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Southwest of the UK tour  (Sat May 23rd till Wed 27th May.

       Back in the early seventies I experienced my first flight on an BN.2 Islander G-AXXH while on holiday with my parents & brother down in Cornwall. I'd always had a interest in aviation though before the Lands End visit as we have family under the flight path of  London Heathrow's runway 27L. I'd sit for hours watching the likes of the smoky classics ..like Boeing 707s,727s,Tridents,Caravelles,Vangaurds and DC8,9s approaching over the house etc.... however.. I always said I'd like to go back some day to visit Lands End and visit where it all started as a young boy getting the aviation bug.... so here I am on a five day trip and visiting where it all started on my first taste of flying....

Day 1) Sat May 23rd....  Very early morning start as I'd arranged a visit to Dunsfold mid morning..  First port of call was London Luton, not being a spotter i just drove round and shot what i could though the fences.. the best being Maltese reg Gulf 650 and German Airbus A319CJ.. then onto Fairoaks where i was hoping to shoot the New Zealand RC690 which has been here for some time.. Although still their, its not parked at all for a shot though with the aircraft being behind a couple of tins in the middle of the field.. but luck would have it as i got escorted out... others of interest their being

 

   Then onto Dunsfold... thanks to Paul Robinson as he had arranged to take me out to shoot the VC10 and the other inmates which were..

 

After Dunsfold and saying thanks to Paul.. i headed over to Lasham where again id managed to get access to shoot the stored stuff...

 

    After Lasham i still had plenty of time to head further south to Southampton or stay around the area and do the likes of Farnborough and Blackbushe as my digs were at Lasham that night.. but after looking on tinternet.. id decided to go to Southampton as i was told that the Aurigny Trislanders were still operating (four flights due in/out) along with a Blue island ATR72 flight due.. 'not shot many Trislanders and no Blue islands ATR72' so it was a no brainer for me.. not much else in here apart from Southampton FC heading to Manchester onboard 9H-AHA Boeing 737-500 for their game with Man City the following day.

 

So after a good start to the trip ending day one i headed back up to Lasham for tea and a good nights kip.....

 

Day 2) Sunday 24th... I had originally hoped to set off from home today and end the day at Bournemouth where my digs tonight were after doing the likes of what i did yesterday today.. but my contacts couldn't accommodate me today so hence why i had a longer stay at Bournemouth today then wanted.. anyway still some tasty stuff at Bournemouth.. although no sign of the executive 747SP or 747-8 which was a shame.. the classic CL44-0 Guppy is still here.. and is looking well tasty and looks airworthy as its apparently been sold in Australia but due to parking fees/CAA isn't going anywhere in a hurry until its bill is paid?? or so i was told by a local.... this ex DTV resident certainly looks the part now having had several engine run ups.. so lets hope it wont be long before its back in the air..

 

so after a longish day it was up to Ringwood for a couple of pints and a chicken Kebab then bed... as early start tomorrow

Day 3) Monday 25th.. My digs tonight were at Newquay so a lot of travelling today while fitting in Exeter and Lands End on the way.... I'd checked on tinternet that three Skybus Twin Otters were due in at Exeter between 09.30am-10.30am.. so an early start to get these rare beasts arriving.. not mush else due, but Thomson/Air Europa 737-8's and several flybe DHC,8's and the stored stuff made it a most worth wile visit..

 

Then off to Lands End... where i was hoping to get some nice close action shots of Skybus DHC,6 Twin Otters and Islanders coming and going.. unfortunately though not today.. the weather was a typical bank holiday, 'low cloud/drizzle'.... St Marys was shut, and on speaking to the Skybus team.. so was Lands End.. Gutted!! on the other hand their was two of each type in so no probs in walking the ramp and working these rare aircraft.  After a spot of lunch i went back to the car and listened to the BORO V Norwich championship final at Wembley.. well not for long as 0-2 down.....urghhhhhhhhh!!  well played Norwich anyway...  so in a nut shell.. not the best of days!!!  so i headed to Newquay.. where after 10 minutes of leaving Lands End it was blue sky... typical!!!

Day 4) Tuesday 26th..  Although Shut to the public, i had managed to arrange a quick tour of the ex Classic Air Force Hanger/ramp at Newquay to shoot the likes of the VC10 and the BAC 1-11 which I'd not shot before.. Nice Varsity (G-BEDV) in their the hanger where the volunteers are doing a fantastic job in restoring it and other fighter aircraft..  Just before the visit though Skybus had two Twin Otters departing and one arriving after the visit.. perfect timing along with a blast round to try and shoot the ex Emirates Airbus A330-200 A6-EAD.. fond memories of this aircraft as this took me from and back to Newcastle for my first visit to the middle east back in 2007..  RIP my friend!!  Not much else happening here apart from a Manx PC12 and several overshoots from a Royal Navy Beech King Air and Synergy Be200 Super King Air arrival.

 

So after Newquay it was back to Exeter where a surprise was waiting on maintenance... Bahrain Government RJ100..Not parked in the best spot so a quick shot and left to Dunkeswell to shoot the three Parachute Beech 99s their, not mush here apart from tins and helicopters etc then off to Bristol Lulsgate, where i spent the rest of the afternoon/early evening before heading to Wroughton where my digs were for the night..

 

Day 5) Wednesday 27th.. I had a 9am visit booked.. This place again, 'is not open to the public' so with out doubt the reason for the trip in the first place and planning everything around this visit.. getting in here is a bonus as ive not shot any of the inmates before.. although the aircraft are packed in and not the best for shots.. their are some classics in here along with some tasty old vehicles etc.. of which i could have looked at for ages..

 

So... now heading back home.. first on the list was Kemble... always tasty here with something getting scrapped...  or being stored.. but for me a bonus was eventually getting into the Lufthansa Technik hanger and shooting the VFW614 in their.. not the best of shots as it was a nightmare fitting it in..

 

Then onto Birmingham ...

 

and lastly.. until darkness was East Mids for the Cargo stuff arriving...

 

and home...

 

Thanks as always goes to Kevin Perry for his input, Paul Robinson, Chris   ,Janet Marshall, Tony Best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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