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RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Please post any movements and activity around the RAF/RN Weapons ranges.
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humberman1950
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RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by humberman1950 » Sun Apr 07, 2013 11:48 pm

RAF Cowden ceased to be an air weapons range from 1998. I worked there as a security guard 2008-2012. The range was still administered by 5131 BD Sqn who carried out weekly demolitions of munitions found on the range and beach.
The range started life in 1939 when it was an army tank range and a training area for the Home Guard. The range was taken over by the RAF in 1959. It has now closed completely and the buildings and land handed over to Defence Estates.
I believe that the range was used quite a lot by American A10s during preparations for Gulf War 1. Also Vulcans dropped inert practice bombs when training to fly and bomb Port Stanley Airfield during the Falklands War.

Chris Procter
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by Chris Procter » Sat Aug 17, 2013 8:26 am

if Cowden is supposedly shut completely now why do they still get regular NOTAM's saying explosions/demolition will be taking place seen them at least 4 times this year??

POL
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by POL » Sat Aug 17, 2013 12:02 pm

humberman1950 wrote:RAF Cowden ceased to be an air weapons range from 1998.
...

Chris Procter
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by Chris Procter » Sat Aug 17, 2013 12:24 pm

ChrisGlobe wrote:
humberman1950 wrote:RAF Cowden ceased to be an air weapons range from 1998.
...
That has not answered my question though...
the question is does anyone know why it still get NOTAMS for regular explosions/demolition

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Gary
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by Gary » Sat Aug 17, 2013 12:30 pm

They'll have EOD teams on site getting rid of the unexploded ordnance. You get the same NOTAM issued for the old RAF Wainfleet range, not seen one in a while though.
Posh are going to Wembley (albeit for a tin cup)

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JONLITE06
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by JONLITE06 » Sat Aug 17, 2013 12:33 pm

They regularly get ordnance that has been exposed by high tides, and have to deal with them!

Chris Procter
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by Chris Procter » Sat Aug 17, 2013 12:35 pm

Thanks for that

reheat
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by reheat » Mon Aug 19, 2013 7:37 am

Living in Hull, I used to go there regularly.Seen all sorts over the years.Just wished I had the technology of mobile phones and camcorders in those days at realistic prices to capture them.Seen Hunters, Super Sabres, Phantoms, Buccaneers, Harriers, A.10s, Jaguars, Vulcans, Corsairs, Starfighters, F111s. Used to pass right over the perimiter road when shooting, bombing and rocketing.Always really busy.Fantastic days, sadly missed.
Last edited by reheat on Tue Aug 27, 2013 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
Regards,

Steve.

The_Edge
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by The_Edge » Mon Aug 26, 2013 6:57 am

Hi Guys,
I used to go to Cowden a few times a year..seen some awesome weapons delivery and seen some awful weapons delivery!!!...seen a fair few shells fly off into the sea while straffing a land target!.
On one trip in 1990 I managed take my mate who had a camcorder.Managed to shoot some A-10s and F-111s but like a fool I dubbed over the soundtrack with music!!..d'oh

Regards

Gary
At the end of the day..it gets dark and you cant see!!!!

humberman1950
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by humberman1950 » Sat Feb 08, 2014 4:02 am

I had a look at RAF Cowden during the week and took some photos. It was finally closed down in early 2013. The main building was only built in 1985 is now looking a bit run down and the range roads are blocked off with steel barriers to stop poachers. I took some photos if anybody wants them my email address is bswaine0544@gmail.com

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triplexxxf2
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by triplexxxf2 » Sat Feb 08, 2014 9:00 am

I have never been to cowden but saying that RAF Theddlethorpe closed about the same time?........they also have EOD teams on site getting rid of the unexploded ordnance, I have been at donna and tower have told a/c on the range that there will be an Alfa going to happen at thedd, so its much the same as at cowden...........
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zacklaws
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by zacklaws » Wed Feb 12, 2014 4:03 pm

I used to see the occasional member of the EOD clearing the range turning up at Leconfield and they reckoned it would be about 10 years before it could be handed over as the whole range has to dug up to a certain depth and the soil sieved to remove all ordnance that has been dropped or fired over the years.

Used to love seeing the A10's miss the target and hit the beach and sea sending everything flying. Then the F111's low level bombing out at sea was quite entertaining as they performed the approach banking low almost touching the sea with the wing tips and following dropping the practise bomb in a loft attack, escape manouvres. Sadly one F111 did clip the sea and crashed whilst using the range

The_Edge
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by The_Edge » Wed Feb 12, 2014 5:52 pm

Hi Zach.
I have fond memories of RAF Cowden.
I spent a few days in holiday there in 88 when I was a kid.
The F-111 crash must have been bad.They did fly low on those sea targets!!

Regards

Gary
At the end of the day..it gets dark and you cant see!!!!

zacklaws
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by zacklaws » Thu Feb 13, 2014 8:13 am

I cannot confirm it, but the F111 hitting the sea was filmed by someone at Withernsea. There is links online to the film but they do not take you anywhere

24th or 25th July 1979, F-111E 68-0042 crashed off Tunstall into the North Sea is the only reference I can find to it, and cannot even find links to the pictures/film now, but thats how google works I find sometimes.

http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=152992
Last edited by zacklaws on Thu Feb 13, 2014 8:42 am, edited 1 time in total.

The_Edge
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by The_Edge » Thu Feb 13, 2014 8:32 am

Thanks for the info Zack even if it's a sad story
At the end of the day..it gets dark and you cant see!!!!

reheat
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by reheat » Tue Apr 07, 2015 6:36 pm

Sadly, a Hunter also crashed there killing the pilot.

02/03/1961 XE604 Z Hunter FGA9 1 Sqn Stalled after carrying out a rocket attack on Cowden Range, Yorkshire and crashed into the North Sea. The pilot was killed
Regards,

Steve.

The_Edge
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Re: RAF Cowden East Yorkshire

Post by The_Edge » Tue Apr 07, 2015 7:40 pm

Thanks for the info..sad news the pilot didn't make it.

I found my old footage of Cowden, but there are scratches on it and won't play.. :grr:

Regards

Gary
At the end of the day..it gets dark and you cant see!!!!

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