RAF Lyneham Closure Ceremony

[Stu from EGDL]

Hi All;

 

Was priveleged to be at RAF Lyneham today for the last flyout of the Hercules C130 aircraft on their relocation to RAF Brize Norton. A solemn ceremony of 'slow marching' the Squadron standards on to the back of ZH874...the last C130J to depart today...to the bagpipe strains of Auld Lang Syne. The four aircraft then flew in formation around most of the familiar locations in Wiltshire before a final flypast at Lyneham en route to an arrivals ceremony at RAF Brize Norton.

 

What the news won't tell you is that there is still one C130J lurking in the hangar on maintenance and will fly out as the 'unofficial' last departure some time soon.

 

That then just leaves 3 x retired C130K aircraft that will probably be chopped up and depart by road!!!

Sad Day for me after over 21 years at Lyneham......

Pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/swidnod/sets/72157627090536524/

 

Later;

STU from EGDL

[Captain Kernow]

Truely the end of an era, very sad indeed, but thank you for posting this.

 

 

 

Still, the various model aircraft flying clubs in the East of England can look on the bright side - the MoD will probably be asking them to form the first line of air defence for the country before too long...

[Brinkly]

Still, the various model aircraft flying clubs in the East of England can look on the bright side - the MoD will probably be asking them to form the first line of air defence for the country before too long...

 

Don't you mean children with kites on long strings!

[DonB]

Sad day indeed!

I was at RAf Lyneham during my Air Cadet days (Summer 1948 or -9 IIRC) in the school CCF annual camp, (the nearest some of my contemporaries got to a holiday). (also went to RAF Valley Anglesea, can't remember in which order! it's that age thing again.)

We flew on half- to 1-hour jollies in Airspeed Oxfords newly back from the Berlin Airlift, They were filthy, having been used to carry coal to the isolated city. Can't remember if we flew from Lyneham or an adjacent airfield, (Hullavington?).

The Oxford which I flew in had only a pilot, no co-pilot or navigator! So, since I had a couple of stripes, I pulled rank and got the co-pilot's seat while the other half dozen in the group had to sit where they could in the main fuselage, no seat belts in those days!. I'd already got a gliding licence, and was allowed the controls for a short straight and level section.

[Tim Hale]

Lyneham is just another airfield in a long list of RAF establishments that either have been closed or need to be closed, the loss of jobs and income for the local community is the real tragedy.

 

 

Tim

[Calnefoxile]

Well, we can all find a good reason to object to a particular change that doesn't suit us, but "closure" of Lyneham is utter, utter madness. It was always a busy station that performed a quite different role from Brize Norton, and one transport airhead just could not cope in the future with the sort of emergency that the politicians seem unable to avoid.

 

I must bite my tongue.

 

PB

 

 

[rant mode on]

I just can't get my head round this closure of Lyneham at all. It makes no sense to me to close an airfield with 2 runways and move to another airfield with 1 runway that is already in full use. All it takes is one Aircraft to pancake on landing and the runway & airfield is shut, but at Lyneham at least you had another runway to use.

 

Militarily, I can't understand putting all your eggs in one basket, but there again we're not likely to be bombed from the air now. Financially it makes some sort of sense and this is the main reason for closure, just like the early retirement of the Harrier & Tornado squadrons etc. Nimrod is being disbanded, why?? What will we do for reconnaissance/search Aircraft now?? Or are we spending millions on American AWACS Aircraft?? Orbuying/developing more Drones?? These are great for battlefield reconnaissance, but not for Maritime searches or ASW......

[rant mode off]

 

Anyway, time for bed said Zebedee......

 

Regards

 

Neal.

[Guest Max Stafford]

It's all part of the final phase of our decline as a major military power, although in truth we were pretty much finished as such in 1957.

It's only the politicians and the militarily romantic who continue to pretend otherwise, the former by diplomatic posturing and continuing to get us involved in foreign adventures we have no business getting into.

 

Dave.

[angell328]

Wish I could have been there to watch Albert leave for the last time, currently 'doing the deid' so got my own Albert to play with at least!

Echoing the above statements, can't see why appart from it was a idea that snowballed and no one ever backed down. Normal 'yes Sirs@ to those that want promotion etc etc.

The real pain for us guys that have left Lyneham for Brize is the simple things, like a house!!!

 

Yep you guessed it, when you put a quart into a pint pot it wont go. There are about 100 family short of housing at the moment with more due in over the next year. Schools is another issue, jobs, shops, banks even a bloody post office! Then you have the issues with already overcrowded dental and medical centres having double the ammount of people wanting to use them, and we all know how well the NHS is fairing at the moment.

 

Ok ok breath!!! Sorry but after 11 years at Lyneham seeing the morale and spirt of the place get stamped out and phased out over the last 3 years has been like watching a family member dieing of a long drawn out desease.

