Spotting in the Snow
It’s
that time of the year when most spotters, or at least those not lucky enough to
have an interesting military base close at hand, pack up their poles and
cameras for the winter. Why??? Few aeroplanes hibernate, there’s no heat haze,
and there are many off-season special offers for flights and accommodation.
Frankly, there are good times to be had. It can also be said that wives &
girlfriends find it easier to put up with their partner’s hobby if it’s evenly
spread throughout the year, rather than concentrated on all the best weekends
in the Summer. Well, that’s one point of view, however
if pressed on the subject these days Sylvia rolls her eyes and says “There’s
just no end to it now…”
I
can personally recommend taking full advantage of the off-season. If you have read ‘Pining for the Fjords’ you will have seen that we
enjoyed end of season ‘Spotting in the Snow’ in
The
log below includes “new” only, to which I have added some explanation around
the accompanying photos. For first timers you could expect more at the
helicopter bases and of course the museum at
EGSS STANSTED 25.3.06:
02-0202 C-40C, 201 AS/113 Wg, District of Columbia ANG (arr 23.3).
Flew from Stansted to
EPLL LODZ/LUBLINEK
25.3.06:
SN-07XP Mil Mi-2T, (c/n
512539082) 'F-005' Lotnictwo Policji.
KSAWEROW 25.3.06:
Preserved at the Zespol Szkol Rolnicze in ul Szkolna.....
1605 Lim-2, (c/n 1B01605) ex
Polish AF.
This Polish built MiG-15
is
only a few miles from
CHECHLO II 25.3.06:
Preserved at Pabianka
10/11.....
0628 Mil Mi-2M, (c/n 560628038)
ex 56 KPSB, Polish AF.
LASK 25.3.06:
Preserved at 10 ELT barracks.....
1801 MiG-21PF, (c/n 761801)
"2000" ex 10 PLM, Polish AF (d/d 6.4.65).
LASK 25.3.06:
Preserved by the junction of Rtes 12 and 14.....
708 Lim-2, (c/n 1B00708)
"2004" ex Polish AF.
We also checked out Lask
base, but there was nothing to be seen here on this occasion (lots of trees and
an empty flight line).
Preserved at Gimnazjum Stanislawa Skarzynskiego in ul Swietojanska.....
-
TS-8 Bies, (c/n 1E....) ex Polish AF.
Don’t be fooled by the word “Gimnazjum”,
it actually means a school, not a gymnasium.
EPIR INOWROCLAW 25.3.06:
5242 Mil Mi-2D,
(c/n 515242077) 56 KPSB, Polish AF.
5346 Mil Mi-2R,
(c/n 565346127) 56 KPSB, Polish AF.
6428 Mil Mi-2R,
(c/n 566428129) 56 KSPB, Polish AF.
6923 Mil Mi-2URPG, (c/n
566923120) 56 KPSB, Polish AF.
6924 Mil Mi-2URPG, (c/n
566924120) 56 KPSB, Polish AF.
6946 Mil Mi-2URP, (c/n 566946120) 56 KPSB, Polish AF.
6947 Mil Mi-2URP, (c/n 566947120) 56 KPSB, Polish AF.
7338 Mil Mi-2URPG, (c/n
567338012) 56 KPSB, Polish AF.
7341 Mil Mi-2URPG, (c/n
567341012) 56 KPSB, Polish AF.
8220 Mil Mi-2URP, (c/n 568220063) 56 KPSB, Polish AF.
735 Mil Mi-24V, (c/n 410735)
56 KPSB, Polish AF.
Compound;
6925 Mil Mi-2URPG, (c/n
566925120) Polish AF.
6944 Mil Mi-2URP, (c/n 566944120) Polish AF.
Preserved in a park by Rte 16.....
- Lim-2, (c/n .......)
ex Polish AF. Painted as "107".
RUDZIENICE 25.3.06:
Preserved at a filling station on Rte 16.....
1317 Antonov An-2R, (c/n 1G113-17) ex Polish AF.
EPPR
PRUSZCZ GDANSKI 26.3.06:
0610 Mil Mi-2M, (c/n 510610018) 49 PSB, Polish AF.
2706 Mil Mi-2RM, (c/n 552706122)
49 PSB, Polish AF.
5350 Mil Mi-2CH, (c/n 565350127)
49 PSB, Polish AF.
CHLAPOWO 26.3.06:
Preserved as the Restauracja
Czynna......
102 Tupolev Tu-134A, (c/n 3352008) ex Polish AF & SP-LHG (arr 12.10.99).
Although not looking too military these
days, this Tu-134 has ‘previous’. It was also particularly satisfying to catch up with
as on a previous occasion we had invested a lot of time in failing to find it.
We now know that we turned round about 200 yards too early the first time.
As a measure of how cold it was, here are some of the
locals engaged in Winter Sports on a frozen lake.
GLOWCZYCE 26.3.06:
Preserved at a private house in ul
9go Marca.....
459 MiG-23MF, (c/n
0390220459/13403) ex 28 PLM, Polish AF.
