That's one ticked off the bucket list!

You the names of the helos completely wrong I'm afraid. One Sea King AEW2 and three Merlins.

 

I assume you're talking about the fly past?

 

Yep and the one enforcing the "no fly zone" was a Wildcat. Developed from the Lynx but the giveaway is the twin tail.

 

Thanks.

I'm not an aviation nut & its been a long day!

The light made it hard to see what was what, so had to rely on the media & any tw@tter feeds contained there in from the fleet air arm!......

There were a couple of jets that came in hard & fast just after the stern had passed into the harbour, but the settings on the camera were all wrong - too late to change them!

 

I saw 2 F18 hornets fly past today, hugging the coast about 1300 heading towards brighton , might these have been them?

 

The Navy only operate one type of jet at the moment so my money is on them being Hawks from 763 NAS.

 

In answer to both - I really don't know!

They came in low from the IoW & the light wasn't good - blink & you miss em & given they would've had to do a sharp turn before before they hit Portsdown - also the Red Arrows were supposed to perform a fly past as well, but were still in bed because it was too early!

Having Goggled both types, my ninds eye says F18's, s they fit the shape more....... if anyone can find out what 'hit' Portsmouth at 07:10 then we'll all know.....

 

If these aircraft " hit" portsmouth about 0710, then it most likily wouldn't have been the same pair as i saw my Hornets later in the day i got a clear look and they were Hornets, not eagles, or any other type, the wing shape was clearly that of a hornet with curved wing roots single engine , we do get some last jet action here but so far its been USAF Eagles , i wonder is the George bush laying off the isle off wight and the crews are practicing using the south coast to navigate ? i had a RAF Heracles flying down the coast a few weeks back very low, and fast with its ramp down, we occationally get Chinocks also doing the same.

 

Aviation forums confirm the fixed wing element of the flypast was a pair of Hawks.

By the way martin, a Hornet is twin engined.
http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/587e7feeee14b63e338b6efb-2200/undefined

 

In my defence i was several thousands feet from them at the time yes you are right, i realised after i had posted it, doh !!

 

Thanks, now we know.

 

I think you just failed your Royal Observer Corps entrance exam.

 

If one of them had flown over Portsmouth yesterday, that would have been the aviation event of the century.

 

i have to agree with that, the Sea hornet had a very short service life.