 

To use a much used quote from Lyneham

 

'end of an era, Start of an error'

 

Good bye Lyneham

 

Matt (Proud Lyneham Liney) Angell

[geoffers]

Know the feeling of a base closing - saw the last Jaguar out of Coltishall. Now a prison, housing in one wing sex offenders. Trouble is the wing overlooks a school so the windows have been blocked off. Ironic punishemnt for sex offenders, perhaps, in that they can hear children playing but cannot see them.

[Tim Hale]

Neal wrote

Nimrod is being disbanded, why?? What will we do for reconnaissance/search Aircraft now?? Or are we spending millions on American AWACS Aircraft?? Orbuying/developing more Drones?? These are great for battlefield reconnaissance, but not for Maritime searches or ASW......

 

The decision to scrap Nimrod was taken to prevent further waste on an archaic platform that was too expensive to support, we are spending on a US platform- Rivet Joint - because it allows reduced support costs, if any comparison is needed think of Nimrod and Boeing AWACS.

 

New drones and why not, surely a more effective alternate to RAF's obsession with manned platforms?

 

Maritime searches? Again, a victim of the RAF's priorities, whilst the RAF still lives in the shadow of the Cold War* every other aspect of the junior service will continue to be neglected to the detriment of the realm’s defence and its limited ability to prosecute the enemy.

 

 

 

Tim

 

 

 

 

 

*And sacrifices all for the sake of fast jets that are ill-equipped for today’s asymmetric warfare

 

 

[45156]

I was in Wooton Bassett on Monday last and there was a parade of outgoing vehicles taking spares and equipment to Brize Norton and in the local shops there was a feeling that things were about to get a whole lot worse - I was elsewhere on 1st so missed the departure of the Alberts - however, my old mate Bill Perring, the aviation artist, can probably offer a momento to anybody who wants to remember the heyday of Lyneham - check out:-

 

http://www.darcycollection.co.uk/darcycollection/hercules.htm

[Guest Max Stafford]

Your point about Nimrod/AWACS is of course completely correct Tim, but even 'Rivet Joint' is based on an almost sixty year old platform ironically.

 

And while I agree that the RAF is still fixated with manned fighters, shouldn't we maintain some kind of capacity for producing such kit whilst there is still a perceived requirement?

Whilst the USA, France and the BRIC nations maintain such capacity, should we give up a potential source of export revenue?

 

Dave.

[Tim Hale]

Dave,

 

The more capable combination of the Navy's Ark Royal and STOL Harrier would arguably have been the better platform for positioning a capability off the coast of Libya rather than a air superiority platform that has proved to be woefully inadequate for the task - another result of the RAF's fast jet obsession.

 

In response to your comment about the age of the Boeing platform, without a doubt the KC135 based 'Rivet Joint' is ageing asset but unlike the Nimrod it is capable of upgrading hence is continued role within the USAF and other operators. Why was the contract let in 1996 for the Nimrod 2000 is beyond belief when far more capable COTs platforms were available at a fraction of the development costs.

 

Do we require the fast jet assets whilst France etc retain theirs? Ask the question from a different angle, could their cost be better used elsewhere on today's battlefield?

 

Anyhew, I have said too much and have nothing further to add.

 

 

Tim

[Brinkly]

Do we require the fast jet assets whilst France etc retain theirs? Ask the question from a different angle, could their cost be better used elsewhere on today's battlefield?

 

 

I do see where you are coming from Tim, but our military objectives and priorities might well be different from other nations and if we still wish to be a world player (which I suppose is the key issues) we need to have the full range of products on the shelf. For starters I'm not sure how effective unmanned drones would be over Libya, however I do agree that the Navy would be better suited to that role, being able to get much closer to the target areas; as France have demonstrated with attack aircraft based on land and from the French aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle.

 

I'm glad I'm not having to make these decisions!

 

Regards,

 

Nick.

[Guest Max Stafford]

I'm inclined to agree with you, Tim. Since these operations are primarily close support, I suspect the Harriers would be much more valuable. The withdrawal of the carrier fixed wing element is a stunning own goal in my opinion.

Nick, I believe UAVs are in fact being operated over Libya if media reports are correct. I expect they are rather valuable in high risk areas with concentrated AA defences. It's easier to replace a drone than a pilot.

 

Dave.

[Brinkly]

Nick, I believe UAVs are in fact being operated over Libya if media reports are correct. I expect they are rather valuable in high risk areas with concentrated AA defences. It's easier to replace a drone than a pilot.

 

Hi Dave,

 

That's interesting I must have missed that. I was just going on the low level ground attack, not long range targets. And yeah a drone is worth loosing if it saves a pilots life.

 

Regards,

 

Nick

[Southernman46]

Hi All,

 

Not sure if this is connected but just had a C-130 fly low over the bungalow (Amesbury) from the north and then "beat-up" Boscombe Down for 5 mins before disappearing to the west (to Yeovilton ??)

