A visit around RAF Cranwell has been on my wish list for a long while, It came to fruition on Monday 3rd of March with help from two of my customers at Just Desserts.
I arrived at Cranwell at 10-15am and was met by an Officer from the CFS. Our first port of call was to see the Chinook HC2 ZA717 that is used as a load trainer, This Chinook was W/O 25/7/89 at RAF Mount Pleasant Falkland Isles having hit the ground and rolled over due to mechanical failure while hovering, This still has it’s 78Sqn marks behind the front of the Cockpit.
In the same Hangar as the Chinook among the other based Private aircraft was a RAF GSA Lycoming powered DHC-1 Chipmunk G-AOUO, This aircraft flew with the RAF as WB730 until it was disposed of in 1956.
The next Hangar was the ex Domine Hangar that has a Store of Grob Viking T1’s a well as a Grob G109B, Inside were also a number of Grob Tutors and is home to the CFS Tucano T1.
Next was a visit to the Flight line with 3 King Air’s and the Tucano T1.
A visit to 45(R)Sqn Hangar to Photograph the 2 King Air’s ZK450/J and ZK453/M being repainted for their return to the USA and a B200GT also in the Hanger.
Our next Airframe was Jaguar GR1 XX747 with the AMIF on the other side of the Airfield, This Jaguar is in the Pink Desert Gulf War I marks with Mission marks below the Cockpit. It is being stripped down ready to leave Cranwell and is for sale. 
A visit to Photograph the Spitfire FSM that is pole mounted on Cranwell North . This is a Mark Vb Replica marked as P8448 of 152 Sqn coded D-OR.
I would like to thank Darren for his time taking me round the Airfield. I then went on to Photograph both the Gate Guards XS727/D/ 55(R)Sqn Domine T1 & XW353/3/RAFC Jet Provest T5 .
A great morning and nice to be able to take pictures the other side of the fence.