Tag Archives: military

AN-74 High Lift System

I shared some images of the Egyptian Air Force AN-74 that came to RIAT in 2025 in a previous post. I took a ton of shots during RIAT and have been pretty busy throughout the rest of 2025 so took forever to get through some of the images to cull them down. When looking through some of the shots at the end of 2025, I was quite taken by the high lift system on the AN-74. Previously I focused on the span of the wing but here are some shots that show the flap system and the surfaces across which the engine efflux passes to generate additional lift. It is quite a feat of engineering.

Reworking an Old Shot with Modern Denoise

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Periodically, when thinking about the latest processing tools that I have available, it takes me back to some older shots that would be interesting to rework. This shot of one of the Blue Angels jets was taken at NAS Oceana during one of their air shows. I was shooting with the 1D Mk IIN and at ISO 800. At the time, this was a really high ISO and resulted in a lot of noise in the images. (As an aside, I did find that printing did not show the noise at anything like the level that was apparent on screen.) Even without the denoise function, the latest raw convertor makes a decent job of the file but I figured I would use the denoise too. I think the file comes out really cleanly as a result. It also helps that, as an 8MP file, the processing is a lot quicker!

RAF’s First Wedgetail

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The provision of airborne early warning seems to be a topic that is vexing countries currently. The RAF retired its E-3 fleet without a replacement. They then ordered five Wedgetails only to later reduce the order to three. Now there is discussion of increasing it again. Meanwhile the US decided to similarly replace the E-3 fleet with Wedgetails and ordered two.

A change of administration brought a plan to scrap that idea, use satellite surveillance and buy some more Hawkeyes in the interim. Congress is pushing back on that. Meanwhile, NATO had planned to go down the Wedgetail route but is now looking elsewhere given the lack of commitment from the US to the platform. SAAB’s GlobalEye has since picked up more orders including one from France and NATO might follow that route. All a bit of a mess.

Anyway, all of that is a long prelude to the fact that the first of the RAF’s Wedgetail fleet made an appearance at RIAT in 2025. It was supposed to appear on one day but apparently scrubbed. Consequently, it was rearranged to come in the following day. I imagine the RAF didn’t want the embarrassment of it failing to appear. It made a run in with the Red Arrows providing formation support. Then it made solo passes and an approach for a touch and go.

I don’t know how far off service entry it is, but testing continues at Boscombe Down. I have seen its distinctive outline on the airfield when driving along the A303. Hopefully they will be active before too long and also that, this time, the funding is provided to keep the systems current unlike the issues that led to the E-3 fleet fading away.

Images Won’t Let You Experience the Scream!

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The Pakistan Air Force IL-78 showed up at RIAT in 2025 supporting the JF-17 Thunders. Unlike the more recent versions of the IL-76 family, this jet has the original engines. They are a low bypass ratio jet and are not in any way quiet. The high-pitched scream that they produce when idling is really hard on the ears. An occasional bit of fingers jammed in ears was necessary when the angle to the plane made the noise particularly painful, but it was worth it. However, nothing about stills images can convey just how loud these four engines were!

The Wildcat’s Pilot Must Have Had Their Mum Nearby

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While the Merlins departed for base after the arrival of HMS Prince of Wales, the Wildcat wasn’t going anywhere. I suspect that they had a film unit on board that was recording the arrival of the carrier strike group, so they were getting aerial shots from different angles. A number of times they flew out of the harbour and then turned to run back in. It is possible that this was necessary for a shot that they were trying to get but my suspicion is that the parents of the pilot were in the crowd and a few flybys were for their benefit instead. Who knows???

Flyby of RN Helos for the Returning Carrier

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The arrival of the carrier strike group was the big theme of the day, but the Fleet Air Arm was going to support the process with a flyby. A pair of Merlins and a Wildcat were assigned to the role, and they were initially noted off Bournemouth as they joined up before heading to Portsmouth. As they came over Portchester, we could see them from where we were, and they flew up the harbour and over our location to head out and meet the carrier.

We would see them a bit from a distance as the manoeuvred around the ship and this allowed us to have a reasonable idea of where everything was at any point. Then, as the ship entered the harbour, the formation flew over the top to celebrate the return to home port. The Merlins then peeled off while the Wildcat hung around.