 

Regards,

 

SM46

 

 

Update - It's now back (assuming it's the same one and not another) and circling Larkhill Barracks

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

As to the closure of Lyneham and the redeployment to Brize Norton, could this have something to do with the length of runways and their ability to handle heavy loads vs maintenance. Brize Norton was originally leased to the Yanks and they regularly upgraded and lengthened the runway so it is probably in better condition all round than Lyneham. That probably includes the other facilities as well.

 

Remember also that runways actually wear out and require complete relaying. The Hercs are STOL aircraft anyway and the VC10 was no slouch in take off and landing but these new super transports that we are using.........?

[angell328]

Ref the runway at Brize it is longer and recently renewed, but there is only one! Lyneham has two which gives a lot of flex in the case of accidents.

The main problem is space! Us engineers are fighting for places to hanger the aircraft and even to park them, certain areas of the pan aren't strong enough to take some of the types that come through.

Even after 10 years of so called planning there are still issues that haven't been resolved.

The entire situation is a cluster! We have been saying on the ground that we know its going to happen no matter what we say but could the push it back by 6 months to a year so we could move into buildings that aren't still being built!

Lyneham has allways had a reputation for getting the job done and making do, but I think that they are using this against us now, they are mistaking cameradery for moral, and this can only go on for so long.

 

Sorry for the moan but I feel that this is one of a string of huge mistakes thats happend in the last year. Harrier gone? Carriers gone? buying more typhoons? The air force seems to be stuck in the cold war mentality of more and more fast pointy things and not getting use to the fact that we are an expeditary force now with all these far flung conflicts with the need for flexabilty. No more parking a carrier of the coast with a flight deck full of harriers and helecopters.

 

Oh well, I shall still wear my blue suit with pride but with a heavy heart.

 

Cheers for listening to my ramblings,

 

Matt

[Lawrence]

Lyneham was my first proper base in 1980, I was there for 3 years and met my wife (from Calne) whilst there, I hate the place

 

Just waiting on the decision on the closure of the last 2 Scottish bases, we need to keep our fast pointy things too as they are now multi-role, and it will keep me in a job

[AngusDe]

In 82 I once spent a night at Lyneham, unfortunately I was supposed to be doing a nightshift at Machrihanish at the time.....

 

Like Lawrence I await the basing review and the redundancy/early retirement it will almost certainly bring me.

 

Strange times,

 

Angus

[skipepsi]

In 82 I once spent a night at Lyneham, unfortunately I was supposed to be doing a nightshift at Machrihanish at the time.....

 

Like Lawrence I await the basing review and the redundancy/early retirement it will almost certainly bring me.

 

Strange times,

 

Angus

 

Something about never have so few been expected to do the work of so many to misquote a person who warned about appeasement?

[Lawrence]

Well that's it, Leuchars is closing and I'll be out of a job soon, it still beggars belief that the current defence secretary has such little grasp of military strategy that he now puts the South of Scotland and North of England and their respective West coasts at greater risk. Leuchars is where it is as a RAF base for a reason, not so the Army top brass can play golf at St Andrews.

Unbelievable incompetence

[rob D2]

Sorry to see Lyneham go, flew over it on the app to brize last week. I don't where brize will put the extra aircraft,it looks pretty full already there.

 

One things for certain the RAF ATC will have to get a bit quicker/flexible with the influx.At present it's like talking to Heathrow circa 1950.

 

See those based there on stand 53...

[Calnefoxile]

So Lyneham's staying open which is great news for Lyneham village itself and for the local area.

 

But can someone please tell what the hell the Defence Technical Training Program actually is???? Is it a Tri-Service Training centre???? If so then that measn the Navy, Army and RAF individual training centres will close.

 

 

Well that's it, Leuchars is closing and I'll be out of a job soon, it still beggars belief that the current defence secretary has such little grasp of military strategy that he now puts the South of Scotland and North of England and their respective West coasts at greater risk. Leuchars is where it is as a RAF base for a reason, not so the Army top brass can play golf at St Andrews.

Unbelievable incompetence

 

Lawrence,

 

Sorry to hear you will be losing your job, but don't get me started on Military Strategy, 'cos that doesn't exist at the moment, it's all about saving money. Don't forget the threat has changed, we are no longer facing the mighty Red Army and therefore don't need any East Coast defence. The threat is more Terrorist based, so lets put all our eggs into one BIG basket so one Terrorist strike can take the lot out in fell swoop. Or the other way to look at is, at least with everything in one place, it's easier to defend and costs less to defend it.

 

Also don't forget, our Army strength is low enough that we are officially classed as having a Defence Force, not an army. When i joined the RAF in 1983 there were 96,000 in the RAF, I don't think we can muster that many across all 3 branches.

 

Once again, good luck to you.

 

Regards

 

Neal.