I've been meaning to get up here for quite a while now. Cottesmore has a good reputation as a friendly and very accessible airfield for photography, but is also known be very quiet with little activity from the based Harriers while the Afghanistan commitment is ongoing. A friday morning is also not the best time to visit a RAF station but activity was quite good considering.

The little known show at Rougham is one of the best kept secrets on the UK airshow scene. Given some decent weather, the opportunites for photography here are superb. It also happens to be my nearest annual airshow. 2008 saw some decent weather for the most part. In contrast Duxford Flying Legends was plagued by grey skies, a visit to photograph the visit of US based B-17 'Liberty Belle' earlier in the week prior to the Legends show ended in frustation when the photographs were, for the most part, unusable.

A long overdue update of shots from RAF Marham. These include a few from the 2008 families day but mostly are shots from the approach at either end. Still not the easiest place to take pics and just as quiet as it's always been. Maybe the planned replacement of the Afghanistan Harrier detachment in 2009 by Tornado GR4's will mean a increase in flying as the squadrons train for the changeover.

Pictures from the first two visits in 2008 to the old favourite. A few changes to the Typhoon fleet here have taken place since my last visits in late 2007 although there seems to be a gradual slow down in the working up of the Typhoon fleet now that a deployment to Afghanistan is no longer imminent. The FGR4 variant is now becoming quite common.

Two early shows from the 2008 calender. Duxford was the usual season opener and Biggin Hill is the first show which the RAF commit to with the majority of it's displays acts.

A selection of pictures from a brief but highly informative and interesting visit to Wattisham, hosted with great enthusiasm by REME and 3 Regiment, AAC. Until quite recently any photography access to the AAC frontline units at Wattisham was all but impossible so many thanks to the units for granting the time from their very busy schedule. This album will also contain pictures shot from the outside in 2008.

Two days back-to-back upto one of my favourite haunts at Coningsby. Finding two available days which promised at least reasonable weather in the summer of 2007 was going to be difficult but the prospect of a small detachment of Italian Air Force Typhoons was to much to resist. A massive bonus was the launch and recovery of the two armed QRA aircraft from 3 Sqn on the second day, barely a few weeks after standing up. A further visit on a cold, but clear day in October saw the QRA jets returning following a practise scramble.

The second weekend of June, 2007 saw the surprise appearance at Wattisham of a pair of Polet Airlines An-124's returning 3 Regiment Apache's from training in the USA. This was by far the largest aircraft to ever land at Wattisham and the first heavy airlifter since two visits by RAF 99 Sqn C-17's some years ago. Word reached the local enthusiasts quite early on, despite inital disbelief that it would actually occur, and a fair crowd gathered for both arrivals. In April 2008, a second Antonov arrived on a wednesday morning bringing back another batch of Apache's from Arizona. Carrying Antonov design bureau markings, this departed on the friday afternoon.

Another album of shots taken at RAF Mildenhall. Most of these shots have been taken over weekend visits, although the amount of activity early in the year seems to have taken a sharp drop. The MH-53s have gone, although rumours of C-17s operating out of the base on a rotating TDY seem interesting.

Two shows that in 2006 gave good opportunities for photography. Rougham is one of the best places in the UK to get some close action with warbirds and the last Duxford show of the year brings some nice lighting in the afternoon - if the weather obliges. Rougham 2007 was very much a washout with it raining throughout the day and Duxford suffered from cloud (usually at the wrong moment).

Photos taken during visits to Lakenheath in 2007. Amongst the highlights so far, have been the deployment of the A-10A's from the 81st Fighter Squadron as their regular base at Spangdahlem, Germany had closed due to runway repairs. A deployment of Turkish Air Force F-16s to Alaska in July also stayed overnight. September saw the Swedish Airforce deploy a number of JAS-39C/D Gripens for a weeks long exercise with the 493rd FS and their F-15C/Ds.

A follow on from the previous Wattisham residents and visitors gallery. From early 2007 all further pictures from my local base will go here - unless something warrants it's own special gallery! I haven't concentrated on Wattisham too much this year for several reasons. Many of the operational residents have been away for much of the first half of the year. Apaches, far more than most types need good sunlight to produce even a half decent picture and the base security force seem to have fallen back into their old ways again making it difficult to spend anytime on the fenceline without being pestered - apparently AAC operations are a secret.....??

A mixed bag for what was supposed to be the height of summer in 2007. A few shots taken on Marham approach during a rare couple of hours sunshine in the last week of July and the base families day later that same week for which I had obtained a ticket. The following day saw my annual visit to Lowestoft seafront for their eleventh show. My annual report on this event at Air-Scene UK had come to the attention of the organizers and I was kindly invited to the commentary position to photograph this years show.

