Nimrod
Except for low level sorties over the sea, the British Aerospace/Hawker Siddeley Nimrod was not designed or intended to fly low level over land. The photos reproduced here of this aircraft were primarily taken in Scotland and show the MR2 version that was prematurely retired from RAF service in March 2010, following an investigation into the avoidable explosion and loss of an aircraft over Afghanistan in 2006, which resulted in the death of all 14 crew members.
The Nimrod MR2 was a four-engine, intelligence, surveillance, targeting, acquisition and reconnaissance aircraft used extensively on maritime patrol and search and rescue duties. It was based at the now closed RAF Kinloss, being operated by 42(R), 120 and 201 Squadrons. It was to be replaced by nine Nimrod MRA4 aircraft from 2011 but this much delayed aircraft was, at great expense to the UK taxpayer, cancelled and scrapped by the UK Government, again as a result of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, published in October 2010. The UK, as a maritime nation, is now and for the foreseeable future, without a dedicated maritime patrol platform!
All photographs copyright © Michael Leek 2004-2012
A V I A G R A P H I C A
The Nimrod MR2 was a four-engine, intelligence, surveillance, targeting, acquisition and reconnaissance aircraft used extensively on maritime patrol and search and rescue duties. It was based at the now closed RAF Kinloss, being operated by 42(R), 120 and 201 Squadrons. It was to be replaced by nine Nimrod MRA4 aircraft from 2011 but this much delayed aircraft was, at great expense to the UK taxpayer, cancelled and scrapped by the UK Government, again as a result of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, published in October 2010. The UK, as a maritime nation, is now and for the foreseeable future, without a dedicated maritime patrol platform!
All photographs copyright © Michael Leek 2004-2012
A V I A G R A P H I C A