View allAll Photos Tagged hc3
Pictured are a special formation of Chinooks from 18 & 27 Sqn, part of their 100th anniversary celebrations.
On Wednesday 14 September a very special formation left RAF Odiham bound for the south coast of England but tactical camouflage was not on the agenda! In the past 18 months three Chinook aircraft have been painted to celebrate the 100th anniversaries of 18(B) and 27 Squadron from RAF Odiham and 28 Squadron from RAF Benson.
With the first of the helicopters expected to be returned to standard operational markings in the near future this opportunity was integrated in to a formation training sortie which tested the crews’ ability to plan and execute some very unique tasks. With it being so complex the mission was, unusually, briefed the day prior to launch and each crew walked through the various maneouvres in the hangar, in what is colloquially known as a ‘rock drill.’ At the hour they walked for their aircraft each member had a firm grasp of the planned movements which enabled them to focus on maintaining strict safety margins.
The day itself was only the end of a long road though, with preparation having begun over 6 months ago. Operational restraints cancelled the first planned date in June and the only other window where all three aircraft were available concurrently was identified as being this week.
RAF Odiham’s dedicated and professional engineering teams were therefore faced with generating three very specific airframes to complete this sortie whilst concurrently deploying multiple others to support exercises in Sweden and onboard HMS Ocean and providing manpower to flying detachments in the United States and elsewhere. They succeeded and the results of their efforts are clearly seen.The Serco team who painted the Chinooks at Odiham, each in the space of two intense weeks, were invited to see the three lined up on the dispersal together for what may be the first and only time – a moment they had waited a long time to see.
As for the stunning imagery seen here, that could certainly not have been captured without the generous contribution of 657 Sqn Army Air Corps, also based at RAF Odiham, who integrated a Lynx aircraft with the formation to act as a camera platform. This again provided a valuable training opportunity for dissimilar types to operate together, all the while having to maintain awareness of the other’s capabilities and limitations.
-------------------------------------------------------
© Crown Copyright 2014
Photographer: Sergeant Dave Rose RAF
Image 45160384.jpg from www.defenceimages.mod.uk
This image is available for high resolution download at www.defenceimagery.mod.uk subject to the terms and conditions of the Open Government License at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/. Search for image number 45160384.jpg
For latest news visit www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence
Follow us:
Royal Navy EHI EH-101 Merlin HC3's ZJ119 & ZJ120 carrying out hot refueling at RAF Leeming before departing South bound.
26/10/20
With her larger 'cheek' fuel tanks very much in evidence Royal Air Force Boeing Chinook HC.3 ZH898 squats in the corner of No.27 Squadron's huge hangar at RAF Odiham.
Still displaying the Union Jack on her rear rotor head she was one of two used in relief support out in Nepal recently following the Earthquake tragedy that occurred there.
HDR Tonemapping best displayed on black by pressing 'L'
DSCN6629
Back with a BANG - Yeovilton's 'wall of fire' for the 2018 Air Day finale!
This year just 4 choppers and 2 fast jets took part - a mere spark of the days when 16 or more helicopters and several Sea Harriers would liven up the action there - let alone all the troops and vehicles on the ground
IMG_5798
The last Junglie Merlin helicopter, Quebec 'Q' caught it low level prior to going in for upgrades and a lick of paint to come out as a Commando airframe.
Pictured are a special formation of Chinooks from 18,27 & 28 Sqn, part of their 100th anniversary celebrations.
On Wednesday 14 September a very special formation left RAF Odiham bound for the south coast of England but tactical camouflage was not on the agenda! In the past 18 months three Chinook aircraft have been painted to celebrate the 100th anniversaries of 18(B) and 27 Squadron from RAF Odiham and 28 Squadron from RAF Benson.
