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Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA)
Photographic Logs for 2020
Salisbury Plain Training Area
Wildcat HMA.2 (ZZ517) using callsign 'Talon 722' in the Lindens on May 28, 2020.

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Tuesday December 1, 2020 A bright sunny day with the AW-109 visiting the grass strip twice. The Merlin operated here for 90 minutes.
Left to right: AgustaWestland AW109E Power (G-ETPI) with QinetiQ at Boscombe Down it was using callsign 'Gauntlet 38'.
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Left to right: Merlin HC.4 (ZJ119 'C') using callsign 'Commando 510' with 846 NAS based at RNAS Yeovilton.
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Left to right: Merlin HC.4 (ZJ119 'C') using callsign 'Commando 510' with 846 NAS.
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Left to right: Merlin HC.4 (ZJ119 'C') using callsign 'Commando 510' with 846 NAS.
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Left to right: Merlin HC.4 (ZJ119 'C') using callsign 'Commando 510' with 846 NAS.
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Left to right: AgustaWestland AW109E Power (G-ETPI) with QinetiQ at Boscombe Down it was using callsign 'Tester 63'.
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Left to right: AgustaWestland AW109E Power (G-ETPI) with QinetiQ it was using callsign 'Tester 63'.

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Thursday November 19, 2020 Four visitors today to the strip, three were civilian registered but used by the MoD. The AAC Wildcat spent all its time in the adjacent confined landing area. The most interesting backdrop was the Squirrel during the setting sun between 16:00 and 17:00.
Left to right: H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPG) using callsign 'Tester 01 / BDN 31' operated by QinetiQ.
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Left to right: Bell 412EP Griffin HT.1 (G-CBVP formally ZJ708) callsign 'Tester 89' it is operated by QinetiQ at MoD Boscombe Down.
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Left to right: Wildcat AH.1 (ZZ389) using callsign 'Carbon 09' with 652 Squadron AAC at RNAS Yeovilton.
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Left to right: Wildcat AH.1 (ZZ389) using callsign 'Carbon 09' with 652 Squadron AAC.
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Left to right: Wildcat AH.1 (ZZ389) using callsign 'Carbon 09' with 652 Squadron AAC.
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Left to right: Wildcat AH.1 (ZZ389) using callsign 'Carbon 09' with 652 Squadron AAC.
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Left to right: H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPH) using callsign 'Gauntlet 32' operated by QinetiQ.
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Left to right: H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPH) using callsign 'Gauntlet 32' operated by QinetiQ.
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Left to right: H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPH) using callsign 'Gauntlet 32' operated by QinetiQ.
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Left to right: H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPH) using callsign 'Gauntlet 32' operated by QinetiQ.
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Left to right: H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPH) using callsign 'Gauntlet 32' operated by QinetiQ.
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Left to right: H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPH) using callsign 'Gauntlet 32' operated by QinetiQ.
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Left to right: H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPH) using callsign 'Gauntlet 32' operated by QinetiQ.

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Thursday November 12, 2020 More or less constant activity on and around the strip in lovely light.
Left to right: Chinook HC.5 (ZH899) callsign 'Vortex 399' it is with 27 Squadron based at RAF Odiham, just dropped in for a few minutes before departing to the south.
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Left to right: Chinook HC.5 (ZH899) callsign 'Vortex 399' with 27 Squadron.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ192) callsign 'Panther 81' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.
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Left to right: Wildcat AH.1 (ZZ407) using callsign 'Recon 22' with 652 Squadron AAC based at RNAS Yeovilton.
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Left to right: Wildcat AH.1 (ZZ407) using callsign 'Recon 22' with 652 Squadron AAC.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ216) callsign 'Panther 82' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ192) callsign 'Panther 81' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ192) callsign 'Panther 81' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.
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Left to right: Bell 412EP Griffin HT1 (G-CBVP formally ZJ708) callsign 'Tester 63' it is operated by QinetiQ at MoD Boscombe Down.
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Left to right: Bell 412EP Griffin HT1 (G-CBVP formally ZJ708) callsign 'Tester 63' is operated by QinetiQ at MoD Boscombe Down.

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Wednesday November 5, 2020 A slow day with just an Agusta 109 and an Apache, if you discount the Puma I missed in a confined landing area.
Left to right: Airbus Helicopters H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPE) using callsign 'Gauntlet 37/Boscombe Down 39' operated by QinetiQ based at Boscombe Down.
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Left to right: H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPE) using callsign 'Gauntlet 37' operated by QinetiQ.
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Left to right: H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPE) using callsign 'Gauntlet 37' operated by QinetiQ.
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Left to right: H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPE) using callsign 'Gauntlet 37' operated by QinetiQ.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ181) callsign 'Award 70' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ181) callsign 'Award 70' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ181) callsign 'Award 70' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ181) callsign 'Award 70' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.

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Thursday October 22, 2020 Nothing about till 12:00 when a Northolt based Agusta 109 visited the confined landing area (missed by me) but followed by the 230 squadron tiger scheme Puma and an Apache all within an hour or so.
Left to right: Puma HC.2 (XW224) dropping in to a confined landing area. Despite the 230 tiger squadron scheme it is pooled with 28, 33 and 230 Squadrons, it is based at RAF Benson.
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Left to right: Puma HC.2 (XW224) it is pooled with 28, 33 and 230 Squadrons.
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Left to right: Puma HC.2 (XW224) it is pooled with 28, 33 and 230 Squadrons.
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Left to right: Puma HC.2 (XW224) it is pooled with 28, 33 and 230 Squadrons.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ209) using callsign 'Award 67' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ209) using callsign 'Award 67' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ209) using callsign 'Award 67' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.

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Wednesday October 14, 2020 Today there were helicopters about but only just about three I managed to catch. I was pleased to shoot the ones I did.
Left to right: Only just caught Puma HC.2 (XW209) callsign 'Vortex 302' in a confined landing area. It is pooled with 28, 33 and 230 Squadrons and based at RAF Benson.
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Left to right: Bell 212HP AH.1 (ZH814) using callsign 'Army Air 731' it was previously based at Seria, Brunei with 7 Flight.
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Left to right: Bell 212HP AH.1 (ZH814) using callsign 'Army Air 731'.
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Left to right: Chinook HC.6A (ZA711) using callsign 'Vortex 255' now with 28 Squadron (Chinook and Puma Operational Conversion Unit) based at RAF Benson after its recent upgrade to HC.6A standard.
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Left to right: Chinook HC.6A (ZA711) using callsign 'Vortex 255' with 28 Squadron (Chinook and Puma Operational Conversion Unit).

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Tuesday July 23, 2020 A C-130 para-drop in the morning then nothing till 17:00 when an Apache turned up.
Left to right: C-130J-30 Hercules C.4 (ZH879) using callsign 'Ascot 137' with 24/47 Squadron, Brize Norton Transport Wing.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ227) callsign 'Panther 80' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ227) callsign 'Panther 80' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.

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Monday July 13, 2020 Nothing about till 16:15 when this Wildcat briefly overflew EvDZ a few times.
Left to right: Wildcat AH.1 (ZZ510) using callsign 'Recon 22' with 1 Regiment Army Air Corps based at RNAS Yeovilton.
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Left to right: Wildcat AH.1 (ZZ510) using callsign 'Recon 22' with 1 Regiment Army Air Corps based at RNAS Yeovilton.

