Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

ImageLogs and news on European airfields outside the Benelux, Germany, Ireland and the UK.

Forum rules
Image
User avatar
Bennie
Scramble Master
Scramble Master
Posts: 16441
Joined: 02 Mar 2009, 15:12
Type of spotter: Military (numbers & photography)
Subscriber Scramble: Ofcourse
Location: @ home, @ work or elsewhere in the world!

Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Bennie »

March 4th traffic:
CTM1071 (F-RAJA)
RRR5710 (ZH874)
Ben
Scramble member, reader & contributor since 1984
User avatar
Starman
Scramble Die-Hard
Scramble Die-Hard
Posts: 962
Joined: 26 Jul 2005, 21:01
Subscriber Scramble: Starman

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Starman »

The Rafair C-130J would have been supporting 4 Hawks from 100 sqn: CF/XX202, CI/XX321, CJ/XX329 & CQ/(184). Don't for a minute think Serpentex is like TLP! Zara (as she is known locally) is active from 07.15Z thru 17.15Z (although 17.25 was more accurate today, and it was too dark for an old man such as I to read M2000s at that time (and too cold). Ah, is raining, we drink coffee. Ah the sun has come out, we have lunch. Ah, it's 12.30, the Ajaccio Spotters Club get on to take photos, really :cry: Between all that some Adel'A stuff flew thus:
Mirage 2000D; 3-XJ/602, 30-IL/622 (99% sure it was 30 and not 3), 3-JN/658, 3-JI/675, 3-XM/680 plus 2000Ns 125-BS/374 with 125-CM(372) noted Friday. And another 125- (if anyone has facebook there should be the ASC photos soon). There were a total of 11 M.MMs there.
Rafale; 30-EF/102, 4-IX/119, 30-HW/324 and 30-I(M) - too dark, singe seater plus 4-GW/144 on Friday, from a total of 7 - another of which was 4-HE.
Puma AS332 PP/(2093) plus one coded "AX", plus two Fennecs, "VM" & "VR".
C-160 64-GC/203 plus CASA 235 62-IE/071 both temp-based. A Lightning pod equipped D- Lear Jet was also active, as well as the aforementioned Hawks.
Back at the Gite for afternoon tea, strugging with the coffee machine and B-52 60022 flew past, the 2nd one of an anticipated pair broke and failed to make it!
The main gate is still guarded by the last production Vautour and there is a tatty looking, but reasonably complete Mirage F-1 near the southern shelters and visible from the lane. A Mirage IIIE should still be preserved near the flight line.
Yesterday (09/03) around 16.30 local a C-135FR made a T & G as we were deplaning from the Air Corsica A320, any offers? It recovered Zara-wards but was not there first light this morning :evil:
Some photos, maybe, when I get home!
Last edited by Starman on 16 Mar 2016, 20:35, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
Bennie
Scramble Master
Scramble Master
Posts: 16441
Joined: 02 Mar 2009, 15:12
Type of spotter: Military (numbers & photography)
Subscriber Scramble: Ofcourse
Location: @ home, @ work or elsewhere in the world!

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Bennie »

March 15th visitors (still there Mr. D?): AME1205 (2x F18).
Ben
Scramble member, reader & contributor since 1984
Sentry
Posts: 12
Joined: 18 Sep 2013, 16:36
Location: Corsica

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Sentry »

Hello

Hi Starman, we have seen each other in the (rainy) morning :mrgreen:

AMX and F-18 have indeed landed in Zara yesterday

Some pictures of last Thursday:

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

one GBU-24 mark :bday:

Image
User avatar
Bennie
Scramble Master
Scramble Master
Posts: 16441
Joined: 02 Mar 2009, 15:12
Type of spotter: Military (numbers & photography)
Subscriber Scramble: Ofcourse
Location: @ home, @ work or elsewhere in the world!

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Bennie »

Heads up D: AME1505 (2x EF18) expected, aswell as BAF617 (CE-02).
Ben
Scramble member, reader & contributor since 1984
User avatar
Starman
Scramble Die-Hard
Scramble Die-Hard
Posts: 962
Joined: 26 Jul 2005, 21:01
Subscriber Scramble: Starman

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Starman »

With all due respect to my new Corsican buddies, your winter weather is not the best, but Starwoman needed a holiday so there we were. Actually I was only "logging" thru the lens, but you can get really close to the threshold so just for a sample of what's available: the out of focus Mirage shot is just there for the 9 star badge, representing the nine airmen who perished at TLP.

