The Swiss Are Coming: Part 1

By Jason Gore

With a week off and holiday to use (what house-renovation?) I decided a week in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire was on the cards.

Basing around Lincoln, I made Waddington my first stop. Time to see the Reds on work up at their ‘new’ home.

The plan for the whole week of #RelentlessPursuit is to not rush, declutter the brain and get back to doing something that makes me want to get out of bed. Armed with just the D800 and the Tamron 150-600, I was set.

 Enid depart for Sortie1

Arriving just as the sun was rising I parked up at the south side of the airfield. The downside was that the runway is out of sight, so you have to be ready. Scanner on I was listening to Reds 6 and 7 (Syncro Pair), and ‘Enid’ Reds 1-5 going through warm up. I knew I was going to see something, but who first? Turns out it was Syncro, up for 30 minutes to practice 2 ses of manoeuvres. Listening in on the chatter was rather fun, aside from the ‘smoke-on’ calls were the formation cues and inter pair chatter to discuss how that went and what could be improved.

After the pair recovered, it was time for Enid. 5 ships launched but hidden 4 and by now, I was ready to move to “The W.A.V.E.”, a mythical place that is where all spotters tend to gather (it also has a wagon with hot food and drink). It was here I spent most of the day. With the practice happening directly overhead, it was a shooting dream. Blue sky, sunshine and the end of the runway all in sight.

One of the bonuses of shooting at the Wave is that you are both under and ‘behind’ the display, so it’s a time to get those not normally seen shots. I’ve worked out that Work Ups are now a favoured time, the displays are nicely polished and a result of the 3 or 4 sorties a day practicing and de-briefing, but the pre Springhawk training exercise is where all that comes to show.

QRA recovery

 2 of the 4 lining up for a rapid launch

I do have to say though that despite thoroughly enjoying the day, by 2pm the weather was clouding over, and the decision was made to head to Coningsby to see any Tiffie action. I knew it was going to be quiet with 29sqn away, but I wasn’t prepared for a dead airfield. Though there was a QRA/practice ongoing, and the wether was closing in more. after the first of the 2ship landed, we went to the other end, and waited, and waited and the rain came and we waited. Eventually a 4 ship rolled out and disappeared into the murk. By now the ‘sunset’ had been and gone and the wet was soaking the desire to stay, so off to find the hotel for the night (yes Rich, no Chateaux this trip – real hotels!)