The latest RAF Northolt Nightshoot, number 31, took place on Thursday 3rd October 2024. GAR’s Chris Wood broke out his tripod and popped along.
The French have been regular attendees at the nightshoots, this time with a pair of PC-21s from Cognac.
With a history that started in 2009, the Northolt night photo shoots have become a fixed item on the aviation calendar. As outlined by Group Captain Jonathan Hough, RAF Northolt’s Station Commander, in his opening address, the monies raised by the nightshoots go to restoring the station’s heritage. Building 27, in particular the Operations Room which is now as it was in June 1940, has been the main recipient of the £200,000 raised so far, but RAF Northolt is a station rich in history and there are other heritage projects in need of funding.
Group Captain Hough also announced that, in future, the nightshoots would be held on the first Thursdays of March and October.
Unannounced was the Aero Legends C-47A ‘Drag-em-oot’.
The organisation of the nightshoots, and all the work on restoring Building 27, is done by the inimitable Phil Dawe MBE. Phil has a small team of regular helpers led by Lee Barton, and of course these events couldn’t happen without the support and assistance of personnel from RAF Northolt.
Following Group Captain Hough’s address, there was a safety and security briefing before the photographers, some 300 in total, were allowed out on to the apron to start taking pictures. One of Phil’s skills is being able to entice crews to bring their aircraft to Northolt so that they can be photographed. It’s always a bit hit and miss, with aircraft serviceability and operational tasking, plus the vagaries of the British weather all having the potential to have an impact. However on this occasion, yet again the stars aligned and virtually everything that was expected turned up.
‘Drag-em-oot’ running up it’s pair of Pratt and Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasps.
On first look, there appeared to be a big gap on the apron. However it wasn’t long before the reason became apparent when an RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III from 99 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton arrived. It parked on the edge of the ramp and the photographers, under escort, were allowed to get nearer.
99 Squadron Boeing C-17A Globemaster III
The RAF also provided a Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 from RAF Coningsby. It had been hoped that the 2024 display jet, affectionately known as Moggy and operated by 29 Squadron, would be the aircraft.
Instead a jet from 12 Squadron, the joint RAF/Qatar Emirati Air Force squadron, turned up, but it was flown by a 29 Squadron pilot!
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 from 12 Squadron at RAF Coningsby
The French have been long time supporters of the nightshoots and this occasion was no different. A pair of Pilatus PC-21 trainers from BA (Base Aerienne) 709 Cognac-Chateaubernard and an Embraer EMB-121 Xingu from the European Defence Airlift School at BA 702 Avord were to be found on the ramp. It had been hoped that there would also be a CASA CN235 from the French Air and Space Force but that cancelled.
However the Aero Legends Douglas C-47A Skytrain ‘Drag-em-oot’ happened to be at Northolt, and this had been added to the line up as an unannounced addition.
Embraer Xingu from the French Air and Space Force.
Several aircraft were parked near the far side of the ramp but, under supervision, the photographers were allowed to get closer. Both the Xingu and the C-47 ran their engines for a while, to provide different photo opportunities.
London’s Air Ambulance Charity has been a long time resident at Northolt, recently with a pair of MD902 Explorer helicopters. These are now being replaced by a pair of Airbus Helicopters H135s and both MD902s, plus an H135 were on the ramp.
Out with the old, in with the new. London’s Air Ambulance Charity’s new H135 in front of the outgoing MD902.
Other Northolt based aircraft made available were one of 32 Squadron’s Dassault Falcon 900LXs, known as Envoy IV CC1s, and the current AgustaWestland AW109SP.
32 Squadron now operates a pair of Envoy IV CC1s……
The unique feature of the Northolt nightshoots is that they take place on an active Royal Air Force station, with mostly operational military aircraft as subject matter.
…. and a single AW109SP.
The next nightshoot is scheduled for Thursday 6th March 2025, details will be posted here:
