Boeing 737-700 Wedgetail RAF WT001 ✈️ Birmingham Airport ( BHX )

[@Maureen1andonly]

We caught the live stream just as you were waiting for it to come back, so managed to catch the landing. I was intrigued, so I read up about it. On Flight Radar it was showing it off the coast of Cornwall making pretty patterns before coming back. If we'd known it was going to happen, we'd have hot footed it to Sheldon. We're just in Nuneaton. That would have been amazing 😊 Another one for you to be proud of!

[@AirportAction]

Thanks Maureen , it certainly is a rare sight 👍

[@lizsavage9730]

Wow I have never seen this plane before. Thank you for filming it.😁

[@AirportAction]

Thanks Liz 👍

[@davidcartwright5591]

An unusual looking but very effective airborne early warning platform . The Aussies have operated these for a few years and have one based in Eastern Europe . A great catch Kev , one to remember , and one for the history books .

[@AirportAction]

Thanks David 👍

[@JK-zx3go]

Interesting for the pilots in a crosswind. That runway is like the big dipper at Blackpool.

[@MilitaryAircraftVideos]

Well caught, the RAFs first Wedgetail of x3 ordered still partly in primer green!

[@AirportAction]

Thank you MilitaryAircraftVideos 👍

[@a7m4sum]

Amazing capture. Glad you captured this, I missed the stream on that day. Thank you Kevin 😊

[@AirportAction]

Thanks Abdurrahman 👍

[@barrywood5357]

Such a change from when it went in great work to all involved

[@johncotton2272]

What a great capture well done Kev

[@AirportAction]

Thanks John 👍

[@S4M134R1W]

No way I just seen the time in the video i literally just took the dog for a walk just before this 😫😂 typical! The livery reminds me of the Aston Martin f1

[@AirportAction]

Sods law S4M 👍

[@S4M134R1W]

@@AirportAction always the way 😂

[@tonynewton1325]

Hi Kev this is the new Ryanair variant with outside coach seats

[@AirportAction]

🤣🤣🤣

[@AirportAction]

Don't give Michael O'Leary any ideas Tony , he loves a windowless seat 🤣

[@bigmac60]

😂

[@davetrousers]

@@bigmac60 It's a plane not a coach

[@captainbligh3894]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@GeorgeMCMLIX]

Great coverage of its departure & arrival, Kev 👍🏻 I followed it on FR24 as it was on manoeuvres off the Cornish coast. Keep up the great work 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@AirportAction]

Thanks George 👍

[@drsmith6595]

Another great catch today Kev. Thank you for being there 👍

[@AirportAction]

Thanks Dr Smith 👍

[@jowolvo]

Wow what a treat to see this

[@seanavery7265]

Well done. Wow you got too see the wedge bird.

[@AirportAction]

Thanks Sean , the whole reason for the channel is so we all enjoy what's going on at the airports. 👍

[@carolyn2130]

Wow! Way cool!! Never seen one of these before!! Thank you for sharing this ❣️

[@AirportAction]

Thanks Carolyn 👍

[@vitality397]

nicely captured kev

[@AirportAction]

Thank you so much Vitality for your very generous OFF Stream Superchat , we really appreciate your support watching the streams , thank you Vitality 👍

[@ronh3424]

@@AirportAction your welcome kev👍

[@robertbate5790]

Fantastic catch Kev. Didnt see it but heard it, without knowing of course. I was in Chelmsley square. So near yet, . . . . Lol 🤣 👍👍👍👍. Definitely one for the modellers records. Get a copyright quick. 👍👍

[@AirportAction]

Thanks Robert 👍

[@kevinburden781]

I wonder how many 747 deliveries recently have had the parts for this plane .This is the first of the two second hand planes then RAF will get. I think the last 3 of the 5 are actually built on brand new 737 , but not MAX just NG Specification. From RAF Website... The E-7 Wedgetail AEW Mk1 is the RAF’s successor to the E-3D Sentry and will provide a 5th Generation Airborne Early Warning and Control capability (AEW&C), with a Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA), that is interoperable and interchangeable with key allies.

[@kevinburden781]

Based at RAF Lossiemouth , Not Brize Norton as are the 737 Poseidon MRA1( Maritime Patrol Aircraft)

[@laurencejones5707]

None. The 747 freight flights originate in China and, even if there were parts to be sourced, there are prohibitions on American companies sourcing from China for military contracts. The order was reduced to 3. The other two are in the STS hangar at BHX. All are second hand airframes.

[@kevinburden781]

@@laurencejones5707 You wonder why the US military thing we're no longer a first-tier service (UK MOD) anymore. We can't even afford the E-7 we budgeted for.

[@johnedwards3198]

Second hand????

[@MarkHarrison-xy7jg]

What is in the box on the top??

[@derekporter7658]

The flying blackboard/Cleaver making it's debut for the UK. That's a very undulating runway 😵‍💫

[@andrewbennett7756]

Fantastic aircraft

[@sandervanderkammen9230]

@@andrewbennett7756 The Boeing 737 is the most successful jet aircraft in the history of aviation.

[@katekempson4191]

Gutted I missed this as i was getting the house ready for my birthday tomorrow. Great catch Kev ✈️

[@AirportAction]

Happy birthday for tomorrow Kate , have a great day ! 🥳

[@lagunsmoose]

Great catch, I've yet to see one of these in flight! 😗👍

[@Speedmaster1200-d8u]

great spotting mate

[@AirportAction]

Thanks Speedmaster 👍

[@howiejohnsonimages1861]

Yesterday was an awesome stream Kev, Michelle and Chloe, one of the most exciting I have watched. King and Queen and more, Read today that that was the maiden flight of the Wedgetail, so you got something really special. From take off to tracking and waiting, would it land back at BHX or not, great coverage as ever. Blessings

[@AirportAction]

Thanks for being part of an historic , exciting stream Howie . Incredible scenes at BHX yesterday 👍

[@inkysquid4]

Wing wave too!!

[@AirportAction]

😍

[@planespottingcricketer58]

that's so cool

[@Tdog-k6x]

Cool 737

[@Oskarminepro]

Well done for capturing I managed to see this myself too!

[@AirportAction]

Thanks Oskar , great you was there for it as well 👍

[@dhouse-d5l]

Wow, would love to see the wind tunnel smoke test of that in action, wonder how it compares to the Sentry saucer setup.

[@lutomson3496]

Was thinking the same

[@shawnerz98]

Very nice catch! I like the name: "The Wedgie!"

[@m19c65]

Hi. I saw this coming over Bristol heading to Fairford i belive on its way back from Exeter, what a sight

[@AirportAction]

👍

[@wesfreemantle5984]

This aircraft has come into London Southend Airport today for painting

[@Wendy-B09]

Wow i missed this😮

[@AirportAction]

Luckily we captured it for you and everyone to enjoy Wendy 👍

[@Wendy-B09]

Great to see kev,thankyou😊

[@rocknroll527]

Brilliant.

[@AirportAction]

Thanks rocknroll 👍

[@andrewfoster259]

How cool

[@shanedavis9166]

Not sure if it's the radar fin catching the wind, whether or not it was relatively light or what, but I noticed on t/o and landing, it seems quite unstable. I know there was a x-wind but even so, it still looked a handful.

[@AirportAction]

I thought the same Shane , there was a bit of crosswind , so i guess that hitting a big sail like it's radar is going to impact it somewhat 👍

[@ianstewartaviation2634]

Great catch

[@AirportAction]

Thanks Ian 👍

[@AwesomeFullHDvideos]

well done

[@AirportAction]

Thank you 👍

[@ClaudiaUnfiltered]

First testflight of the new transit system skymonorails maglev, soon there will a fleet of these taking to the sky. And have highspeed maglev connecting London and New York in less than three hour compared flight time of 8 hours today!

