Location: Royal Navy Air Station Yeovilton
Date: 5th July, 2009
What should have been a celebration of 100 years of Naval Aviation turned into a bit of a clag-laden damp squib. The forecast wasn't good, but what actually transpired was even worse. A thick, grey layer of cloud - barely exceeding 1000ft for most of the time - sat over the airfield and played havoc with the flying display. What flew was often restricted to a series of flypasts - although the Sea Vixen managed a flat display - if it managed to get airborne at all. The list of attending aircraft was, by 2009 standards, pretty special with the French sending Air Force and Navy Rafales; a French Navy Hawkeye; Spanish (and RN) Harriers; French and Portuguese Lynxes and a German Atlantic making a rare UK appearance.
Two of the four Dutch F-16s which were on display, J-138 and J-868.
All four now with J-201 and J-881 to the fore.
The special tail of Hawk XX159.
French Navy Lynx HAS4(FN) 807 flying the flag.
Parked next door was a Portuguese Lynx 95, 19203.
19203
French Navy Rafala M 19 in the static display.
A rare airshow appearancer for a pair of Spanish Navy EAV-8B Harriers. This is VA.1B-37/01-925.
The second Spanish Harrier, VA.1B-36/01-924.
Tail markings on the French Navy Hawkeye, 2.
2
The were many Sea Kings on display. This is Qinetiq-operated Mk.4X, ZB506.
Sea King HAS6 XV712/66 in Tiger markings.
Two Sea King HAS3s from the RAF - XZ597/M and ZH545/Z.
Two Navy Sea Kings heading off for the flypast - XV671/183 and XV648/818.
Sea King HU5 ZA134 'Ace of Clubs'
Cobham Aviation Falcon 20s G-FRAU and G-FRAF preparing to take-off.
Hawks XX281 and XX301 rolling.
XX157 and XX337 complete the Hawk flyers.
Seafire SX336/VL-105 getting airborne.
German Navy Atlantic 6103 complete with special 'Graf Zeppelin' tail markings.
6103
There were also many Lynxes around. Here are XZ726/302 and XZ239/633.
XZ235/EE-435 is a Lynx HAS3S(ICE) equipped for work with the Antarctic exploration ship HMS Endurance.
XZ736/436 with XZ235 and XZ239/633 at the rear.
