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On Friday, late afternoon, I became aware of of heavy aircraft passing over my home a couple of times. I checked Planefinder to see they were. B52's out of RAF Fairford where they've been stationed lately on exercises.It was too cloudy to see them but I suspected what they were.
I think, they were were about to fly back to the States, so had a full fuel load. One of them had technical problems .It landed safely at RAF Fairford where the fire detail was in attendance. I learnt that from the forum Fightercontrol and that what they were doing was burning up fuel to enable a safe landing.
This article states that there were three B52s involved but there were only two. The were doing circuits from Tewkesbury to Gloucester. RAF Fairford is 15 miles from Gloucester.
www.euroweeklynews.com
It mentions the massive armanents load they carry. Wouldn't want this crashing near me https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-many-bombs-a-b-52-can-haul-2015-6?r=US&IR=Tm
Here is a Youtube clip in which the crew can be heard on an open channel. The voices start at 21 seconds so silent for the first 21 seconds. I've checked to see what the full fuel capacity is. 19,875 US gallons . Imperial (ours,of course ... litres notwithstanding) is equivalent to 1.2 US gallons.
The calm tone is very re-assuring. Professionals,for sure.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO5dzrzCT_I&feature=youtu.be
I'd just like to mention one aspect re my photos. I had a lot of noise in them and I wasn't going to post them because of it..hence the delay in posting but I found a few that were ok..sort of.. My camera is a 7D11 and I used the Sigma 150-600mm on a Jobu Gimbal arm. The settings were f7. Some were at Ev + 1/3 and some Ev-0. 1/1600 sec. ISO 500. Not really much of a crop either.
I also thought some would be interested in the plane to ground conversations. Planefinder showed that one was at 9,000 ft and the other at 10,000ft. When I first started watching them, which went on for over an hour as they kept their circuits going, it was a matter of hoping to catch them between clouds..very little blue sky. Each time they were almost overhead before I was able to see them. Towards 5.30pm the skies began to clear and it became easier. Many of my photos looked exactly like the one in the newspaper article above, Euro Weekly...ie... a lot of noise. I don't know why as I've taken many photos of aircraft against blue skie and no noise,including these B52s and the Lockheed U2's (so-called spy planes). ..at RAF Fairford. Any suggestions welcome.
I think, they were were about to fly back to the States, so had a full fuel load. One of them had technical problems .It landed safely at RAF Fairford where the fire detail was in attendance. I learnt that from the forum Fightercontrol and that what they were doing was burning up fuel to enable a safe landing.
This article states that there were three B52s involved but there were only two. The were doing circuits from Tewkesbury to Gloucester. RAF Fairford is 15 miles from Gloucester.
US Air Force B-52 Bomber Transmits ‘Emergency Distress Signal’
The US Air Force B-52 bomber sent out a distress signal after it declared a mid-air emergency over Gloucestershire, it has been reported. The aircraft transmitted a ‘squawk code 770, indicating a general emergency, near Tewkesbury, UK’, according to FlightRadar 24.
www.euroweeklynews.com
It mentions the massive armanents load they carry. Wouldn't want this crashing near me https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-many-bombs-a-b-52-can-haul-2015-6?r=US&IR=Tm
Here is a Youtube clip in which the crew can be heard on an open channel. The voices start at 21 seconds so silent for the first 21 seconds. I've checked to see what the full fuel capacity is. 19,875 US gallons . Imperial (ours,of course ... litres notwithstanding) is equivalent to 1.2 US gallons.
The calm tone is very re-assuring. Professionals,for sure.
I'd just like to mention one aspect re my photos. I had a lot of noise in them and I wasn't going to post them because of it..hence the delay in posting but I found a few that were ok..sort of.. My camera is a 7D11 and I used the Sigma 150-600mm on a Jobu Gimbal arm. The settings were f7. Some were at Ev + 1/3 and some Ev-0. 1/1600 sec. ISO 500. Not really much of a crop either.
I also thought some would be interested in the plane to ground conversations. Planefinder showed that one was at 9,000 ft and the other at 10,000ft. When I first started watching them, which went on for over an hour as they kept their circuits going, it was a matter of hoping to catch them between clouds..very little blue sky. Each time they were almost overhead before I was able to see them. Towards 5.30pm the skies began to clear and it became easier. Many of my photos looked exactly like the one in the newspaper article above, Euro Weekly...ie... a lot of noise. I don't know why as I've taken many photos of aircraft against blue skie and no noise,including these B52s and the Lockheed U2's (so-called spy planes). ..at RAF Fairford. Any suggestions welcome.