[@anthonyhill8061]

wow wish i saw it.....

[@NigelsModellingBench]

WOW!! She's beautiful!!

[@ianlitchfield9273]

What ? Its ugly.

[@ronpeterson680]

Good afternoon to. U. From Canada

[@AirportAction]

Hi Ron 👍

[@vincentobrien4314]

Be interesting to know what it's for. Great filming and commentary Kev.

[@AirportAction]

Thanks Vincent 👍The Boeing E-7 Wedgetail, also marketed as the Boeing 737 AEW&C, is a twin-engine airborne early warning and control aircraft based on the Boeing 737 Next Generation design

[@vincentobrien4314]

@@AirportAction Thank you for the info. I bet your camera was not the only one interested in filming this today. Not just for pleasure either

[@AirportAction]

@@vincentobrien4314 👀👀👀 Spotters everywhere Vincent 😂

[@reecom9884]

The RAF couldn’t wait to get the Boeing 737-700 Wedgetail and told Boeing to forget about painting it, just deliver it, we’ll paint it!

[@sarahpurpleface]

Was this its first ever flight? Wow!

[@AirportAction]

Hi Sarah , yes it's first ever flight since the conversion 👍

[@Nathenmoores]

I never get to the that all I see is a400m beach texan black hawks some times the reds c17 eurofighter German a330 airforce about 31thousand feet in the air but that's a sight to see it looks new too

[@CentroClass323]

I think there's 3 of them. WT002 and WT003 which are also there.

[@grantmiller6570]

1. It'd be dynamite in a cross wind. 2. On the runway made by Disneyworld roller coaster manufacturers.

[@madjock2878]

Wedgetail AEW Mk1 is the correct term no E7 nonsense on the Mil Registry

[@Orbital_Inclination]

Either will do, and more than likely it'll be referred to as either E-7 or Wedgetail by the people that operate it, in the same way P-8 and Poseidon are both commonly used

[@madjock2878]

@@Orbital_Inclination Weegtail ? They may be refered to but the legal name is that. Also E3Ds being refered to as AWACS was incorrect in RAF service and the Seniors frowned apon it Their legal designation was Sentry AEW Mk1 as all paperwork refered to them

[@DoktorBayerischeMotorenWerke]

The correct term is _Boeing 737 AEW&C_ It goes by many military designations around the world but they are all Boeing 737 AEW&Cs

[@madjock2878]

@@DoktorBayerischeMotorenWerke Correct nn of this E7 rubbish

[@Orbital_Inclination]

​@@madjock2878why are you getting so worked up over the designation of an aircraft? Quiet day?

[@TheRobbex]

Bonus: Female Hen Harrier passes left to right at 3.32 ish.

[@RLVIDEOS2024]

😮

[@dabrab]

With aircraft they say if it looks right it is right... This just looks weird but there again the ill-fated AEW Nimrod wasn't much of a looker!

[@DoktorBayerischeMotorenWerke]

The Nimrod was a mess... a good example of where the British aircraft industry was headed..

[@MarkAldrich74]

If Weatherspoons did planes! The toilets are outside & upstairs! 😂

[@AirportAction]

🤣🤣

[@kippamip]

Next stop paint shop.

[@MidnightVisions]

Why is a factory unpainted Boeing flying in the UK?

[@AirportAction]

The conversion has taken place at BHX , once everything is passed off , it will then go to get it's full paint job 👍

[@ricky1231]

The RAF needs at least seven of these Wedge tails instead of three ordered The politicians always try to do defense on a shoe string & end up costing the country billions more 😅

[@Orbital_Inclination]

@@ricky1231 why seven? What's that number based on?

