What planes did I spot this eve in the UK?

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risky337

New Member
Hi all newbie here -

I was out in the fields here in the UK with the dog this evening and spotted two planes on some sort of operation I imagine.

They had 2 rudder fin things each (sorry not an enthusiast so dont know the terms) and were kind of following each other and dodging each other (dog fighting?) at very low heights pulling up vertical right untill I could no longer see them.

It was very interesting to watch them in action - they both produced a big red/yellow cone from their engines (single on the rear) at which point the roar was phenominal - enough to make my gun dog cower on the ground.

What kind of planes would they have been - USAF maybe? Also what operation or training would they have been doing over here in Northern England? I was so impessed I came home to find out what they were.

Much respect to those guys - they must have the best job in the world.
 
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Sea Toby

New Member
Two fins and one jet engine, fighters? Sounds like the JSF, F-35A. It couldn't have been a F-15, F-14, F-16, or F-18, or a Typhoon or a Gripen. While the Grippen and Falcon and Harrier have one engine, with one fin. Whereas the Eagle and Hornet have two engines with two fins. The Typhoon and Tornado have two engines with one fin. I doubt if you saw a Russian fighter over the United Kingdom. I also don't know of a Russian fighter with two fins and one jet engine.

If they are over there, probably to show off. The United Kingdom is buying the Lightning IIs for the air force and navy.
 
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dk706

New Member
I dont think any plane in the inventory of the RAF matches the description that you provided. The F-35 that was mentioned before would have two vertical tail wings and a single engine but it will not be in service until 2013 so there is not chance you show it in a dogfight. Basically what you probably saw was an RAF fighter or trainer so it could be a Eurofighter Typhoon, a Tornado a Harrier or a Hawk trainer. I would put my money on the Hawk since it is the one that has one engine and a single tail fin and would be used for dogfighting training.
 
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EnigmaNZ

New Member
But it sounds like it had reheat, which rules out the Hawk. Bugger, for a pic. You should always have your video phone on you when your out walking the dog lol. Bugger if I can think of anything with 2 rudders and a single engine either. At least something thats in production. As mentioned earlier, the F-35 is not in production, only a small number of test aircraft exist. You could ring your local AF base and ask them, they may say, or not. Unless it was a couple of privately owned Vampires, they fit, sort of, rehearsing for an airshow. :confused:

Well, just had a quick look at all fighters produced between 1930 and today, and the only 2 with 1 engine and 2 fins were the 1950s Vampire, and the Russian Yak 141 Freestyle from the 1970s. Either you added a fin or lost an engine hehehe.
 
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lobbie111

New Member
EnigmaNZ said:
But it sounds like it had reheat, which rules out the Hawk. Bugger, for a pic. You should always have your video phone on you when your out walking the dog lol. Bugger if I can think of anything with 2 rudders and a single engine either. At least something thats in production. As mentioned earlier, the F-35 is not in production, only a small number of test aircraft exist. You could ring your local AF base and ask them, they may say, or not. Unless it was a couple of privately owned Vampires, they fit, sort of, rehearsing for an airshow. :confused:

Well, just had a quick look at all fighters produced between 1930 and today, and the only 2 with 1 engine and 2 fins were the 1950s Vampire, and the Russian Yak 141 Freestyle from the 1970s. Either you added a fin or lost an engine hehehe.
Click to expand...
Ever think it could be a couple of those military jet adventure flights, probably was one of those you have listed
 
gf0012-aust

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
lobbie111 said:
Ever think it could be a couple of those military jet adventure flights, probably was one of those you have listed
Click to expand...

It could be a Fouga Magister. A few of those hit the civil market after the french and israelis delisted them....
 
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swerve

Super Moderator
Sea Toby said:
Two fins and one jet engine, fighters? Sounds like the JSF, F-35A. ...

If they are over there, probably to show off. The United Kingdom is buying the Lightning IIs for the air force and navy.
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Big problem with that: there aren't two F-35s flying at the moment, so we couldn't have two of them dogfighting over here. One test aircraft, AA-1, is flying so far, & it's at Fort Worth. Couldn't even have been an X-35, since they've been retired to museums in the USA.
 
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dk706

New Member
Guys for what I remember the only RAF fighters stationed up north are the Tornadoes so it may indeed had been one of this leisure flights. Did you know that a couple of Gripens are operational in the UK with a school of test pilots? He might as well have spotted them. I dont think that any Yak 141 or vampires fly in the UK on either government or private hands.
 
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risky337

New Member
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ok guys you have lost me with all these abreviations.... one thing though they weren't old and they werent Tornados or Harriers (fugly plane IMO) - we get lots of T's over here heading to the Otterburn range which is about 30k inland from me so they come over our town regullarly.

Thinking back hard now - 1 definatley had 2 fins and 1 engine this banked above me the other one im not sure about 2 fins but again single engine.

The one that banked had the biggest roar as he pulled vertical - amazing noise. I noticed the 2 fins straight away as I thought that the UK didnt have any 2 fin modern jets like these were - and i initially thought those were yank planes.

Anyway doesnt really matter now - hope I see them again soon will take the SLR out next time!

Could ring RAF Boulmer and ask if they knew - they probably didnt even know and wouldnt tell me anyway LOL
 
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