. This
was the set for the assault Demo of the Royal Marines 40 Commando. The
seven Westland HM.2 Merlin Helicopter used to fly the 40 Commando in. From troop transport and insertion via fast
abseil to underslung loads, it
was truly impressive to see the Merlins thundering about the airfield at
low-level, gear up and in formation. Cover was provided by two
Army Westland Wildcat AH.1s (ZZ410 and ZZ510) operated by 652 Squadron
AAC and top cover was flown by a single BaE Hawk (XX159), from 736 NAS.
The Hawk as replacement for the
Sea Harrier was ridiculous, but the Wildcat was well suited for the Task
of suppressing enemy fire.
Also in this role was a Hughes AH-64 Apache (ZJ223) from the
British Army. On the rocket launcher was stenciled
"GUNSHIP“. As always the good guys of the 40 Commando overwhelmed after
a mock battle the "terrorits" in an
impressive manner.
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
With RNAS Yeovilton Air Day 2016 done and dusted, it’s clear to see why it still holds a rating as one of the biggest and best airshows in the UK. As is usually said, the Commando assault is alone worth attending the show. By the way ... arround 40'000 people watched the Air Day 2016.