At last! Finally, a chance to get up and photograph some of this years visitors. BAe 125 from 32 Sqn at Northolt departing on a friday afternoon.

Followed, a few minutes later by a circuit from the Delta Jets owned Folland Gnat.

In May 2007, most of the residents at Wattisham were away with little activity so visitors are most welcome.

'Army Air 954' arriving from Dishforth on transfer. No stores are being carried on the pylons.

22 Sqn's Sea King HAR3As are still heavily worked. This is the airframe with the Ipswich crest on the forward fuselage.

Hercules from Boscombe Down landing on 23 while carrying out two days of parachute jump trials.

A first, I believe, for Wattisham as 'Nato 03' takes advantage of the low tempo of operations at Wattisham to practise a few overshoots. Weather was not conductive to taking pics.

Local Apache flight returning on runway 23 to Wattisham. This airframe has the latest sat phone mod on the nose for deployment to Afghanistan.

Where as this one has just the defensive aids that have been back fitted to much of the fleet.

More AH's returning two days later. How I wish these things would photograph better.

A better angle and the more unusual pure Hellfire rail combination.

I gather there is a shortage of CRV rocket pods (like everything else!) so many aircraft not deployed to Afghan are not fitted.

A unusual sight on a friday morning was the appearance of the Met office BAe146 operating over Wattisham for several hours while the army were quiet.

Airframe is actually the BAe146-300 prototype that was acquired to replace the old RAF C-130 Hercules that was used in the role before it was withdrawn.

This may be the first time a F-16 has been seen at Wattisham since the Phantom's left. But on the same friday that the AAC held a parade following the final transfer of Apache's from Dishforth, 'Tiger 19' did a single overshoot before disappearing. The pilot sounded American although the F-16 is a Belgian example. Not taken in the best of weather - as usual.

A walk around to the 05 approach late one monday afternoon found this Apache in the hover.

A few turns allowed a decent angle through the fence as Army Air 454 went through a air test.

The TADS in the nose is rotated inwards when not in use.

Having only taken my long lens, meant if anything, it was too close. The crew are from 656 Sqn, one of the newly arrived sqn's from Dishforth.

A angle not seen that often - straight up the stern as the Apache air taxis back for departure.

'Gangster 1' over the fence at about the same time.

A little attention yet again from the gunner through the TADS in the nose.

Second aircraft from Gangster section after the overshoot.

Despite appearances, not taken on the approach but directly overhead as AA 454 spirals in during auto-rotation training.

Same aircraft with a high speed run towards the field at the end of the airtest.

RAF Hercules were also operating from here the same week. 'Judgement 1' landing on 23. The C-130J is one of the few with the AAR probe.

Second aircraft in the flight.

Army Air 317 on the 05 approach a week later. The aircraft has dual controls so I suspect the pilot is holding the overhead rails to allow the gunner/co-pilot to fly the approach.

Still holding in the overhead. AA317 conducted several approachs.

ZJ222 on a airtest out of 7 Battalion as AA605. The aircraft has spent virtually it's entire service live to date in storage at Shawbury.

AA318 catching the early evening light while on a PAR shorlty afterwards.

Notice the distinctive shading on the front of the CRV pod - evidence of recent use?

Section of Apache's taxing out for a rolling departure infront of 22 Sqn's hangar.

Empty Apache over the runway

Side stepping to the right during hover checks. Sea King HAR3A in the background.

This sequence was taken at some distance from crash gate 2.

Directly inline, but with the TADS skewed to one side. Colour is rich because of the late afternoon sun.

'Sierra 125' turing Northwards on the Wattisham circuit.

A late November afternoon gave a nice tone to the bright yellow SAR scheme.

Apache on the hover shortly afterwards in the last of the light.

'Navy 808', a Jetstream from RNAS Culdrose arriving on a navex during a grey November afternoon...

...followed a few minutes later by 'Navy 809'. Both left the following morning.

First Wattisham pics of 2008 on a friday afternoon. Army Air 460 taxying out for some checks.

A nice gesture, he taxied out to the hover infront of the spotters usual home at crash gate 2.

In the hover, on a bright, cold friday afternoon.

Apache then side slipped to the left along the fenceline. This is the classic nose on Apache shot.

Catching the low light.

A late friday afternoon, lovely light at Wattisham and not a lot happening. 'Sierra 125' taxying out from the SAR dispersal to the main runway.

The Royal Air Force came into being on the 1st April 1918, and is the worlds first independent air force to celebrate its 90th birthday. Several flypasts were carried out over the UK today in celebration with the main formation consisting of the Red Arrows and four Typhoons overflying many airfields before performing a flypast over central London at 1PM. The formation overflew Wattisham at exactly 12:43 today before heading for London. A little cloudy but a good guess as to where to go with the camera.

Directly overhead and heading straight for the Wattisham control tower, the two outboard Hawks have added smoke, also out of sight to the left is the fifth Typhoon (a airspare). 17 minutes later they were directly over central London.