BTW as stated the SERPENTEX complement was 11 Mirage 2000s, including 602, 622, (627), (653), 658, 675, 680, 372 (not conf) & 374 plus two, 7 Rafas; 102/30EF, 105/4KE, 109/4IM, 119/4IX, 144/4GW, 324/30HW & (--8/--) (brackets = See Facebook), the four Hawks, two each Pumas, Fenecs & Transports and assorted transients.

Image

Image

and yes, the based helos do carry a serial, at the front, and in the same font just left of the "armee de la'air" titles -

Image
Last edited by Starman on 29 May 2016, 10:17, edited 3 times in total.
User avatar
Bennie
Scramble Master
Scramble Master
Posts: 16441
Joined: 02 Mar 2009, 15:12
Type of spotter: Military (numbers & photography)
Subscriber Scramble: Ofcourse
Location: @ home, @ work or elsewhere in the world!

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Bennie »

The bad winter weather doesn't really show on your 2nd image, 9-star man! :wink:
Ben
Scramble member, reader & contributor since 1984
User avatar
CBR
Scramble Addict
Scramble Addict
Posts: 1311
Joined: 28 Jul 2010, 12:54
Subscriber Scramble: Ja
Location: omgeving EHGR & EHWO

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by CBR »

Thanks for the post, interesting report 8)
User avatar
Starman
Scramble Die-Hard
Scramble Die-Hard
Posts: 962
Joined: 26 Jul 2005, 21:01
Subscriber Scramble: Starman

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Starman »

In a vain attempt to keep this thread live I'm reposting thanks to the wonders of the WWW.

The 7th Rafale was 118/4-IW.
Some missing 2000Ds are/were 620/3-IU and 674/3-IR, and the following were confirmed 627/3-JO & 653/3-AU, an additional N was 366/125-BC, so more than 11!
An extra Hawk appears to be XX191 (uncoded, see http://avax.news/pictures/209330)
The Fenecs are VM/5431 & VR/5448
On one day at least the Spanish were 12-08 & 12-24 and another they were 15-18/C15.31 & 15-38/C15.25.
An AMX.T graphed by a local was "043" so should be MM55043/51.81
If the sun is out and the wind is behaving Zara is a great place for pix until Jean and Darme - thanks mate - appear, but it's not non-stop action, you will need a bottle or two of the rather pleasant Corse AC, an understated but fruity brew, and there is a Motel 6 alternative at the end of the lane so you don't have to drive far! Hic! The locals told the northern end is better for pix, but a 2 mile walk up the beach and hiding in the long grass is "de rigeur" non merci!
Last edited by Starman on 23 Mar 2016, 21:39, edited 2 times in total.
Sentry
Posts: 12
Joined: 18 Sep 2013, 16:36
Location: Corsica

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Sentry »

The "locals" told you the opposite in fact, we went there and it's not as great all. Best place is where you were!

This week we have Belgian F-16s
User avatar
Hurricane
Scramble Master
Scramble Master
Posts: 5402
Joined: 05 Oct 2003, 18:03
Type of spotter: F4 + H5
Subscriber Scramble: Hurricane
Location: EHVB

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Hurricane »

Sentry wrote:The "locals" told you the opposite in fact, we went there and it's not as great all. Best place is where you were!
This week we have Belgian F-16s
Are these the F-16's that came from Gando?
Groeten,
Ron
Sentry
Posts: 12
Joined: 18 Sep 2013, 16:36
Location: Corsica

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Sentry »

Belgian F-16s seen:

FA-87,69,110(Spitfire skin),116
User avatar
Starman
Scramble Die-Hard
Scramble Die-Hard
Posts: 962
Joined: 26 Jul 2005, 21:01
Subscriber Scramble: Starman

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Starman »

... and the last word on Serpentex goes to the lucky "man with no father" who got a helo ride one day ... from the lane the 'Awks and the tops of the first 5 M.MM tails can be seen, the rest of les vites jets are behind a mound!

Image

Au revoir La Corse!
Sentry
Posts: 12
Joined: 18 Sep 2013, 16:36
Location: Corsica

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Sentry »

5x F-15B/D and a KC-707 from Israel Air Force yesterday

Image

Image

Image
User avatar
Sjoerd
Scramble Addict
Scramble Addict
Posts: 1866
Joined: 26 Nov 2002, 16:46
Location: underneath the AMC route

Re: Solenzara (LFKS) 2016 MIL

Post by Sjoerd »

Remarkable and great to see them up in the European theatre again! Full larger pictures and serials can be found on this forum http://spottingaviation.forumactif.com/ ... ses#178368 here.
-Good intell, allows for good decision making!-
Post Reply

Return to “Spotting Rest of Europe”