RAF Northolt Nightshoot XXI held on the 6th October 2016
This Nightshoot, once again organised by Phil Dawe, was number 21 in the series.
Nightshoot XXI was probably the most popular & best attended in the long running series with well over 200 photographers attending the event.
RAF Northolt Nightshoot XXI certainly attracted a diverse range of visitors & astonishingly & perhaps for the first time, all the invited participants were able to attend!
This was despite a couple of cancellations in the run-up to the event which dramatically made it on the day!
The highlight of the event had to be the Operation Granby Desert Pink Tornado GR4, ZG750, from number 9 Squadron at RAF Marham, this was
the first time I'd seen this aircraft for myself and not in someone elses photo & she didn't disappoint, that paint scheme looked superb,
the scheme being added to the aircraft in February 2016 to mark 25 Years on continuous operations.
Other highlights included the RAF Brize Norton based, 47 Squadron, Lockheed C-130J Hercules, ZH880, in its special
100th Anniversary markings which looked terrific under the floodlights. 'Nellie', the special schemed Chinook HC.4, ZA683,
from number 27 Squadron & based at RAF Odiham was originally invited to the previous
Nightshoot but was unable to attend, fortunately, she was able to make this event, coming in for a 'gas-and-go',
she stayed on the ground for about an hour. This was the first time I'd seen this aircraft as well.
The French Army were at Nightshoot XXI in numbers bringing 2 Aerospatiale SA-342M Gazelles, one resplendent in 'Tiger' markings, 3862/GAL,
the other being 4059/GBF. They also brought a Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter, 888/MCB
from Escadrille de Transport et de Conyoyage de Material (ETCM) based at Montauban.
The Polish Air Force were welcome visitors bringing 2 PZL-130 Turbo Orliks, 049 & 038 and a CASA C-295M, 020, as support,
the Polish Orliks were from Team Orlik based at Radom and the Casa C-295M was from 13 Esk Lotnicza based at Krakow.
Other visitors included a 33 Squadron Westland Puma HC.2, ZJ957, based at RAF Benson which came in for a gas-and-go,
an RAF 100 Squadron BAe Hawk T.1A, XX189/CR, based at RAF Leeming & an RAF 45(R) Squadron, Beechcraft Kingair, ZK459,
based at RAF Cranwell & in special anniversary markings, again, another first for me. The Irish Air Corps brought one of their Casa CN235MP
aircraft, serial 252, from 101 Squadron which is based at Baldonnel.
32 Squadron's, RAF Northolt based, 100th Anniversary special tail, BAe 146 CC2, ZE700, was also out on the pan
& she looked very nice indeed under the floodlights.
This section contains 96 images taken during the event :
