$200k+ Replacement chase cars for U-2

[Spitfire88]

These cars were delivered to fairford last week

[blackhandgang17]

But would have to pay tax on the purchase. Sourcing from the states means no tax and the car is set up to US standards left hand drive etc.
The delay is due to the issue with the certification.Can it load direct or is there sufficient clearance with the car overhang front and rear to get up the ramp. its weight and centre of gravity need calculated so the loadmaster can place it in the correct location depending on aircraft type and what else is on the load.
They could always charter one of the companies that drag the supercars to London each summer from the middle East.

Visiting nato forces are Tax free as part of the status of forces agreement same as the British forces in Germany,Cyprus etc or you would not have all the tax free car sales round the 2 bases and American spec is available as lots of them buy there new car here and ship it back at the end of there tour

[Vulcan74]

Sending them by sea is not an issue atall. But when it comes to dangerous goods. Movement by air is the strictest in the world. And always a pain in the ass

If there was another war on they could do anything if needed, to ship hazardous equipment from USA to Europe, as in WW2!!

[Proteus]

I forwarded this link to a friend of mine who did it for real in the mid seventies, I knew what his reply would be and here it is.

“The stupidity of this is beyond belief. A whole bunch of people should be fired - and frankly should have been years ago. Back in the '70's when the U-2/TR-1 was at MHZ, they used to use wheezing Ford Fairmont estate cars for this duty which the drivers used to bitch about because they were so slow, but what is the approach speed of one of these things about 50 miles an hour? Better it be AWD so if the U-2 gets blown off the runway, which happened once while I was in charge of the FMS Crash Recovery department, it can be towed quickly back onto the runway or taxiway. Empty of fuel, they don't (or at least didn't) weigh anything. In the aforementioned incident when the U-2 was blown off the runway, it just took about a dozen of us to hand push the thing back onto the runway, install the pogo wheels and tow it off. They really don't need the glamour cars they've taken a liking to. All that loadmaster BS sounds like overkill, too. What has the world come to? In time of war this petty BS would all go by the wayside.”
Keep up the good work.........N.

[fires999]

Morning,
Did anyone manage to snag the frequency the chase cars use for car to aircraft comms ? Think the question was asked many months ago but i never saw a reply ?...
Thanks in advance and apologies if the answer HAS been posted...I just cant find it !!!
Cheers,
fires999

[nitro999]

Morning,
Did anyone manage to snag the frequency the chase cars use for car to aircraft comms ? Think the question was asked many months ago but i never saw a reply ?...
Thanks in advance and apologies if the answer HAS been posted...I just cant find it !!!
Cheers,
fires999

They use the FFD tower frequency

[fires999]

Nitro999,
Afternoon - Really appreciate the reply , thanks for that....be good to hear what goes on .
I did see an episode of Top Gear with "Joey" from Friends in a chase car behind a U2 (NASA markings I think ?) talking the aircraft down....not sure how true/realistic the comms were bearing in mind it was a tv show.
Thanks again
fires999

[nitro999]

I think I recall the one you refer to. When the chase car has been on the radio for U2s recently he’s really just telling the pilot how high above the runway he is, so you hear a countdown 5...4...3...2..1.....inches

[robg]

It is possible that RAF Mildenhall, specifically, doesn't have chase cars in place, but U-2s do regularly visit RAF Fairford. This brings up the question of why there isn't a permanent fleet of chase cars available in the country already, part of which could be temporarily redeployed to RAF Mildenhall, or why the Air Force doesn't just send them to Fairford as usual. It seems difficult to believe that these bases, which have motor pools, would find it difficult to maintain a small fleet of appropriate cars to support Dragon Lady operations, as necessary.

Does this mean that U-2's will be flying out of Mildenhall then?

[MRTT]

No. As posted above, the cars are now at Fairford.