Mountain bike tour around NRN

[BWAirlines]

Monday the 22nd of August I made a major mountain bike tour around the aerodrome. I was amazed by the fact that I could reach everywhere between all the shelters and bunkers. In the South-West I even entered a bunker with an old squadron logo on the door. Many machines in there. I noticed that the whole site was used for contruction works or some. The big Hangar was filled with sand, the shelter where FX-101 stood was full of sand and everywhere else was sand, too.
I cycled along the fence to the former 20 Sqn area. Great area to be. Then I continued my tour along the fence (hard to ride) and came to a building which looked like a jet washing centre or some.
Next I reached were the bunkers and stuff opposite to the terminal. EI-DHD arrived and meanwhile I was looking inside the highest bunker in that area. The doors were open. Further betweeen the shelters grasscutting was in progress. After that I continued my tour along the fence back to the terminal.

For guys with a mountain bike I surely recommend it.

[Diego A. Maradona]

Did you meet Herman the german?

[BWAirlines]

NO, actually I did not meet anyone .

[BWAirlines]

I did see a grasscutter by the way.. And lots of rabbits.

In the South-West, what the hell are they doing there? All that sand on the taxiways, hangars full of sand, enormous amounts of rubbish...
And where are the starfighters now? I looked in a shelter where the 101 stood but there's just sand in it. =S Please help..

[heinz-w]

The Starfighters have been moved to the QRA, probably (hopefully) the place where the RAF museum will be.

[Kleve88]

QRA

???

[Rolf]

QRA = SSA

[Kleve88]

Liegt wohl am stromsparenden Wochenenddenken, aber ich bin immer noch auf dem Bahnhof

[BWAirlines]

FOr the RAF Museum the disbandement of the Jags can be an opportunity?

[heinz-w]

@ Kleve88:
QRA = Quick Reaction Alert
Ist ein eingezäunter Bereich mit 4 Sheltern jenseits der Runway, in dem zu Zeiten der RAF (Royal Air Force) ständig komplett aufmunitionierte Jets bereit standen, sofort zu starten, um z.B. einen notwendigen Gegenschlag gegen die ehemaligen Staaten des Warschauer Paktes zu fliegen.

[Martin]

QRA = Quick Reaction Area

[heinz-w]

QRA = Quick Reaction Area

Deine Interpretation ist wahrscheinlich auch nicht falsch, aber meine entspricht der offiziellen RAF Abkürzung:
QAA -
QAH - what is your height above ... ?
QAK - is there any risk of collision?
QAL - are you going to /have you landed at ...
QBA - what is the horizontal visibility at ... ?
QDM - magnetic bearing to a DF station
QDR - magnetic bearing from a DF station
QFE - atmospheric pressure at aerodrome elevation
QFI - Qualified Flying Instructor
QGI - Qualified Gliding Instructor
QFO - may I land immediately?
QFR - does my landing gear appear damaged?
QFT - between what heights above ... (datum) has ice formation been observed [at ... (position or zone)]?
QGH - controlled descent through cloud
QGO - airfield closed due to weather
QGV - do you see me? or can you see the aerodrome? or can you see ... (aircraft)?
QGX -
QNH - atmospheric pressure at sea level
QRA - Quick Reaction Alert
QSY - change frequency
QTH - my position is ...
QTR - what's the time?

aus: http://www.associations.rafinfo.org.uk/acronyms.htm

[Rolf]

QRA - Quick Reaction Alert

Das ist die korrekte Abkürzung! So hieß genau genommen die Aufgabe der im QRA-Bereich stationierten Jets (nämlich schnellstmöglich einen Alarmstart ausführen zu können). Also müsste der Bereich, wo die QRA-Jets stationiert waren, eigentlich "QRA Area" (QRAA) heißen, aber bei dem Abkürzungstick in der NATO war "QRA" allgemein üblich. Offiziell hieß der Bereich sogar noch anders, nämlich "Special Security Area" (SSA), was bedeutet, dass dort die Atombomben gelagert waren, denn RAF Laarbruch war eine sogenannte "Strike and Attack Base"; ferner standen in einem besonderen Teil der SSA immer ein paar QRA-Jets startklar, um ggf. den atomaren (Gegan-) Angriff zu fliegen.
Aber auch in RAF Wildenrath (und an anderen NATO-Flugplätzen) gab es eine "QRA"; in den 80er Jahren standen immer 2 Maschinen (Phantom) startklar, um eindrigende Flugzeuge schnellstmöglich abzufangen (Das kam häufiger vor, als man heute denkt). Diese Abfangjäger waren aber nicht atomar bestückt. Weil RAF Wildenrath der NATO-Abteilung "Defense" zugeordnet war, gab es dort auch keine SSA mit Atombomben.
Nun alles klar?

[BWAirlines]

That's cool stuff

IS there any date for when the RAF museum is planned to be started?
Are there already planes selected to stand in the museum?

[Kleve88]

@hw/rolf/martin

Bedankt! Man lernt halt nie aus....