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Tuesday July 7, 2020 The Gazelle during two sorties spent 80 minutes on EvDZ and the Wildcat dropped in to a confined landing area three times but was captured just the once.
Left to right: Gazelle AH.1 (ZB691) using callsign 'Army Air 741' with the 7 (Training) Regiment Conversion Flight.
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Left to right: Gazelle AH.1 (ZB691) using callsign 'Army Air 741' of 7 (Training) Regiment Conversion Flight.
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Left to right: Gazelle AH.1 (ZB691) using callsign 'Army Air 741' of 7 (Training) Regiment Conversion Flight.
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Left to right: Gazelle AH.1 (ZB691) using callsign 'Army Air 741' of 7 (Training) Regiment Conversion Flight.
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Left to right: Gazelle AH.1 (ZB691) using callsign 'Army Air 741' of 7 (Training) Regiment Conversion Flight.
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Left to right: Royal Navy Wildcat HMA.2 (ZZ375) using callsign 'Rascal 381' back in service after being upgraded with Leonardo at Yeovil at the end of 2019 and now possibly with 825 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton.
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Left to right: Wildcat HMA.2 (ZZ375) using callsign 'Rascal 381' possibly with 825 Naval Air Squadron.
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Left to right: Wildcat HMA.2 (ZZ375) using callsign 'Rascal 381' possibly with 825 Naval Air Squadron.

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Wednesday July 1, 2020 A slow dull day with frequent showers and little opprtunity to get very close to the activity.
Left to right: Puma HC.2 (XW232 'P') callsign 'Vortex 333', it is pooled with 28, 33 and 230 Squadrons and based at RAF Benson.
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Left to right: Gazelle AH.1 (ZB691) using callsign 'Army Air 739' of 7 (Training) Regiment Conversion Flight, caught in the rain.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ207) callsign 'Panther 81' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron. Operating in the 'valley' between Everleigh and the Lindens, according to comms, before going on the EvDZ. It has a 'bagged' (blacked out) rear seat. Following the daytime VFR phase of flight training, young pilots move on to the 'bag' phase using the night vision system. This entails the back seat blacked out, the pilot viewing a two inch video screen throught the right eye.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ207) callsign 'Panther 82' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ207) callsign 'Panther 82' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.

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Tuesday June 16, 2020 Three visitors to the drop zone, but little to get excited about.
Left to right: Lockheed C-130J Hercules C.5 (ZH879) using callsign 'Ascot 135' of 30 Squadron based at RAF Brize Norton on its first of two runs.
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Left to right: C-130J Hercules C.5 (ZH879) using callsign 'Ascot 135' of 30 Squadron.
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Left to right: Airbus Helicopters H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPG) using callsign 'Gauntlet 38' operated by QinetiQ.
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Left to right: Airbus Helicopters H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPG) using callsign 'Gauntlet 38' operated by QinetiQ.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ227) using callsign 'Panther 81' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ227) using callsign 'Panther 81' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.

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Tuesday June 9, 2020 A poor weather slow day on the drop zone.
Left to right: Airbus Helicopters H125 Ecureuil (G-ETPH) operated by QinetiQ.

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Tuesday June 2, 2020 Another good day with a range of helicopters operating on the drop zone and confined landing areas.
Left to right: AgustaWestland AW109SP Grand New (G-MAOL) using callsign 'Northolt 23' with 32(TR) Squadron based at RAF Northolt. It is leased from Sloane Helicopters.
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Left to right: AgustaWestland AW109SP Grand New (G-MAOL) using callsign 'Northolt 23' with 32(TR) Squadron.
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Left to right: Puma HC.2 (XW199 'A' with XW232 'P') they are pooled with 28, 33, 230 squadrons and based at RAF Benson.
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Puma HC.2 (XW199 'A') it is pooled with 28, 33, 230 squadrons and based at RAF Benson.
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Left to right: Puma HC.2 (XW199 'A' with XW232 'P') they are pooled with 28, 33, 230 Squadrons and based at RAF Benson.
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Left to right: Chinook HC.6A (ZA679) with 28 Squadron (Chinook and Puma Operational Conversion Unit) based at RAF Benson.
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Left to right: Chinook HC.6A (ZA679) with 28 Squadron (Chinook and Puma Operational Conversion Unit).
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Left to right: Chinook HC.6A (ZA679) with 28 Squadron (Chinook and Puma Operational Conversion Unit).
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Left to right: Chinook HC.6A (ZA679) with 28 Squadron (Chinook and Puma Operational Conversion Unit).
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ203) using callsign 'Award 79' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.
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Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ203) using callsign 'Award 79' with 673 (AH Training) Squadron.