HEREFORDSHIRE may not be renowned for having busy skies, but there are still a lot of planes and helicopters which can be seen flying low over the county.
From elite SAS helicopters to futuristic Ospreys from others arms of the UK's armed forces, these are some of the aircraft which will have been spotted flying in the Herefordshire skies over the last 12 months.
Chinook
Most people will have seen Chinooks flying low with their distinctive 'wokka wokka' soundtrack, earning an affectionate nickname after the sound of the craft's rotas.
The Royal Air Force describes the Chinook as an extremely capable and highly versatile support helicopter which can be operated from land bases or ships into a diverse range of environments, from the Arctic to the desert or jungle.
"The aircraft may be armed and is fitted with a suite of self-defence equipment allowing it to operate across the battlespace.
"Chinooks are primarily used for trooping, resupply and battlefield casualty evacuation (casevac).
"With its triple-hook external load system, internal cargo winch, roller conveyor fit and large reserves of power, the aircraft can lift a wide variety of complex underslung or internal freight, including vehicles."
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"It can carry up to 55 troops or up to approximately 10 tonnes of mixed cargo.
"Secondary roles include search and rescue (SAR), and supporting a wide variety of specialist tasks, including the Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) commitment. A Chinook crew comprises two pilots and two crewmen, supplemented by specialists dependent upon mission requirements."
The Chinook operate from RAF Benson in South Oxfordshire and RAF Odiham in Hampshire.
Puma
These helicopters can sometimes be seen touching down at the TA Centre in Harold Street, Hereford.
According to the RAF, the Puma HC.Mk 2 medium support helicopter operates under Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) control, which brings together battlefield helicopters of the Royal Navy, Army Air Corps and Royal Air Force.
"The aircraft is used in a variety of combat roles, including the tactical movement of troops, weapons, ammunition and stores on the battlefield, as well as the extraction of casualties and in response to medical emergencies on the frontline," the RAF says.
"It is also employed during non-combatant evacuations, and humanitarian and disaster relief operations.
"The aircraft is capable of carrying 16 passengers, 12 fully equipped troops or up to two tonnes of freight, the latter moved as internal cargo or underslung, or a mix of the two.
"It can also be fitted with up to six stretchers for operations in the casualty evacuation or medical emergency response team role."
"With more powerful engines, greater range than the Puma HC.Mk 1 and a modern digital cockpit, the Puma HC.Mk 2 is capable of operating in harsh environments, lifting troops, supplies and humanitarian aid wherever needed, especially under hot-and-high conditions.
"The aircraft can be prepared for transport by C-17 in just four hours, flown across the globe, and be rebuilt and returned to flying just as quickly at the destination, making it a highly mobile, deployable battlefield support helicopter."
SAS "Blue Thunder"
There are six of these Dauphin helicopters for 658 Squadron Army Air Corps, and they're based at the SAS camp in Credenhill, supporting 22nd Special Air Service (22 SAS).
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Very little information can be found on these helicopters and the activities they get up to, but they have been seen responding to terrorism incidents in the UK.
One of the helicopters, all of which are painted in civilian colours of blue and white – hence the nickname – landed in the capital during the London Bridge terror attack in June 2017.
Air ambulance
The Midlands Air Ambulance Charity (MAAC) operates and funds three air ambulances covering six Midlands counties including Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire and the West Midlands.
The one based at Strensham, near Worcester, is the one most commonly scrambled to emergencies in Herefordshire, which can include patients in a life-threatening condition, or one where a land ambulance could have problems accessing.
The charity says on its website that each year it costs in excess of £10 million to maintain the three aircraft and the provision of a lifesaving service, as each air ambulance mission costs an average of £2,500.
"The charity does not receive funding from the Government or National Lottery for its daily missions so relies entirely on the support and generosity of local people and businesses," it says.
"Since 1991, we have responded to over 62,000 missions, making us one of the busiest air ambulance services in the UK. Find out more about Midlands Air Ambulance Charity's history.
"Operating from strategically located regional airbases at RAF Cosford in Shropshire, Strensham in Worcestershire and Tatenhill in Staffordshire, our air ambulances can reach 90 per cent of the region within eight minutes."
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"Our aircraft each carries a crew comprising a pilot, two paramedics or a paramedic and flight doctor, plus full life-support medical equipment. Three rapid response vehicles are deployed when the helicopters are unable to fly, due to bad weather for example."
A Eurocopter EC135 T2 is the aircraft based at Strensham.
Apache
Another military plane has made its way onto the list, with the tank-destroying Apache attack helicopter pictured by Geoff Houghton of the Hereford Times Camera Club in June 2020.
The Ministry of Defence says the aircraft, which is designed to hunt and destroy tanks, carries a mix of weapons including rockets, Hellfire missiles and a 30mm chain gun.
Fellow member Matthew Holt also managed to capture an image of one of the heavily armed helicopters as it disappeared into the distance.
The Army website says: "Designed to find and destroy air defence units, tanks and armoured vehicles, the Apache attack helicopter has utility beyond its primary role, capable of a wide range of battlefield tasks that include intelligence, surveillance target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR), escort/force protection and command and control (C2).
"The Apache can operate in all weathers, day or night and has significantly enhanced the Army's air manoeuvre capability.
"Using the distinctive Longbow radar located above the main rotor blades, the Apache can detect and classify up to 256 potential targets, display 128 of these to the crew and prioritise the top 16 threats, all in a matter of seconds."
"It carries a mix of weapons that include a 30mm chain gun, 70mm rockets and Hellfire missiles to provide choice for the commander and flexibility during the mission.
"In addition to the Longbow radar, the aircraft is equipped with optical and thermal imaging sights that are used to visually identify potential targets and pilot the aircraft at night and in low visibility conditions.
"Range and endurance can be increased using wing-mounted fuel tanks to provide a more persistent presence across a wider area. To increase its survivability, the Apache is fitted with a state of the art, fully integrated defensive aid suite to protect the aircraft and crew."
Osprey
Last up on the list is the futuristic-looking Osprey, a plane which can take off vertically.
In May 2020, Hereford Times Camera Club members were able to capture stunning close-ups of a Bell Boeing Osprey at Shobdon airfield, the home of Herefordshire Aero Club.
They show the American military aircraft displaying its remarkable ability to land and take off vertically.
It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft.
The month before Joe Thompson, of the Hereford Times Camera Club, captured an eye-catching picture of a pair of Ospreys flying low over a brilliant-yellow oilseed rape field in Herefordshire.
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