Latest Articles
JASDF Iruma – Kawasaki C-1
The Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) is in a period of transition as it replaces its older aircraft with a new more modern, efficient and capable air force. One of the unsung stalwarts of the Japanese transport fleet - and celebrating 45 years of service in 2019 - is the Kawasaki C-1, which will be replaced in the coming years by the Kawasaki C-2. The drawdown of C-1 airframes has been underway since 2014, and at the time of writing, just under half of the 31 aircraft built by Kawasaki are still active. Back in the early 1960s, the [...]
Belgian Sea King Retirement
March 21, 2019 was a memorable day in the calendar for both 40 Squadron and the Belgian Air Component, as it marked the retirement of the Westland Sea King Mk 48 helicopters after 43 years of loyal service providing the Search and Rescue (SAR) capability to the people of Belgium. The baton has now formally been handed over to the NHIndustries NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) which first entered service with the Belgian Air Component on August 1, 2013. During the past six months, Mark Empson has visited Koksijde airbase; home to 40 Squadron on a number of occasions spending [...]
JMSDF Atsugi – Kawasaki P-1
The Japanese territorial waters cover a vast area around the Japanese islands. For example, Okinawa in the South to Chitose in the North is a distance of around 1400 miles in a direct line. To oversee and protect those waters the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) has utilised a fleet of around 100 Lockheed P-3 Orions since 1984. However, since 2013 the JMSDF has started to replace these ageing aircraft with its own indigenous built modern aircraft – the Kawasaki P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA).
RAF Fairford 2nd Bomb Wing B-52 Deployment
The latest Bomber Task Force deployment of B-52 Stratofortress aircraft into RAF Fairford has commenced, which has so far seen six of the behemoth aircraft arrive at the Gloucestershire Air Base. The arrival of the 2nd Bomb Wing aircraft from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, has seen around 400 support personnel arrive at RAF Fairford, which will have been a welcome sight for local businesses around the area, to oversee B-52H operations during what has been referred to as Bomber Task Force 2019. Operationally, this is the largest European deployment of a single bomber platform since 2003 when 17 [...]
115 Combat Wing
The largest of all the Greek islands, Crete sits to the South of Greece’s mainland and is home to the 115 Combat Wing - Hellenic Air Force (115 CW) based on the sprawling Souda Air Base situated near Chania. Commanded by Colonel Ioannis Birmpilis, 115 Combat Wing is tasked primarily with protecting the southern flanks of both the countries airspace and waters. Along with two squadrons of around 20 Lockheed Martin F-16 C/D variants, namely 340 Mira (Fox) and 343 Mira (Star), the 115 Combat Wing base at Souda is also home to the Operational Conversion Unit, or SMET as [...]
Royal International Air Tattoo 2018
With over 300 aircraft arriving at RAF Fairford to help celebrate the Royal Air Force’s centenary, AeroResource’s Jamie Ewan joined the masses descending on the airfield with one question on his mind – would the Royal Air Force and Douglas Bader House (DBH) pull out all the stops for what was their official ‘international’ celebration of RAF100 at the Royal International Air Tattoo 2018? When the Royal Air Force came into being on April 1, 1918, little could anyone have known what its somewhat troubled and quizzed start would eventually lead to. A century later the aircraft may have changed, [...]
RAF Cosford Air Show 2017
AeroResource’s Jamie Ewan and Niall Paterson – along with James Innes – were among some 50,000 people dropping in on the RAF’s sole airshow. With types such as Whirlwind, B-52, B-1B and Tornado gracing the [...]
Shuttleworth Fly Navy 2017
When the Shuttleworth Collection announced that their 2017 calendar would feature another Fly Navy event, many ‘pencilled’ it in – both those with the memories of last year’s hugely successful edition and those who had [...]
Northolt Evening Photoshoot XXIIa
Northolt Nightshoot XXII was originally due to take place March 23, however, with the tragic events taking place at Westminster the day before, the event was understandably postponed. With night’s drawing out, the planned nightshoot [...]
Exercise Red Flag Alaska 17-2
Found 110 miles south of the Arctic Circle, Eielson Air Force Base was a hive of activity between June 8 and 23 2017 with pilots, maintainers and support staff from four air arms descending on the [...]
Duxford Air Festival 2017
The Duxford Air Festival 2017 was the first of the three major air display events to be held at the Cambridgeshire airfield this year. With a strong lineup spanning almost the entire history of aviation, Adam [...]
Abingdon Air and Country Show 2017
Abingdon Air and Country Show has always been a traditional season opener taking place at the very start of May. However, as comes with the territory of being ‘the first’ it has also suffered in [...]
Blackburn Buccaneer S2 XN974 Unveil
When compared to so many other types it once shared the skies with, the Blackburn Buccaneer has survived in far better numbers - some 48 complete airframes are still in existence today. The first production [...]
RAF Marham Enthusiasts Event 2017
Home to the UK’s Tornado Force, RAF Marham once again opened its doors and welcomed a group of aviation enthusiasts on to the base for an evenings photography of based aircraft. Adam Duffield joined them [...]
F-35A Deployment to RAF Lakenheath
Eight F-35A Lightning IIs from the 34th Fighter Squadron ‘Rude Rams’ along with pilots, maintenance specialists, security and other support personnel from the active component 34th Fighter Squadron and the Air Force Reserve's 466th Fighter Squadron, [...]
Hellenic Air Force RF-4E Phantom Retirement
On May 5, 2017, the Hellenic Air Force retired its final three RF-4E ‘Recce’ Phantom II aircraft during a ceremony at their home base of Larissa. The retirement brings to an end the use of [...]
Australian International Air Show 2017
Air Power in Action was the theme of the 13th biennial Australian International Air Show and Aerospace & Defence Exposition held at Avalon Airport, Geelong, Victoria. Held as two concurrent events comprising an airshow and [...]
Gazelle 50th Anniversary Commemorative Fly-in
On April 7, 1967, legendary French helicopter Test Pilot Jean Boulet took the Sud Aviation SA.340 on its maiden flight. To mark this important anniversary and celebrate the success of what we now know as [...]
