RAF Northolt Nightshoot XXX held on the 7th March 2024
The first of two Nightshoots to be held at RAF Northolt in 2024 & once again organised
by Phil Dawe. This was number 30 in the long running series.
RAF Northolt Nightshoot XXX used the new layout which was introduced at Nightshoot XXIX. The number of photographers present
seems to be increasing at each event with this one boasting well over 300.
There were only a couple of late cancellations from the advertised list of participants for this event, these were,
the Royal Canadian Air Force a Lockheed Martin CC-130J Super Hercules, the two Harvards in RAF Training Command colours, which were, FE511/G-CIUW and FE695/G-BTXI
& the German Navy Dornier Do 228 from Marinefliegergeschwader 3, but this aircraft, all being well, should be at the next Nightshoot which is to be held in October.
The list of participating aircraft at RAF Northolt Nightshoot XXX was, to say the least, mightily impressive, it was probably fortunate that there were a couple of
late cancellations as space did seem to be at a premium.
The attendees were from the French Air Force, the German Navy, the Irish Air Corps, the Royal Navy & the Royal Air Force together with a HeliOperations Westland Sea King HU5 XV666 'Damien',
based at Portland. There was also a privately owned Scottish Aviation Bulldog T.1 serial XX629 present.
The French Air Force (Armee De L'Air) participants consisted of a pair of Pilatus PC-21's, 709FS/17 & 709FI/07, from Base Aérienne 709-Cognac/Châteaubernard.
They also sent an Embraer EMB-121 Xingu 078 / YE from the Lécole de l'Aviation de Transport 00.319 based at Avord with 40th Anniversary special tail.
From Marinefliegergeschwader 3 of the German Navy based at Nordholz a Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+03. From the Irish Air Corps were three aircraft,
a Pilatus PC-12NG Spectre 280, Airbus C295W Persuader 284 & Eurocopter EC135-P2 270.
From the Royal Navy an Agusta-Westland Merlin HC.4 ZJ135 from 846 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton & arriving later
before parking up a 70 Squadron Airbus A400M Atlas C.1, ZM404, from RAF Brize Norton.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable, if cold, evening with a superb lineup of aircraft to photograph under the RAF Northolt floodlights!
This section contains 63 images taken during the event :
German Navy, MFG3, Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+03
Westland Sea King HU5 XV666 'Damien' & Royal Navy Merlin HC.4 ZJ135
Airbus C295W Persuader 284 & Eurocopter EC135-P2 270
German Navy, MFG3, Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+03
Royal Navy, 846 NAS, Agusta-Westland Merlin HC.4 ZJ135
Sea King HU5 XV666 'Damien' & Royal Navy Merlin HC.4 ZJ135
Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+03 & Airbus C295W Persuader 284
Irish Air Corps Airbus C295W Persuader 284
Irish Air Corps Eurocopter EC135-P2 270
Irish Air Corps Pilatus PC-12NG Spectre 280
HeliOperations Westland Sea King HU5 XV666 'Damien'
Irish Air Corps Pilatus PC-12NG Spectre 280
Irish Air Corps Pilatus PC-12NG Spectre 280
Airbus C295W Persuader 284 & Eurocopter EC135-P2 270
Scottish Aviation Bulldog T.1 XX629
French Air Force Pilatus PC-21's 709FS/17 & 709FS/07
French Air Force Pilatus PC-21 709FI/07
Irish Air Corps Eurocopter EC135-P2 270
Irish Air Corps Pilatus PC-12 Spectre 280 & EC-135-P2 270
German Navy Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+03 & Royal Navy Merlin HC.4 ZJ135
Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+03 & Royal Navy Merlin HC.4 ZJ135
Irish Air Corps PC-12 Spectre, EC-135 & C295W Persuader
Irish Air Corps Airbus C295W Persuader 284
Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+03 & RAF Airbus A400M Atlas ZM404
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
German Navy, MFG3, Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+03
German Navy, MFG3, Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+03
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
German Navy, MFG3, Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+03
Irish Air Corps Eurocopter EC135-P2 270
Irish Air Corps Eurocopter EC135-P2 270
Irish Air Corps Eurocopter EC135-P2 270
Irish Air Corps Airbus C295W Persuader 284
German Navy, MFG3, Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+03
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
HeliOperations Westland Sea King HU5 XV666 'Damien'
Royal Navy, 846 NAS, Agusta-Westland Merlin HC.4 ZJ135
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
HeliOperations Westland Sea King HU5 XV666 'Damien'
Royal Navy, 846 NAS, Agusta-Westland Merlin HC.4 ZJ135
Royal Navy, 846 NAS, Agusta-Westland Merlin HC.4 ZJ135
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
RAF Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 ZM404/404
Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+03 & RAF Airbus A400M Atlas ZM404
German Navy Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+03 & RAF Airbus A400M Atlas ZM404
