Compared to February, https://www.olliehillaviationphotography.co.uk/l/raf-brize-norton-9th-14th-february-2024/, I had a quiet month at Brize in March, with work taking up the bulk of my time and a lack of visitors making it unnecessary to make the hour trip up. What it lacked in quantity, however, it made up for in quality. I thought I'd be on to a stellar month, with March 1st providing the first visitor!
RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ172 HAWKER826 - 99 Squadron - RAF Brize Norton
Air Tanker Airbus A330 G-VYGK ASCOT2115
Qatar Emiri Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III A7-MAN LHOB251 - 12 Transport Squadron - Al Udeid Air Base
I didnt make another trip up until nearer the end of March, when Flightradar displayed a Canadian CC-130 planned for departure on the afternoon of March 24th. For it to depart, it of course had to land. 130605 departed Prestwick just as I left home, and I made it just as the aircraft turned onto finals. I didnt stay for the departure however, as Fairfords resident U-2 was airborne on a Sunday mission, something too good to miss!
Royal Canadian Air Force Lockheed Martin CC-130J Hercules 130605 CANFORCE2962 - 436 Squadron - 8 Wing - Canadian Forces Base Trenton
Arriving late evening on Tuesday 26th was an Embraer KC-390 Millennium of the Brazilian Air Force. Rumours suggested it would be departing on Friday at around 10am. I headed to Brize for 9am that morning in the hopes of catching it, but shortly after arriving, the crew said they weren't ready to go and would have to refile their flight plan, this time for an 11:30 departure. It became clear it wasn't going to make that time, and, as I had other commitments, I couldn't wait any longer. It did eventually depart in a horrendous shower at 12:30. Unfortunately, I never managed a shot of it!