WIELICHOWO 26.3.06:
Preserved at a private house in the village.....
456 MiG-23MF, (c/n
0390220456/13310) ex 28 PLM, Polish AF.
DARLOWO 26.3.06:
1008 Mil Mi-14PS, (c/n A1008) 29
eLMW, Polish Navy.
1012 Mil Mi-14PS, (c/n A1012) 29
eLMW, Polish Navy (Special marks).
5137 Mil Mi-14PS, (c/n 75137) 29
eLMW, Polisy Navy (SAR
c/s).
KOSZALIN 26.3.06:
Preserved at the the Politechniki Koszalinskiej in ul Raclawicka.....
1906 MiG-21M, (c/n 961906) ex 41
PLM, Polish AF, & Malbork store (d/d 2.3.70).
Its always nice to discover a new wreck. Having spent
many an hour trawling the net, we knew of the existence of this MiG-21. With a
little effort, we managed to find it.
MIASTKO 26.3.06:
Preserved in ul Dluga.....
409 Lim-5, (c/n 1C0409) ex
Polish AF (d/d 15.5.57).
This MiG-17 has a little more colour than most, in
contrast to the grey old-style Communist town it lives in. Miastko
is way out in the sticks and still retains an air of its post war history.
PILA 26.3.06:
Preserved in ul Dzieci Polskich .....
- Lim-2, (c/n ......)
ex Polish AF. Painted as "1952/2002"
WITKOWO 27.3.06:
Preserved outside the Klub Garnizonowy in ul Zwirki I Wigury.....
8 Ilyushin Il-28R, (c/n ......) "10" ex Polish AF.
Fog was something of a problem this morning
as
the aircraft were visible only from a few feet away. However, it did clear up
by mid morning. You notice how the fog lingers in the trees and it looks
fantastic as the fog seems to slowly pour out of the forest and evaporate.
Preserved at a school in ul
Braci Lukowskich.....
0627 TS-8 Bies, (c/n 1E0627) ex Polish AF.
SREM 27.3.06:
Preserved at the gate of a barracks at the junction
of Rtes 310 & 432.....
414 Lim-6bis, (c/n 1J0414) ex
53 PLM-Sz, Polish AF & Mierzecice,
painted as "4430" (previously "3486") (d/d 28.3.63).
JAROCIN 27.3.06:
Preserved at the barracks of 16 Battalion Wojska Polskiego on Rte 11.....
- Lim-6M, (c/n ......)
ex Polish AF. Painted as "8895".
KROSNICE 27.3.06:
Preserved inside Wojewodski
Szpital Neuroschiatrii w Krosnich.....
-
Avia C.11, (c/n ......) ex Polish AF.
One of the more unusual locations, this Yak-11
is
preserved in the grounds of a psychiatric hospital.
OLESNICA 27.3.06:
Preserved inside the gate at 10 Rejonowe
Warszaty Techniczne.....
504 TS-11 Iskra bis B, (c/n 1H0504) ex Polish AF (arr 2.11.72). Painted
as "1978".
PSIE POLE 27.3.06:
Preserved at the Lotnicze Zaklady Naukowe.....
5609 MiG-21PFM, (c/n 94A5609) ex
Polish AF & Olesnica (d/d 2.6.67).
7502 MiG-21UM, (c/n 02695175) ex
Polish AF.
706 TS-11 Iskra bis C, (c/n 1H0706) ex Polish AF & Olesnica
(Wfu 4.5.95).
"1" Lim-1, (c/n
......) ex Polish AF, "1". Painted in
"Tiger" c/s.
The LZN is an aviation technical college. I had attempted
e-mail contact beforehand, with no result. However, Security were friendly
(albeit non English speaking) and soon understood that the crazy English wanted
to take some pictures. No problem.
PSARY 27.3.06:
Preserved next to Rte 5.....
1815 MiG-21M, (c/n 961815) ex 41
PLM, Polish AF (d/d 20.3.70, damaged 3.9.70 and to instructional at Olesnia).
WOLOW 27.3.06:
Preserved at the junction of Rtes 339 and 340.....
-
Lim-5P,
(c/n ......) ex Polish AF. Painted as
"1985".
This radar-equipped MiG-17
is
quite a rare bird and very photogenic, I think. She is preserved at the
birthplace of Polish astronaut Miroslaw Hermaszewski.
SZPROTAWA 27.3.06:
Preserved by the main road through the town.....
-
MiG-21F-13,
(c/n ......) ex Soviet AF (dedicated 5.9.85).
Polish roads are absolutely terrible, full of pot
holes that need a lot of care to avoid. Oncoming traffic will suddenly swerve
to your side of the road to miss pot holes. We managed to hit one at speed just
outside Szprotawa, taking out both tyre and wheel. We
put the spare on and continued – even more carefully as we had no spare after
that! Szprotawa was a Soviet base and it was
interesting to take a look at it as we passed by. Unusually for MiGs in
ZERSKA WIES 27.3.06:
Preserved with Aeroklub.....