Further Typhoon shots at RAF Coningsby although unfortunately the first day I was able to visit in 2007 was the day after the Jaguars of 6 Sqn disbanded so I unknowingly photographed my last Jaguar's in 2006. Having missed the 2007 Waddington due to cancellation on the Sunday I made a two day visit the following week to shoot the Indian Air Force Su-30 detachment. As has become a poor joke in 2007, the weather was not the greatest so the images are not of good standard. Hosting the delegation from India was the Tornado F-3s from 25(F) Sqn, deployed from Leeming for the duration.

A return to a event I last visited back in 2001. This was the first show this year in which the new RAF 'role demo' was to be demonstrated, and it was keenly anticipated. Despite a few minor faults it did live upto it's billing and should be further developed at venues later in the year. The superb weather of that weekend deserted Biggin Hill for much of the sunday, which seemed to be the only cloudy location in the country on that day!

A one off event to introduce the memorial flight on its 50th anniversary year was held at Duxford in early May prior to the usual airshow season. All the flights aircraft (including the two Chipmunks) were present, along with a original BBMF Spitfire now operated by Rolls-Royce and the 29 Sqn Typhoon display also performed for the first time this year.

Ipswich Aviation Society paid a long arranged visit to the 48th Fighter Wing at Lakenheath on the 5th May 2006. It's been many years since I've been inside Lakenheath as they no longer hold any form of public airshow (with the loss of Mildenhall there's a idea) so the chance to photograph from inside the fence what I've been doing from the outside for many years was too good to miss. The trip was a little lacking on the aircraft front but was a interesting chance to see the bases facilities from the inside. A second visit inside Lakenheath with another local aviation society was coming up short with numbers so the opportunity for a further visit in 2007 was also snapped up. Also taking place on a friday we were lucky that flying carried on later into the afternoon and some further opportunities were available that were not on the first visit, with thanks to the 492nd FS who were our hosts for the day.

My first trip to photograph civil heavies for many years - and what better place for them than London Heathrow. These were shot initally on 27R from a industrial park followed by the famous Myrtle Drive after the switch to 27L in the afternoon. Captions are a bit basic as I'm not really knowledgeable on airliners but the sheer volume of traffic makes for a lot of practise!

Further Mildenhall shots from early 2007 onwards. Many of these will have been taken on a saturday as at this time of year it's next to impossible for me to get out anywhere further during the week and this is the only base that will regularly operate on a weekend. Even so, it's very much a hit and miss affair with often next to nothing happening. Luckly, a early success was the capture of a flight of Polish F-16's departing on the final leg of their delivery flight.

Early November saw my final trip upto Lincolnshire for 2006. 3rd of November was also the date that the resident Typhoon units planned to fly a diamond nine of F2s for a photoshot which would include a overflight of the base. Unfortunately, a series of camera failures at the worst possible time meant I shot just the one image of the flypast!!

Back in 1996 I spent 10 days on the East coast of the US touring military airfields. The tour organier had arranged access to several of the bases we visited. These pics were all taken on a old Olympus OM10 (my first SLR) and have been scanned from small 6x4 prints so the quality is nowhere near up to modern standards.

I can't get enough of this base. A varied selection of fast jets based and a large number of visiting types overshooting, easy access at both ends of the runway, and no problems with the base or locals that I'm aware of. What's not to like!! I just wish it was a little closer. This album contains pictures taken on a further visit in October, aided by the purchase of a tall step ladder for shooting over the fence.

The combined collection of the three shows that I attended at Duxford in 2006. The May season opener and the September shows were not blessed with the best of weather. A varied selection of modern and vintage aircraft were present at both shows. In 2005 the Autumn show was the first event I attended with the new digital SLR camera so it's now been a year of digital photography. This year boasted a more impressive line than ever before including the French national display team, The Patrouille de France and the Belgian F-16 solo. At the third attempt this year it was also the first I've attended in decent weather! A few of these shots were taken on the saturday prior to the show when I popped over to catch some of the practise routines.

Another visit to Coningsby in late September found most of the resident units operating, with the exception of 17 Squadron but this was offset by several Lossiemouth Tornado GR4s on detachment. 3 Squadron has recieved further jets and I also found some new positions to shoot from.

These really ought to be in the visitors folder but I thought better of it given the subject matter and quality of the images. I'd been given a indication a few weeks previously that these would drop in to Wattisham enroute to the Leuchars Airshow that coming weekend, although the actual arrival time wasn't known and the tip off was confidential. After waiting six hours I was just about to give up on them when 'Czech Airforce 410' was heard talking to Watttisham approach. Both the weather and sun was good, and the Czech's were kind enough to make a run in and break, giving two approachs with the camera - very nice!

