Culdrose visit 10/12/15

[graham]

ON a very blustery day, I spent about an hour in the viewing area at the base, loads of Merlin activity, saw nine during my stint there, plus a couple of RN SeaKings and a Dutch Navy NH90.

Actually made six Merlins so very pleased with that

MERLINS

ZH836/838/845/848/856/864 also noted ZH850 which wasn't needed plus two others which I couldn't ID

SEAKING

XV670

NH90
N-316

IMG_7203 by Graham Brown, on Flickr


A couple of queries if anyone can help. Firstly, when driving down the road towards the turning to the viewing area, past the southern (?) base entrance, large hangar there was open and inside there was what looked like a Harrier painted either all black or very dark blue. I could only see the first 15 foot of the front fuselage.
parked
Also, out on the field, this Wessex with her rotor blades folded back, close to the parked Wessex and the Harrier, looks like "XT" and possibly "671" for the reg, any takers please?

IMG_7185 by Graham Brown, on Flickr

[RayG]

Hi Graham. I think your Wessex is XT761.

[RayG]

Looks as though the Dutch NH-90's left for home today. Picked up N-326 on Planefinder this morning heading East shortly after 9 o'clock.

[graham]

Many thanks Ray, most appreciated

[Jeff]

I think the 2 seat Harriers were black....and there was a harrier painted in pre falklands blue which appeared at around the 2008 Farnborough Airshow

[graham]

Cheers Jeff, maybe someone can give a reg, fingers crossed.

[Jeff]

I have the following as being based at Culdrose if it helps

Culdrose
AV511* WF225* XS885* XT761* XV371* XV656* XV657* XV661 XV664*
XV666* XV670 XV671* XV673* XV697 XV706* XV707* XV714* XV786*
XW101* XX157* XX161* XX170* XX187* XX205* XX217* XX221* XX236*
XX240* XX261* XX281* XX301 XX316* XX330* XX337* XX510* XZ248
XZ440* XZ920* ZA126* ZA166 ZB603* ZD579* ZD611* ZD990* ZE420*
ZE422* ZE690* ZE692* ZF641* ZH797* ZH798* ZH802* ZH803* ZH804*
ZH811* ZH813* ZH824* ZH832 ZH833* ZH834* ZH836 ZH837 ZH839*
ZH841* ZH842* ZH843* ZH845* ZH846* ZH850* ZH851* ZH853* ZH856
ZH857* ZH862* ZH864* ZJ120 ZJ130* ZJ131* ZJ135* ZK001

[carmedic]

Although it was nearly 5 years ago that I did a base tour at Culdrose, I only saw two Black Harrier T.8s ZB603 / T03  and ZD990 / T90. They were both in the School of Flight Deck Operations hangar.

[davebasing]

Both the black ones mentioned by Chris are still there and are the only two in black.

[carmedic]

Graham, If could see the first 15 foot of the front fuselage did you see the "T" code under the cockpit?

[graham]

Unfortunately not Chris, I had a wagon up me arse so couldn't slow down, but to be honest at that distance with my eyes, I wouldn't have clocked the code anyway. Appreciate the help though chaps...;0)