- Lim-1, (c/n ......)
ex Polish AF & Psie Pole, marked "165".
6510 MiG-21PFM, (c/n 94A6510) ex
62 PLM, Polish AF (d/d 25.3.68).
461 MiG-23MF, (c/n
0390220461/13405) ex 28 PLM, Polish AF.
EPJG JELENIA GORA
28.3.06:
Aeroklub Jeleniogorski;
9857 Antonov
An-2T, (c/n 1G98-57) ex Polish AF, registered SP-FIN.
9867 Antonov
An-2T, (c/n 1G98-67) ex Polish AF, registered SP-AOF.
NOWA RUDA 28.3.06:
Preserved at an Orlen
filling station on Rte 381, dedicated 19.7.00.....
1813 MiG-21M, (c/n 961813) ex Polish AF (d/d 29.1.70).
This machine was way out on a limb but we made the
effort to go for her as that effectively ‘cleared’ a large chunk of
Preserved inside the gate at 3 Bazy
Lotniczej.....
8007 MiG-21MF, (c/n 968007) ex
11 PLM, Polish AF (d/d 18.9.73).
ZERNIKI 28.3.06:
Preserved at the Orle Gniazdo restaurant at ul Strachowice 42a.....
7101 MiG-21PFM, (c/n 94A7101) ex
62 PLM, Polish AF & Poznan store (d/d 15.5.68).
OLAWA 28.3.06:
Preserved at a private house in ul
Oleandry.....
0513 TS-8 Bies, (c/n 1E0513) ex Polish AF & SP-CLB.
KK136 Dakota IV, (c/n 15272/26717,
43-49456) d/d USAAF 25.11.44 and passed
to the RAF 28.12.44 as KK136, to Croydon 4.1.45, to
147 Sqn 13.12.45, to 1 TAMU 10.9.46, to Middle East 16.10.46, to UK 3.2.47,
stored 14.4.47, to Oakington 17.12.49, to G-AMPP
4.5.52 for Scottish Aviation and operated by Scottish Aviation Airlines from
28.10.54, allocated XF756 for trooping flights in '54, to Dan Air 30.3.61,
registration cancelled 7.2.71, preserved with the Air Scouts at Lasham as "G-AMSU", to Aces High at North Weald
20.12.91, to Euro-Disney, to Museum Bevrijdende Vleugels at Best (Neths) 29.8.02,
to Berlin 26.2.05 for use in a crash scene in a Berlin Airlift film "Die Luftbrucke", painted in RAF colours as KN491 and fire
damaged.
This bird came as something of a
surprise. She was more substantial than is apparent from the picture, but in
pieces.
EPOP
Preserved at the Aeroklub Opolskie.....
926 Sukhoi Su-7BKL, (c/n 7926) ex Polish AF & Mierzecice.
CZERWIONKA 28.3.06:
Preserved in the park Kultury
I Wypoczynku im P Furgola.....
1923 Lim-2, (c/n 1B01923) ex
Polish AF.
Rather a rare bird this one. I
think we were probably the first Brits to see her. Czerwionka
is a dark and dismal mining town and the weather was in keeping with the
atmosphere. We got soaked just venturing out for a couple of minutes for a
picture.
ZAWIERCIE 28.3.06:
Preserved at restaurant Karczma
u Stacha.....
526 Lim-6R, (c/n 1J0526) ex
Polish AF (d/d 14.11.63, Wfu 14.1.91).
SECEMIN 29.3.06:
Preserved behind the Post Office in the village.....
9109 MiG-21MF, (c/n 969109) ex
41 PLM, Polish AF (d/d 18.4.74).
We must have spent an hour driving around Secemin to no avail. At the point of giving up we stopped
at a bus stop in the middle of the village, waved a picture of a MiG-21 and
asked a local. He just turned round and pointed. A few yards away, behind the
Post Office and just visible through a gate was the
MiG-21.
LIPICZE 29.3.06:
Preserved at Napisy Nagrobkowe in ul Stawowa.....
7913 MiG-21MF, (c/n 967913) ex Polish
AF (d/d 11.9.73).
KRUSZYNA 29.3.06:
Preserved at the southbound services on the E75.....
8189 MiG-21MF-75, (c/n 96008189)
ex 10 PLM, Polish AF (d/d 11.12.75).
EPPT PIOTRKOW
TRIBUNALSKI 29.3.06:
Hangar;
661 Yak-12M, (c/n 169661) ex
Polish AF, registered SP-AAU for Aeroklub Ziemi Pitrkowskiej.
EPLL LODZ-LUBLINEK
29.3.06:
Stored at WZL-1.....
1009 Mil Mi-14PL, (c/n A1009) ex
29 eLMW, Polish Navy.
603 Mil Mi-17, (c/n 106M03)
ex 37 dLOT, Polish AF.
There is a major rework facility at
Flew from
Richard was otherwise engaged this trip so Pete
Norris substituted. My thanks to travelling companions Eric,
Ian & Pete.