[@stevem-h3562]

@@Orbital_Inclination Two deployable if needed at any one time Two for QRA - at least one to be part of the declared assets to NATO for Air Policing for the UK Air Defence Region and the other to cover it if it goes U/S Two to be in maintenance at any one time Plus a spare. Ricky is right, there should be a fleet of at least 7. 3 is just a joke. You might as well not bother, you'll end up working those airframes into the ground and in less than 15 years you'll be having to buy them all over again. but thats typical MOD. Manned by effing idiots who couldnt find their arses with both hands and a GPS.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

@@stevem-h3562 E-7 isn't a QRA asset, and Sentry wasn't either. The entire UK FIR is covered by land-based radar, and there's a whole load of other kit spotting aircraft further out. Even if it was (which is isn't), that would only require 1x aircraft for the task, on standby. Our RJ fleet operates on 1x available, 1x reserve/forward maint, 1x depth maint, and covers all taskings. Working airframes into the ground isn't an hours issue as such (our RJ fleet were tankers previously, and fly a lot) but a mid-life extension/depth issue. That's what bit the E-3D in the arse and got the fleet grounded before it went out of service. Plus we have the combined AEW&C fleets of NATO for major conflicts, training, etc etc. The last time we fought alone was in the Falklands, where we didn't even use fixed wing AEW&C.

[@androidr.8470]

This is most obvious a conversion from a passenger jet. Who flew the airframe prior?

[@Orbital_Inclination]

It was a Boeing Business Jet, then operated by a Chinese business jet provider, before returning to US registration

[@standurham2525]

I heard that the Aussies first got these in 2009. I never even knew the Wedgie existed until now. Nice one AA👍

[@AirportAction]

Thanks Ian 👍

[@justin1669]

It is named after the Australian Wedgetail Eagle. An early morning predator.

[@standurham2525]

@@justin1669 didn’t know that 👍

[@charlieroberts7775]

Mate we have had them for about 15 or so years. AWACS of choice in the middle east, Turkey and South Korea also operate them. You guys and the US are just playing catch up

[@standurham2525]

@@charlieroberts7775 that’s our government for you…mate.

[@rohsek7298]

That is a goofy looking plane 😂😂

[@AirportAction]

🤣

[@davidkearney7142]

Is that easyjet's idea of a joke, putting a bus stop on a plane 😂😂😂😂😂

[@johngraver2828]

It looks like a Pop-Top . . . .

[@AirportAction]

🤣

[@matthewhoney362]

Don't think it likes side winds!

[@1chish]

This hasn't just been stored at Birmingham. STS Aviation take a standard NG and convert it to a Wedgetail for the RAF. A lot of british kit goes into this aircraft. And there are two others under conversion. Just IMHO but we should have never started the Nimrod MRA4 and bought new stripped out A320 aircraft and fitted all the kit that was going into the MRA4. And this sort of proves the point.

[@sharla82]

Exactly a real shame the RAF, MOD & BAE were so obsessed with updating a decades old plane, when a new A320 military version could have been sold around the world. This would have been a rival for the 737 Poseidon

[@1chish]

@@sharla82 Indeed although in fairness BAE did explain the difficulties of putting computer built wings onto hand crafted 40 year old fuselages It not only lost us a hard won leading edge in a key and growing area we lost the export potential and worse had to buy in from the USA. Typical story of a UK Government up cock.

[@stevem-h3562]

Yeh, kind of but different horses for different courses. We should have never signed off on MRA4, that was Portillo having his plonker pulled by BAe. The solution that should have been taken then should have been the Marconi one which involved pulling P3 Orions out of the Arizona desert and fitting them out with a decent mission suite. Muh more deliverable than BAe's half-a**ed moneyprinting exercise. In so far as the Wedgetail was concerned, the problem was that the RAF, during that most important phase following the introduction of the New Management System in 1994-5, post Cold War, didnt look after the E3D's like they should have done and kept on pleading poverty and missing out on the mid-life maintenance and upgrade programmes and just plainly didnt look after the kit which is why other nation's E3's are still flying and ours are a pile of junk and having to be replaced with something significantly smaller, involving more expense and frankly, probably nowhere near as long-range deployable as the E3's were and certainly nowhere near as flexible operationally. Nice work for STS and it keeps Boeing's mitts off the programme outside of supplying the airframe, but... it shouldnt have been necessary. And having served from 83-99 and seen the E3D's come into service, worked with them on many occasions and seeing how the airframes were treated.... I can see how the ended up the way they did.