With the first of the helicopters expected to be returned to standard operational markings in the near future this opportunity was integrated in to a formation training sortie which tested the crews’ ability to plan and execute some very unique tasks. With it being so complex the mission was, unusually, briefed the day prior to launch and each crew walked through the various maneouvres in the hangar, in what is colloquially known as a ‘rock drill.’ At the hour they walked for their aircraft each member had a firm grasp of the planned movements which enabled them to focus on maintaining strict safety margins.
The day itself was only the end of a long road though, with preparation having begun over 6 months ago. Operational restraints cancelled the first planned date in June and the only other window where all three aircraft were available concurrently was identified as being this week.
RAF Odiham’s dedicated and professional engineering teams were therefore faced with generating three very specific airframes to complete this sortie whilst concurrently deploying multiple others to support exercises in Sweden and onboard HMS Ocean and providing manpower to flying detachments in the United States and elsewhere. They succeeded and the results of their efforts are clearly seen.The Serco team who painted the Chinooks at Odiham, each in the space of two intense weeks, were invited to see the three lined up on the dispersal together for what may be the first and only time – a moment they had waited a long time to see.
As for the stunning imagery seen here, that could certainly not have been captured without the generous contribution of 657 Sqn Army Air Corps, also based at RAF Odiham, who integrated a Lynx aircraft with the formation to act as a camera platform. This again provided a valuable training opportunity for dissimilar types to operate together, all the while having to maintain awareness of the other’s capabilities and limitations.
-------------------------------------------------------
© Crown Copyright 2014
Photographer: Sergeant Dave Rose RAF
Image 45160387.jpg from www.defenceimages.mod.uk
This image is available for high resolution download at www.defenceimagery.mod.uk subject to the terms and conditions of the Open Government License at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/. Search for image number 45160387.jpg
For latest news visit www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence
Follow us:
Lifting from the floor of what was once a T2 Hangar at the disused WWII airfield at Davidstow Moor, 1st December 2015
A Royal Air Force Chinook helicopter is pictured carrying an Army Land Rover as part of Exercise Wessex Thunder.
RAF Chinooks from RAF Odiham taking part in Exercise Wessex Thunder (Ex WT) on Salisbury Plain. Ex WT saw 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) working with the Omani Western Frontier Regiment from the Royal Omani Army over a 2 week lonf exercise which concluded in a co-ordinated attack on the urban warfare training facility at Copehill Down. 2 PARA launched the initial assault with the Omani troops arriving by two Chinook's to reinforce the paras and complete the capture of the village.
The Chinook's also moved vehicles around the plain as underslung loads.
Royal Air Force Odiham is situated in North Hampshire, 46 Miles south west of London . The nearest large town is Basingstoke, 7 miles to the West. The working population of the Station is about 2,000, of which around 100 are civilians.
Royal Air Force Odiham operates three Support Helicopter (SH) squadrons and one Army Air Corps (AAC) Lynx squadron. A conversion flight is incorporated in one of SH squadrons. The flying units are supported by Forward Support Wing, which provides 2nd line aircraft, equipment engineering and logistics support, and by Base Support Wing, which manages the Station infrastructure, finance, welfare and other support tasks. Ops Wing is responsible for co-ordinating all aspects of operational and logistic output and also manages the airfield services.
Nos 7, 18 (B) and 27 squadrons, equipped with the Chinook HC2, HC2A and HC3 and No 657 Squadron (AAC) with its Lynx AH7s, operate in support of NATO and UK interests worldwide, providing direct support to the Army. No 18 (B) Squadron additionally operates a training flight to convert pilots and crewmen to fly the Chinook. The Joint Helicopter Support Squadron is also based at Royal Air Force Odiham and deploys with the squadrons to provide specialist underslung load support and landing site management in
-------------------------------------------------------
© Crown Copyright 2013
Photographer: Sgt Ross Tilly
Image 45155113.jpg from www.defenceimages.mod.uk
This image is available for high resolution download at www.defenceimagery.mod.uk subject to the terms and conditions of the Open Government License at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/. Search for image number 45155113.jpg
For latest news visit www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence
Follow us: