# Raf North Luffenham - April 2003



## spitfire (Dec 9, 2010)

Raf North Luffenham closed in around 1993/4. An army camp has replaced part of it but it is very odd as it seems to be used as some sort of traget maring practice area. When we visited 7 years a gio there was a derelict Harrier, Phantom and Jet Provost there.

Amazing place but watch out for the army camp and dead planes and weopons!

History at [ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_North_Luffenham[/ame]






























































Check out the rest of the pics at link below
http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c170/spitfire_mk9/North Luffenham April 2003/


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## stevie (Dec 10, 2010)

Brilliant pics. Completely agree, Luffenham is a great site.

The Jet Provost is now long gone and the Hawker Hunter (strangely in the Russian markings) was removed back in June this year. I'm pleased to say it's now being refurbished back to it's original state at Wattisham which was where the aircraft was actually based during it's service life!!


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## Locksley (Dec 10, 2010)

stevie said:


> Brilliant pics. Completely agree, Luffenham is a great site.
> 
> The Jet Provost is now long gone and the Hawker Hunter (strangely in the Russian markings) was removed back in June this year. I'm pleased to say it's now being refurbished back to it's original state at Wattisham which was where the aircraft was actually based during it's service life!!



You sure that's a Hunter mate? Looks more like a Mig, hence the markings. Unless it's been made to look like a mig?


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## mexico75 (Dec 11, 2010)

Locksley said:


> You sure that's a Hunter mate? Looks more like a Mig, hence the markings. Unless it's been made to look like a mig?



Its been made to look like a Mig by removing the nose cone and fitting Russian weapon pods.


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## stevie (Dec 11, 2010)

It's defitnetly a Hunter. Heres a pic of it looking a bit worse for wear in 2008. Note the ejector seat sitting on the ground next to the nose. (Hope you don't mind me posting this pic in your thread Spitfire!) -


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## spitfire (Dec 11, 2010)

Thats great. But the question is why? what is this place all about why the planes what do they use it for?


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## outkast (Dec 11, 2010)

third photo down, is that a picket hamilton on the left?


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## mexico75 (Dec 12, 2010)

outkast said:


> third photo down, is that a picket hamilton on the left?


No its a standard sewer pipe sangar.


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## hydealfred (Dec 12, 2010)

spitfire said:


> Thats great. But the question is why? what is this place all about why the planes what do they use it for?



From what I can gather the aircraft were used by MOD personnel to learn about disarming explosives.


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## Bluetwo (Dec 13, 2010)

The Hunter was done as a dummy Sukhoi by taking off the nosecone and the jetpipe fairings, and fairing the intakes over crudely. Its role was to train BD personnel in making safe Soviet weaponry should an Eastern Bloc pilot feel the need to defect to the west in a fully-armed Russian-built aircraft...


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