A Grand Day Out
Ten years had passed since our last venture into southern Spain and the combination of both stored Aviocars and brand new Eurofighters was tempting. Once again Ryanair provided the opportunity, arriving in Seville on Saturday evening and departing on the return leg of the same flight a day later. We had a team of six on this trip and so took the option of two small cars which proved significantly cheaper than a single people carrier.
EGSS STANSTED 3.3.07:
Flew from Stansted to Sevilla on Ryanair's Boeing 737-8AS EI-CSG (c/n 29922) "FR8363", taking off from runway 23 at 18:06 and landing on runway 27 at Sevilla at 20:39 (21:39L).
Following a few beers and not quite enough sleep, we set off from our hotel in the dark so as to maximise use of daylight by starting at dawn at the most southerly point of our route.
SAN FERNANDO 4.3.07:
HE.7B-31 Bell 47G-5, (c/n 7884) '01-114' ex Esca.001, Spanish Navy
HA.14-8
AH-1G Cobra, (72-21464) '01-708' ex Esca.007, Spanish Navy
Both are preserved at the Naval Museum at the Escuela de Suboficiales which can be found in the Poblacion Militar de San Carlos (a military reservation but with public roads). Both machines can be seen through the gate when the museum is closed.
LERT ROTA 4.3.07:
The sun was up by the time we arrived at Rota which enabled all the visiting USAF transports to be identified:-
68-0226 C-5A-LM, (bl) 137 AS/105 AW, New York ANG
85-0003 C-5B-LM, (y) 436 AW
85-0005 C-5B-LM, (y) 436 AW
86-0017 C-5B-LM, (y) 436 AW
87-0029 C-5B-LM, (bl) 436 AW
87-0031 C-5B-LM, (y) 436 AW
Dump;
HU.10-74 UH-1H Iroquois, (77-22952) 'ET-244' ex FAMET
DOS HERMANAS 4.3.07:
E.14A-17
HA200B Saeta, ex '793-53' Esc.793,
Spanish AF
This Saeta is preserved adjacent to the La Motilla hotel, by the NIV road through the town.
TABLADA 4.3.07:
The airfield here is long closed and the Seville ring road divides the field and runway from the Maestranza (MU) which is still in business. Guarding the gate is an ex Kuwaiti Mirage F.1. The guards were friendly and allowed photography of the aircraft provided that no buildings or infrastructure were in the background.
C.14C-83
Mirage F.1EDA, (c/n 593, ex Kuwait AF QA-81) ex '14-59' Ala.14, Spanish
AF
SAN JUAN DE AZNALFARACHE 4.3.07:
Only a mile or two from Tablada and another Saeta can be found, preserved in the town at Plaza Virgen De Los Reyes:-
E.14A-9 HA200A Saeta, ex Spanish AF, painted as "C.10B-16/462-16"
GELVES 11.11.97:
T.7-16 CASA Azor, ex '405-16' Esc.405, Spanish AF
The Azor looked much the worse for wear compared to our visit in '97 but looks unlikely to survive much longer. The bar for which it served as an eye catcher is now closed and the site is being actively redeveloped, with the bulldozers already perilously close to the Azor.
BOLLULOS
DE LA MITACION 4.3.07:
The route to this aerodrome (also known as Juliana) is an eye opener and one suspects that it must be inaccessible for part of the year. It involves a trek of about 3 kilometres over rough tracks, the track meandering into various alternate routes where the mud and ruts render it impassable. It poses both driving and navigational challenges! Active at this parachuting club is an ex WGAF Do.28, though it was the CASA 127 (Spanish built Do.27) stored in the back of a hangar which had attracted us:-
5850 Do.28D/2, (c/n 4125) ex WGAF, registered HA-ACL
Hangar;
U.9-36 CASA 127, (c/n 36) ex '31-06' Ala.31, Spanish AF, crashed 12.5.92
Four aircraft are in store here and we had arranged a rendezous with the owner. Both Saetas are in excellent condition, potentially flyable and up for sale. The Dorniers however were in a sorry state with the crashed Do.27 providing a spares source for the CASA 127 which is potentially restorable.
U.9-7
CASA 127, (c/n 7) ex '78-92' Ala.78, Spanish AF
5581 Do 27B-1, (c/n 228) ex WGAF, registered D-EDRL
A.10B-60
HA200D Saeta, (c/n 20/66) ex '214-60' Grupo 214, Spanish AF
A.10B-75
HA200D Saeta, (c/n 20/81) ex '793-67' Esc.793, Spanish AF
Displayed in the centre of town here is a T-bird:-
E.15-53 T-33A, (53-5050) ex Spanish AF, painted as "E.15-56/211-01" (fitted with tail from E.15-56)
LEZL
SEVILLA/SAN PABLO 4.3.07:
Some really tasty machines were to be found outside the EADS factory. Our timing was just right for the Finnish as CC-1 was delivered to Tikkakoski two days later on 6.3.07.
EADS Flight Line;
2802 C-105A (C295), (c/n 031) for Brazilian AF
2803 C-105A (C295), (c/n 028) for Brazilian AF
CC-1 C295M, (c/n 035) for Finnish AF
CC-2 C295M, (c/n ...) for Finnish AF
- C295M, (c/n 032) primer, unmarked, but complete apart from paint
- C295M, (c/n 033) primer, engineless
- C295M, (c/n 034) primer, engineless
141 CN235M-200, '62-IO' ET.1/62, AdlA
152 CN235M-200, '62-IP' ET.1/62, AdlA
156 CN235M-200, '62-IQ' ET.1/62, AdlA
The French CN235s were back for overhaul/mods. There was a further C295 visible but unidentified in one of the sheds.
