RAF Wainfleet Bombing Competition 2001

2001 Bombing Competition

After the success of the 1999 bombing competition we were all rather looking forward to the 2001 event. Unfortunately the organisers requested that the public did not attend due to the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease in the UK at this time. However, a few of us were very fortunate in being able to attend as guests of the organiser on the Friday, although of course our movements were restricted to reduce the risk to the animals in the fields nearby. The event did take place, which is good news for Comic Relief. I understand that the local brewery, Batemans, will be supplying a crate of 'Yella Belly' organic ale to the winners, who were 20(R) Squadron, RAF!

Here are a selection of shots and movies (in MPEG format) taken on Friday 16 March 2001. The shots are all frame grabs from the video footage I took on the day. Much of the action was too far away for my biggest (300mm) 35mm SLR lens, hence the use of the Digital8 camcorder for most of the day as it has a 25X optical zoom equivalent to around 1100mm in 35mm SLR terms!

This Harrier T10 was not part of the competition, presumably it was over from Wittering for some conversion training. It didn't fire anything, but that didn't prevent it doing a fast turning pass for everyones' benefit, resulting in the two shots below and a 1,128kB MPEG video. Check out the vapour on the upper wing surfaces!

Harrier T10 pass

The 48th FW, USAFE sent a number of F-15Es over from Lakenheath during the day. Below is a photo of one with vapour wrapped around it as it was running in to bomb target 4, the barge. There's a 498kB MPEG video of this phenomenon too.

F-15E shrouded in vapour

The F-15s have a great way of running in to the targets when bombing visually. It's illustrated well in this 3,300kB MPEG video. The photo below illustrates the end result.

F-15E hitting target 4

Obviously the RAF's Tornados featured heavily in the day's activities. Below is a shot of a GR4 dropping a practice bomb on target 5, the circular target on the mudflats just offshore:

Tornado GR4 dropping practice bomb

RAF Valley's Hawks were entertaining. Four of them showed up on the Friday, with great low-level runs at target 4, as well as target 5. You can watch a great montage of them in action in this 4,512kB MPEG movie. Below are two photos of them in action:

Hawk dropping a practice bomb on target 5

Hawk over target 4 which it has just hit

Four RAF Jaguar GR4s rounded off the day's activities in style. This 1,113kB MPEG movie shows an attack on target 5. The results can be seen in the photo below:

Practice bomb from Jaguar GR4 hitting target 5

Best of all though, after their bombing runs the Jaguars let loose on target 5 with their Cannon! There are two videos for you to watch (and listen!) to this spectacle: the first is a 1,094kB MPEG movie, and the second is a 926kB MPEG movie. Here is a photo of a Jaguar GR4 strafing target 5 with cannon:

Jaguar GR4 strafing target 5

The Results

UNIT SCORES

The unit and individual scores were adjudicated by independent umpires. The following scores are the average for all bombs dropped by that unit. To qualify at least 16 bombs had to be dropped. Two units did not qualify but their scores are shown below:

Position Sqn/Unit Aircraft Type Score

1 20(R), RAF Harrier GR7 60.82

2 19(F), RAF Hawk T1A 57.13

3 6(F), RAF Jaguar GR4 52.38

4 54(F), RAF Jaguar GR4 36.75

5 XIII, RAF Tornado GR4 34.95

6 3(F), RAF Harrier GR7 34.00

7 IX(B), RAF Tornado GR4 31.34

8 19(F), RAF Hawk T1A 30.82

9 494th FS, USAFE F-15E Strike Eagle 28.75

10 41(F), RAF Jaguar GR4 24.00

11 492th FS, USAFE F-15E Strike Eagle 11.56

15 bombs only 800 Sqn, FAA Sea Harrier F/A2 59.17

Position	Sqn/Unit	Aircraft Type	Score
1	20(R), RAF	Harrier GR7	60.82
2	19(F), RAF	Hawk T1A	57.13
3	6(F), RAF	Jaguar GR4	52.38
4	54(F), RAF	Jaguar GR4	36.75
5	XIII, RAF	Tornado GR4	34.95
6	3(F), RAF	Harrier GR7	34.00
7	IX(B), RAF	Tornado GR4	31.34
8	19(F), RAF	Hawk T1A	30.82
9	494th FS, USAFE	F-15E Strike Eagle	28.75
10	41(F), RAF	Jaguar GR4	24.00
11	492th FS, USAFE	F-15E Strike Eagle	11.56
15 bombs only	800 Sqn, FAA	Sea Harrier F/A2	59.17

As usual, my partner on this trip was Paul Osborne, and he has a page and photos up as well on his UK Airshow Review website.

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Nick Challoner: nick@challoner.com