flightradar24

[monzer]

I'm not at all knowledgeable on anything aviation but I do enjoy looking at the flightradar24 site quite often.

Their new feature shows the 5 flights that are currently being tracked by the most people. For example right now most people are following an RAF hercules making circles above St. Andrews.

What is so interesting about these flights? I get that military aircraft might get a bit of interest but sometimes there are 500+ people following a passenger flight to Hamburg or some such. Why is that?

Anyone smarter than me know much about this?

 

[Hagstrom]

I'm interested in this, too....

 

[bigwood]

I find it interesting to see what’s thundering over us or off the coast. We get a lot of Coningsby traffic at night during the week.
It’s not often you see much military traffic at the weekends. It must be special training to put up a C1300 Herky Bird on a Saturday.

 

[Clarky]

That particular Herky Bird is a special one as it’s got a different paint scheme.
The tail fin has a tribute to 206 Sqhadron 100 year anniversary.
It often comes up as of special interest to aviation geeks.

Richard (part time aviation geek)

 

[63720]

In addition to FR24 I also use this

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live - aircraft flight history

globe.adsbexchange.com

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[Diabalo]

Talking aviation a twin engined WW2 RAF aircraft with D day stripped markings flew over Shrewsbury this afternoon, it was about the size of a Dakota, could have been a Blenheim or Beufighter, any ideas.

 

[barsteward]

And my wife thinks I'm a sad nastid because I sit up at night watching UPS and DHL

 

[Tombola]

Id iamagine the more folk and a plane the more folk watching flight radar, family, friends, pick up chuaffers etc

 

[bigwood]

The BBMF have been flying there DC3 a lot with the Lancaster being out of service. Last time I saw it there were D Day stripes on it.
When I was watching the C130 I noticed an RAF Beech . It flew from Luchars down to Waddington.

 

[monzer]

Id iamagine the more folk and a plane the more folk watching flight radar, family, friends, pick up chuaffers etc

True but sometimes it's cargo planes in the top slot.

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[Otter Spotter]

The BBMF have been flying there DC3 a lot with the Lancaster being out of service. Last time I saw it there were D Day stripes on it.
When I was watching the C130 I noticed an RAF Beech . It flew from Luchars down to Waddington.

Its one of these

Shadow R1

See more from the Royal Air Force

www.raf.mod.uk

 

[Jev88]

Ten Red Arrows over the house at low level next to Peterborough a few days ago and a Lancaster rolling round in a big circuit this afternoon.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I find it interesting to see what’s thundering over us or off the coast. We get a lot of Coningsby traffic at night during the week.
It’s not often you see much military traffic at the weekends. It must be special training to put up a C1300 Herky Bird on a Saturday.

Yes, I live in Holton le Clay and always follow what is going on overhead with the military traffic. Lots of exercises on at the moment

 

[deleted79651]

True but sometimes it's cargo planes in the top slot.

Could be all the people who can't get hold of food in supermarkets hoping that it contains Food Parcels ...

Steve

 

[Diabalo]

The BBMF have been flying there DC3 a lot with the Lancaster being out of service. Last time I saw it there were D Day stripes on it.
When I was watching the C130 I noticed an RAF Beech . It flew from Luchars down to Waddington.

No definitely not a DC3, I think it was a Blenheim but there is only 1 in the world still flying and I think it's based at Duxford.

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[bigwood]

I stand corrected regarding the DC3. It’s a while since I have been to Duxford but I know the Blenheim was airworthy. I think there’s was re built to the short nose recently.
They were re building a Beufighter but I am not sure if that was for static display or to flight. From a distance I suppose they are a similar shape.
We used to go to Duxford and Wadington for air shows but it became so busy you couldnt get to the stalls. The RAF fleet has changed a lot. It dosnt seem long ago that Wadington had the early AWACS in there air display.
Maybe Duxford would be some were to add to our visits list. Maybe better when it’s not an air show day.

 

[Clarky]

Talking aviation a twin engined WW2 RAF aircraft with D day stripped markings flew over Shrewsbury this afternoon, it was about the size of a Dakota, could have been a Blenheim or Beufighter, any ideas.

I think it could well have been the BBMF Dakota.
She is in D Day colours and was at RAF Cosford yesterday for cadets day.

Richard.

 

[monzer]

Nearly 3000 people watching this one at the moment.

Doddling about Katowice.

 

[cyberyacht]

My dad was Bomber Command during the war and said that the Blenheim was so nose heavy that if you could fly one you could fly anything.

 

[bigwood]

A guy that worked for my father was on Wellingtons and Whitly bombers during the war. He said the Whitley had only one good point. There was metal rather than canvas between himself and the German fighters.
He was based in Pembrokeshire with costal command.

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[bigwood]

Getting back to Flight Radar 24.
A friend of mine living in the USA said it was strange to see no flights during the pandemic. It reminded him of 9-11 when flights were grounded.

 

[monzer]

See this is the kind of stuff that makes me wish I knew more about it....

Not long left the sky above Liverpool, no idea where it's heading but originated from Kuwait.

I'm sure it's a routine flight with a perfectly legitimate reason to be there but there's a lot of people following it on FR24 so it peaks my interest.

Anyone know anything about it? Like who owns it? What's it carrying? What size of shoe does the captain wear?

 

[bigwood]

I have just spotted a Chipmunk heading south oover the Lincolnshire Wolds. It looks to have started from Topclife possibly heading for Coningsby. BBMF had one to training pilots for tail wheel aircraft it could be that one.
I flew in Chipmunks during my time in the ATC from Wodvale and on summer camps at RAF Wyton and Abingdon.

 

[PebblesJnr]

In the first few months of lockdown I was regularly tracking RAF globemasters out of brise norton, the were practicing coming into land at all the quiet commercial airports, going around 4 or 5 times then moving onto the next location

 

[ivorantony]

Here’s my trace for Friday before last heading upto the LAA rally at Sywell Northampton,
I cannot get away with anything now the wife is always watching

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[ElliesBoss]

Another saddo here. I often sit in the back garden telling friends and family what the planes overhead are doing and I know nothing about aviation. Don't even like flying.

 

[monzer]

Another saddo here. I often sit in the back garden telling friends and family what the planes overhead are doing and I know nothing about aviation. Don't even like flying.

Seems there's a few of us

 

[Janine]

I have always been plane crazy - or is that plain crazy?? - and spend too much time watching FR24. Have you found the communication balloons in Africa?

My latest addiction is the Missionary Bush Pilot on YouTube. The airstrips he lands on in Papua New Guinea are just mental!

 

[Jamesh]

I

Here’s my trace for Friday before last heading upto the LAA rally at Sywell Northampton,
I cannot get away with anything now the wife is always watching

I've got an amazing trip coming up.... Flight to Scilly isles and back via superyacht to Portsmouth I your interested.....

I've asked the same thing in the superyacht forums to see if there are any takers.

Please bring your plane.....!

Cheers James

 

[monzer]

I have always been plane crazy - or is that plain crazy?? - and spend too much time watching FR24. Have you found the communication balloons in Africa?

My latest addiction is the Missionary Bush Pilot on YouTube. The airstrips he lands on in Papua New Guinea are just mental!

Yup, is that the aircraft that supply internet to places that are pretty much off the grid?

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