Open
Storage;
TE.12B-10
CASA C212, '74-85' ex GEM.74, Spanish AF
T.12B-18
CASA C212, '46-31' ex Esc.461/Ala.46, Spanish AF
T.12B-23
CASA C212, '72-01' ex Ala.72, Spanish AF
T.12B-31
CASA C212, (46-34) ex Esc.461/Ala.46, Spanish AF
T.12B-46
CASA C212, '74-76' ex GEM.74, Spanish AF
T.12B-48
CASA C212, '37-11' ex Ala.37, Spanish AF
T.12B-52
CASA C212, '46-35' ex Esc.461/Ala,46, Spanish AF
T.12B-53
CASA C212, '46-36' ex Esc.461/Ala.46, Spanish AF
T.12B-57
CASA C212, (72-08) ex Ala.72, Spanish AF
T.12C-59
CASA C212, '37-51' ex Ala.37, Spanish AF
T.12C-60
CASA C212, (37-52) ex Ala.37, Spanish AF
TR.12D-76
CASA C212, '37-60' ex Ala.37, Spanish AF
The Aviocars are potentially for re-sale. There has been some movement of aircraft to/from the storage line and a further unmarked example in primer was seen between the hangars.
Preserved;
A.10C-112
HA220D Saeta, ex '214-112' Esc.214, Spanish AF
E.15-54
T-33A-LO, (53-5053) ex '46-41' Grupo 46, Spanish AF
CR.12-51 RF-4C Phantom, (65-0851) ex '12-60' Ala.12, Spanish AF
The Phantom stands between the hangars. The Saeta can be seen from various vantage points whilst the T-33 can only be seen by approaching the outer gate or even better by crossing the car park towards the inner gate. The T-bird stands next to the inner gate.
Dumped by Fire Station;
TR.7-5
CASA Azor, ex '403-02' Esc.403, Spanish AF
LEPR
PALMA DEL RIO 5.3.07:
Fumigacion Aerea Andaluza SA have a large fleet of helicopters and crop sprayers based here. Access is probably quite easy during the week, however at the weekend the place is deserted apart from one guy on the gate whose role in life is to keep people out. Viewing from the public road is difficult but tracks around the back of the field provide good views across the ramps and enabled us to see most of the aircraft we had expected to find:-
(HE.10B-37) UH-1H Iroquois, (c/n 13274, 72-21275) ex Spanish AF, to EC-GKY 18.8.96
(HE.10B-38) UH-1H Iroquois, (c/n 13275, 72-21276) ex Spanish AF, to EC-GKZ 18.12.96
(051) Bell 212, (c/n 32217) ex IDF/AF, to 4X-BCI, to EC-HPJ
(067) Bell 212, (c/n 32224) ex IDF/AF, to 4X-BCK, to EC-HZG
(068) Bell 212, (c/n 32254) ex IDF/AF, to 4X-BCF, to EC-HOX
There are also some ex Swedish Bell 412s based here (though FAASA aircraft are detached around the country). In an orange grove on the main road about 1km east of the field there are three UH-1 hulks which still require close investigation.
The scrapyard here has now been cleared and only one Saeta remains (a second having left recently):-
A.10B-57
HA200D Saeta, ex '214-57' Esc.214, Spanish AF
LEMO MORON 4.3.07:
The F-86 stands high on a plinth and is visible from the main road around the base. The Saeta is a little more difficult and was espied from some high ground to the south of the field – it is preserved some way inside the main gate.
A.10B-52
HA200D Saeta, (c/n 20/58) ex '214-52' Esc.214, Spanish AF
C.5-231 F-86F Sabre, (52-5307) "151-21" ex Spanish AF, Soc 4.3.67
The Albat and F-5 are outside Wing HQ and easily visible next to the flight line.
AN.1B-13 HU-16B Albatross, (51-5300) ex '221-13' Esc.221, Spanish AF
AR.9-060 SRF-5A, ex '21-55' Ala.21, Spanish AF
Flight Line;
Only a solitary USAF visitor.....
58-0008 KC-135R-BN, 133 ARS, New Hampshire ANG
P.3-01 P-3A Orion, (c/n 5123) '22-21' Grupo 22, Spanish AF
P.3-08 P-3B Orion, (c/n 5264) '22-31' Grupo 22, Spanish AF
P.3-12 P-3B Orion, (c/n 5304) '22-35' Grupo 22, Spanish AF
A fourth Orion was sticking out of the maintenance hangar and so escaped identification.
Sun Shelters;
C.16-21 Eurofighter Tifon, (SS001) '11-01' Ala 11, Spanish AF
C.16-26 Eurofighter Tifon, (SS006) '11-06' Ala.11, Spanish AF
C.16-27 Eurofighter Tifon, (SS007) '11-07' Ala 11, Spanish AF
C.16-28 Eurofighter Tifon, (SS008) '11-08' Ala 11, Spanish AF
C.16-29 Eurofighter Tifon, (SS009) '11-09' Ala 11, Spanish AF
CE.16-02 Eurofighter Tifon (T), (ST002) '11-71' 113 Esc/Ala 11, Spanish AF
CE.16-06 Eurofighter Tifon (T), (ST006) '11-75' 113 Esc/Ala 11, Spanish AF
There were a total of ten Eurofighters in the sun shelters but only seven could be identified on this occasion as the light went bad on us at the crucial moment.
Then back to Seville for the flight home. Its times like this that I wish I lived nearer to Stansted as it was gone 03:30 when I reached home.
LEZL SEVILLA/SAN PABLO 4.3.07:
Flew from Sevilla to Stansted on Ryanair's Boeing 737-8AS EI-DAC (c/n 29938) "FR8364", taking off from runway 27 at 22:49 and landing on runway 23 at Stansted at 00:47 (23:47L).
With thanks to the team – Eric, Ian, Rich, Paul, John.