Czech Helo Stellar Displays

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The Czech Air Force brought a pair of PZL-Swidnik W-2 Sokols to RIAT this year. One was in camo and the other in a SAR paint scheme. While this was a type that I hadn’t seen display before, I must admit I wasn’t terribly excited by the prospect. Helicopter displays can be pretty good but often lack punch. This team couldn’t have been further from that idea.

I first saw them display when they were doing a rehearsal. They were absolutely throwing the machines around. A ton of really good, coordinated manoeuvres that showed off the capabilities of the helicopter and the crew in equal measure. They would be pirouetting around each other and keeping the action right in front of the crowd. They never seemed to take a breath, and you were never tempted to stop watching.

The highlight of the demo for me was a winching demonstration. This is not an unusual thing for a helicopter display to include. It is something that makes the type special and the search and rescue role will appeal to people that can imagine needing to be helped at some point. In this display, they added something that showed off the skill of the crew coordination. While in the hover, the winchman would pick up someone on the ground. They would winch them up a certain amount and then stabilise the hover. Then the pilot would climb while the winchman would let out line. The person at the end would stay exactly where they were as the helicopter climbed.

Then the pilot would stabilise again before starting a descent. Again, as the helicopter came down, the line would be taken in and the person at the end wouldn’t move. The whole thing was perfectly coordinated. I don’t know whether the winchman could vary the speed or if the pilot was modulating power to make it work and I don’t mind which it is. It was perfectly executed every time they did it across the days of the show. Top work. I hope other crews get to see this performance and it inspires them to try something innovative with their displays.

Chinooks Use Our Area for ILS Training

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The RAF’s base at Odiham is not too far from where we live and it has been home to Chinook operations since the type was first introduced to service. I guess that there are training requirements for instrument approaches for the crews because it is not uncommon for them to show up over our house as they head to Southampton Airport. They will fly a few patterns which can include coming over the house.

Usually, they are a bit offset from us if established on the localiser and, while the Chinook is a large airframe, they are a bit distant for a good shot. However, I have managed to get a few when the light was more favourable. At some point I will get a closer encounter with them.

Solent Sky Museum

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I guess I knew that there was an aviation museum in Southampton because I had heard about it in some place or other, but I wasn’t really au fait with what was there. However, I did know that it had a Shorts Sandringham flying boat which was a conversion of the Sunderland. One wet afternoon, I decided to head down and see what it was like. This proved to be a very good choice because it was a far better museum than I had expected.

Located a short distance from the centre of the city, Solent Sky museum is actually three museums in one. Aside from the aviation collection, there is a museum of Hampshire policing and of the fire service. There is also a selection of exhibits of Southampton’s history during the Second World War. Plenty to take a look at if you are able to dedicate some time.

The Sandringham dominates the main hall, and it will get its own post in due course so, other than it appearing in a wide shot, I won’t include specific pictures of it here. It is not the only flying boat. There is also a Saunder Roe SR.A/1 which is a very unusual type to find. Things are pretty crammed in because the building isn’t massive, and the collection is extensive. Tucked under the Sandringham is a Sea Vixen – a favourite of mine). There is a single seat Gnat, a Spitfire – a plane with strong Southampton connections – and a Supermarine S6 which will also get its own post. There are some human powered aircraft and some weird and wonderful types along with some Saro Skeeters!

A unique aircraft is the Wight Quadroplane which was designed and built on the Isle of Wight, and which went through a few modifications before it ended up as a collection piece. Some other originals and replicas add to the collection along with engines. It is a great selection. I have also stuck in a couple of images of the non-aviation stuff. Outside is the fuselage of an old QinetiQ BAC1-11and I understand a TrIslander has been delivered but is not yet on display. I guess I’ll have to go back for that at some point. What a pleasant surprise on a dreary afternoon.

Retro Frecce

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For as long as I have been going to air shows, the Italian Air Force’s display team, the Frecce Tricolori, has been flying the MB339. I knew that they used to fly the Fiat G91 but that was before my time. I have seen some G91s at museums marked up as Frecce jets but, whether they were actually previously in the team or just painted up in the same way that there are a ridiculous number of Hornets in Blue Angels colours, I didn’t know.

With the team getting ready to transition to the M346 before too long, it was an interesting comparison to have RIAT include a recently restored G91 display in Frecce colours. I think the original team jets has a pointed nose rather than the camera port on the majority of production aircraft, so I doubt this is an original team aircraft, but it is still something special to see. It did fly in formation with the M346 which is a nice before and after idea although not with the current team which would have been even better. Here is a selection of images of it from across the weekend of RIAT.