My first Rougham Air Display for quite a few years. Back in the days when this was a small scale fly-in I used to marshall visiting light aircraft here but the event has grown into a fully fledged air display in my absence. Rougham has a priceless advantage over most other shows - it has 'L' shaped dog-leg to it's display line which means the aircraft will bank over and turn the top corner. For photographer's, this gives some superb shots as many of the display aircraft will pull around tight. Even the more restrained and careful acts (like BBMF and 'Sally B') seem to let loose a bit here - much to the photographer's delight.

Two local events a few weeks apart. I've never been to the Colchester Military Festival before and infact, had never heard of it until a few days before hand. I had no idea what to expect but found it great fun with a large collection of re-enactment groups and displays from virtually all Army trades. The static Apache display is covered elsewhere so this folder contains images from 16 Air Assault Brigade's open day. Lowestoft Seafront Airshow celebrated it's tenth anniversary this year and I've attended everyone to date. I have mixed feelings about this, as a free event it deserves to be supported but as a photographer it has become increasingly frustrating as the display line is pushed further and further seaward every year. I suppose the 2002 crash of the GR.7 did not really help regarding this but extreme measures appear to have been taken. Still, it's another good day out.

I've been planning to return here for quite a while now, as my last visit was over ten years ago when Tornado F3s were the main resident. Quite a lot has changed. A few F3s remain with the FJ&WOEU and Southern QRA but the base has recently been refurbished to become the inital Typhoon operating location with the Operational Evaluation Unit, Operational Conversion unit and first frontline sqn forming during July 2006; Add the BBMF and the last remaining Jaguar sqn that moved here when Coltishall closed and you can see that the airfield is not another Marham and is very active. An added bonus is that Coningsby has always had a reputation for having a good relationship with aircraft spotters/photographers and access all around the airfield is relatively easy and trouble free. The BBMF hangar is even open most days to public visits. The first batch of pics were taken on 25th July 2006 and a second visit followed a week later.

This is a series of photographs taken at close quarters of one of the Wattisham based Apache AH1's. I've had several requests (mainly from modellers) since starting this website for such images but besides a few shot on a compact camera in the hangar at last years 3 Regiment open day the opportunity had not, until now arisen. No British Army Apache has been on static display at any public UK airshow so far this year until the Colchester Military Festival on the 15th July when one was shown to the public. These images show ZJ203 in the usual training fit when operating from Wattisham. ZJ203 was the 37th UK Apache built and appears to carry all the latest HIDAS 'bumps' that are working their way through the fleet. It was delivered to 3 Regiment in November 2005.

The airshow I look forward to the most during the year. It's not a near impossible slog like RIAT but is still big enough to attract most of the major UK displays. A few years ago the event reached a peak in international participation and managed to retain a enthusiast friendly approach to photography. Standards have unfortunatley declined sharply in the last two years and the 2006 event had virtually no overseas participation in the flying programme and little in the static park. While hoping for a return to form for 2007 the 2006 show was blessed with superb weather.

As these three events are closely linked in location and time I've grouped them together. Southern Dawn is another in the series of deployment exercises linked with forthcoming deployments to the Middle East, with 9 Regiment aircraft and RAF Chinooks deploying to Wattisham for a two week period. 4 Regiment also held a small families day with AAC and local RAF displays during the mid point weekend and the following day, through a rather rushed and fortunate series of events I flew with one of the deployed RAF Chinooks during a short flight over STANTA and Thetford - great fun.

Southend is one of several coastal towns in the UK that holds a annual seafront airshow. The advantage it has over most of the others is that the town also operates a small commercial airport just a few miles away from the seafront from which most of the aircraft are able to operate. Quite sensibly, the airport authorities know a opportunity when they see one and open the airport for public viewing for a modest fee! I'd never done Southend before so didn't know what to expect and came away rather impressed!

3 Regiment deployed most of the units new Apache's alongside it's older Lynx during exercise 'Crimson Hurdle' in early May as a major test of it's readiness prior being declared operational on the new aircraft. Parked amongst the old HAS site at Woodbridge next to Rendlesham forest, the fine weather and late evening sunset made for some interesting shots. I was lucky enough to have one of these images published in the local East Anglian newspaper on the 20th of May.

RAF Mildenhall is a few miles away from Lakenheath and is the only other USAF airfield in the UK that permanetly operates aircraft. Activity here has gradually wound down since the end of the cold war with a single Air Refuelling Squadron with KC-135Rs and a Special Operations Group with a mixture of C-130 variants and MH-53 helicopters remaining as the only residents. Transiting aircraft are quite rare nowadays, most go straight to Europe or stop at other UK airfields, including civil airports with Prestwick in Scotland as a common example. Unfortunately for photographers, the base has acquired a terrible reputation amongst US crews for operating a awful ATC service and it's ability to lose flightplans has become quite legendary - more than one transiting crew has been overheard saying they will never return! The two bases ability to control their aircraft in UK airspace and follow NOTAMs - as is required - is none to special either!

