
Clouds have been parting in Pembrokeshire to give people a rare sight in the skies over the south of the county.
The drone of heavy aircraft has been heard for the past three days, with low-flying RAF Globemasters from RAF Brize Norton making repeated circuits over land and sea.
The operations in the Manorbier ‘danger area’, yesterday (Wednesday May 25) saw aircraft ZZ175 creating profiles over south Pembrokeshire where the pilot was judging and practicing the best angles to approach a landing point.
The four-engined aircraft is from 99 Squadron at Brize Norton
MORE NEWS:
West working to break Russian blockade and ‘avert global food crisis’, claims PM
UK hepatitis cases: 222 children now affected
The aircraft's circuits over Pembrokeshire can be seen i this flight tracker from 2.16pm yesterday, Wednesday May 25
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster is a strategic/tactical aircraft from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.
It is flown by 99 Squadron, which conducts global deployments on behalf of the British Armed Forces and the UK Government - notably delivering emergency aid during natural disasters and supporting military operations overseas.
It normally flies at between 25,000 and 30,000 feet, so aircraft enthusiast Andreas Lindmiere was delighted to see one flying at 1,000 feet over Kilgetty yesterday afternoon.
“How wonderful to see these aircraft at such a low altitude and at close quarters over the Pembrokeshire countryside,” he told the Western Telegraph.
“The C-17 is no stranger to Welsh skies, as it is normally frequently seen further east along to Carmarthen, Swansea and Cardiff, but it’s certainly a rarity so far west.”
Yesterday's clouds were low, but the aircraft was flying lower. Picture: Andreas Lindmiere
Andreas, who captured his view of the aircraft on camera, added: “I was just sitting in my conservatory and suddenly there’s a C-17 flying past, coming in over the top of the shed.
“I was gobsmacked, it was one of the most bizarre things I’ve seen in my entire life.”
C17-ZZ175 has also been operating in the same way over Newquay, Cornwall.
Its operations are not connected with the current high-energy manoeuvres by Typhoons off the Pembrokeshire coast.
She's a big bird! Picture: Andreas Lindmiere
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here