[@1chish]

@@stevem-h3562 Well I am 90% with you. However in fairness to BAe when the Government decided on a specific aircraft (which became the MRA4) rather than extra kitted MR2 BAe in 1986 offered the Airbus A310 as a project. When I suggested the A320 it reflected how slow this project had been (over ten years) to even get sign off. If anything it was the Governments of the day that forced BAe to offer a Nimrod version not BAe 'pulling things'. Not sure the Orion was viable because put simply at that time the UK surveillance kits was more advanced than any other and old turboprops rather than new jet engines? There was even disagreement within LM about its reliability and viability.

[@stevem-h3562]

@@1chish Points taken, but one must consider that the USN, the dutch, the Germans and the French continued to use Turboprop driven Atlantiques and P3's for many years until the P8 became available. There would have been nothing wrong in putting the UK LRMPA mission kit in a refreshed P3 for the UK requirement. Just being a jet would not and should not be a dictatorial part of the requirement. If that particular Air Staff Requirement for the replacement of the Shackleton stated that it should be jet only (and I'm pretty sure it wasnt), then that would have been daft. But, MOD are known for their dumb decisions, particularly in procurement.

[@andrewbennett7756]

Wel ihope theydoa better job than the max8

[@DoktorBayerischeMotorenWerke]

The Boeing 737 is the most successful jet aircraft in history, more than 15 THOUSAND 737s sold!!!!

[@ronpeterson680]

Outhouse??? On the plane

[@AirportAction]

Radar Ron 👍

[@Ralph2]

It looks all wrong aerodynamically but clearly not and a clever design. Thanks!

[@AirportAction]

Thanks Ralph 👍

[@davecooper3238]

Did I see a raptor fly across at around 3.46 ?

[@professorpopkiss]

Not sure if it was a Buzzard or an Eagle!!!!!?

[@terregarob]

Buzzard.

[@davecooper3238]

@@terregarob Thought it looked like a Buzzard. They nest in the wood out the back. An Eagle? As far as I am aware not a single Eagle anywhere near BHX.

[@peterblackmore7560]

Named after the Wedgetail Eagle - an indigenous Australian bird.

[@WilhelmKarsten]

@@peterblackmore7560 Boeing E-7.. the logical successor to the E-6.

[@steveibbotson5687]

Ozi ozi ozi, oi oi oi....

[@michaeltaylor8835]

Off to the Ukraine

[@mickyday2008]

Secret squirrel stuff

[@sallyc2593]

What? Why?? How???

[@AirportAction]

🤣 , This RAF aircraft has been under cover in the STS Hanger for several years , today was it's test flight

[@sallyc2593]

@@AirportAction Passed with flying colours! What a strange sight, it doesn’t look very aerodynamic but hey, it took off, flew around and landed again, so what do I know!🤣

[@AirportAction]

@@sallyc2593 🤣 It certainly does Sally

[@TheTurboClub]

@@AirportActionis it brand new or something??

[@AirportAction]

@@TheTurboClub Just over 14 years old , but it was only delivered to the RAF in March 2021 . Since then it's been at BHX getting converted 👍

[@DigitalDiabloUK]

Was that a kestrel at 3:32?

[@AirportAction]

Either a Kestrel or Buzzard 👍

[@Bradleygdyjh02]

Maybe a kite? (Im not sure if I spelled it right)

[@christopherrobinson7541]

@@AirportAction Buzzard, bigger.

[@Ratzfourtyfour]

Looks like a bad design decision in regards of crosswind.