Further images shot at Lakenheath during the first quarter of 2006. Includes some ground shots and also now includes a few transits and visitors. Air National Guard F-15C/Ds and RAF Tucano's are the latest updates.

Taken during a media day that 801 Naval Air Squadron held at Yeovilton on the 14th of March, barely two weeks to disbandment and the withdrawal of the few remaining Royal Navy Sea Harrier's still flying. Poor weather - as usual - marred the display but it was a wonderful chance to photograph the Sea Harrier operating for the last time.

Soon to be the only RAF fast jet airfield in East Anglia (would we have believed that twenty years ago!), Marham is a large airfield and it's future appears to be largely secure due to the bases forthcoming role as a major 'hub' for Tornado operations and servicing. The 24 approach is quite good for photographs although the rest of the field is difficult at best and the base does not like photographers down on the perimeter fence. Still, with some planning (and luck) good results can be obtained.

These are scanned from prints that are getting on for twenty years old. The image sizes are smaller to hide some of the shortcomings. For anybody local to me who needs old prints scanned into their computer and doesn't have the equipment to do so I'd recommend a certain supermarket on the first retail park heading into Ipswich from Stowmarket. Their photography department is a pleasure to work with and would be helpful to anybody taking any digital or film photography for processing. Many thanks. I hope to add more here as I get others from a large collection scanned.

Most of these folders will be aviation or military related - it's just my hobby! This will be for some of the other stuff I've shot which I think might be of interest.

My photographs taken at RAF Lakenheath will be broken down into several files in time as being local I tend to visit the field quite often! Lakenheath is frustrating; excellent photographs can be obtained from the 24 approach but that's just about all that can be achieved here. The resident 70+ F-15s from the wings three squadrons can usually be relied upon to provide plenty of opportunities however. This one unit probably flies at a higher tempo than the complete RAF frontline fast jet fleet!!

The various warbird collections based at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford are displayed at several airshows each year. The autumn show is generally the last major show of the UK season and attracts a reasonable number of participants from elsewhere.

RAF Coltishall in Norfolk had long been the home to the remaining RAF Jaguar squadrons. As one of the many cutbacks forced upon the country's armed forces in 2004 was the annoucement that the station would close in 2006 and the one remaining Jaguar unit would serve it's final year at Coningsby. Coltishall has always maintained a enviable reputation as the most photographer friendly airfield in the UK, with easy viewing and no obvious heavy handed security restrictions. In fact the base attempts to accommodate us as much as is possible and will be greatly missed amongst the UK aviation photography community. Little work has been done on the infrastructure at Coltishall in the post war years and the base was the last surviving fighter station from the summer of 1940 to still operate fast jets. Some of these images were taken in November 2005 and the final group from the flypast at the Coltishall's closing parade on the 1st April 2006 (not a inspired choice by somebody).

Two small local events form 2005. 3 Regiment held a small open day at Wattisham on the 23rd of July to introduce the new Apache to the locals. A few visitoring aircraft were also present. Also in July, the type 23 frigate, HMS Grafton returned up the river Orwell to her adopted town of Ipswich for it's last public visit prior to being de-commissioned and sold overseas (Chile was then the current favoured buyer) in early 2006.

A major readiness exercise for 16 Air Assault Brigade took place during early 2006. In part to prepare for the partial deployment of the brigade to Afghanistan during the year. Although Wattisham helicopters will not be deployed the base still played a major part in the exercise and involved numerous RAF visitors.

Photographs taken in and around Wattisham airfield will be the mainstay of this website. Firstly; and probably the main reason is that it is my 'local', being just a couple of miles away. Yet it is also one of the least well photographed currently active military airfields in the East of the country, certainly since the RAF handed the field over to the Army Air Corps in the early 1990's. The airfield is home to two AAC regiments flying a mix of helicopter types and a Royal Air Force Search & Rescue flight. The arrival of the long awaited Westland WAH-64D Apache in numbers during 2005 has put this long forgotten airfield back in the minds of enthusiasts for the first time since the mighty Phantoms left in 1992. Decent photography can be achieved here, as I hope to demonstrate with this website, but it requires a lot more patience and planning than at a regular fixed-wing station and local knowledge is a must. If anybody is planning a visit then I would recommend the Wattisham site linked below and maintained by Tom McGhee - it provides good spotting information or alternatively email me direct.