[@alanmartin1949]

I've just read the Wikipedia page for this aircraft and especially the young - but already helter-skelter - use of it for the UK => "we'd like 5 please, no make that 3, but maybe later we'll go back to 5, but we're not sure!?" Somethings never change - back in the 1970s, I worked on the Nimrod AEW3 for several years, which the UK Government in their wisdom (or lack thereof) eventually cancelled and bought Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft instead! Obviously we are sticking to Boeing! By the way back then I worked at Hawker-Siddeley @ Woodford - which was closed in 2011 then flattened and is now in the process of being turned into a massive housing estate! It's not much wonder that we have to rely on Boeing for such aircraft! 😒😒👎👎

[@DoktorBayerischeMotorenWerke]

Britain was never a real leader in aviation and its aircraft industry was doomed after the countries defeat in WW2.. it was a long slow death to the point where Britian no longer makes its own jet aircraft anymore..

[@stevem-h3562]

@@DoktorBayerischeMotorenWerke "Britain was never a real leader in aviation and its aircraft industry was doomed after the countries defeat in WW2" Absolutely not true. The story of what happened to Britains aviation industry, thanks to the actions of the political classes during the 1960's in particular is well documented. While the American industry was emergent in the late 40's early 50s, the British, in the early 1950s were pound for pound very much pushing the boundaries. Im afraid you're talking bollox.

[@stevem-h3562]

Dunno about lack of wisdom, AEW3 should never even have been attempted, it was bloody useless. I was serving with 11Group at the time in the RAF and we were carrying out trials with AEW3 and compared to the E3, it was like chalk and cheese. The E3 was miles and miles better. All AEW3 and MRA4 were about was how many times BAe could get away with selling the same reheated, rehashed sh*t to the MOD without being caught. Nimrod in its MR1 and MR2 iterations was a worldbeater. But by the time it came round to AEW3 and MRA4, it was done, it had had its time and should never even have been considered. Mind you, the way that BAE behaved towards Woodford once the MRA4 deal was canned was abominable. But thats BAe for you. They dont give a **** and they never did. All they gave a damn about was rinsing the MOD for money. The only thing British about them is the B in their name. We shouldnt even buy a bloody paperclip from BAe, but they've got too many politicians and MOD Civil Serpents in the IPT's in their pockets.

[@DoktorBayerischeMotorenWerke]

@@stevem-h3562 In terms of overall aviation technology, (fixed-wing aircraft were invented in the USA) the Americans and the Germans were years ahead of the British before the war began. By wars end the UK aircraft industry was really struggling to stay relevant and increasing relied on government aid, this is proven out by the lower performance of British aircraft, their lack of popularity among operators and the number of British companies that ceased to exist after the war. Without nationalization the UK aircraft industry would have completely collapsed 30 years sooner than it did. cheers mate!

[@DoktorBayerischeMotorenWerke]

@@stevem-h3562 You wrote quote; _"Nimrod in its MR1 and MR2 iterations was a worldbeater."_ There does not appear to be any evidence to support that claim... Several countries trialed the Nimrod or had interest in buying, but they all bought other aircraft instead. The Lockheed P-3 was hugely successful compared to the Nimrod and is still in service today.

[@jonrobinson8005]

Not a bad piece of Aussie ingenuity, take a piece of high tech equipment and plonk it on top of an average Joe civilian aircraft and give it some extra bells and whistles for good measure.

[@DoktorBayerischeMotorenWerke]

American technology... Australia doesn't make jet aircraft anymore.

[@jonrobinson8005]

@@DoktorBayerischeMotorenWerke Australian concept and spec. Didn’t say Australia built it, a bit hard when the factories are in the US 14000+ km away.😉

[@DoktorBayerischeMotorenWerke]

@@jonrobinson8005 Then why did you say? > quote; _"Not a bad piece of Aussie ingenuity"_ ???

[@jonrobinson8005]

@@DoktorBayerischeMotorenWerke because the meaning of “ingenuity” is the skill of thinking, performing, or using things in new ways.

[@DoktorBayerischeMotorenWerke]

@@jonrobinson8005 But Boeing is not an Australian company...