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102-716: The BAC 167 Strikemaster is a jet-powered training and light attack aircraft designed and produced by the British Aircraft Corporation . It was a development of the Hunting Jet Provost trainer, itself a jet engined version of the Percival Provost , which originally flew in 1950 with a radial engine . The Strikemaster is essentially an armed version of the Jet Provost T Mk 5. Various improvements and alterations were made to

204-603: A 102mm anti-ship cannon, The BK 7,5 was unsurpassed as an aircraft-fitted gun until 1971, when the four-engine Lockheed AC-130 E Spectre; equipped with a 105 mm M102 howitzer , entered service with the US Air Force.) In the immediate post war era the piston-engined ground-attack aircraft remained useful since all of the early jets lacked endurance due to the fuel consumption rates of the jet engines. The higher powered piston engine types that had been too late for World War II were still capable of holding their own against

306-450: A battlefield, their slower speeds made them extremely vulnerable to ground fire, as did the lighter construction of fighters. The survivability of attack aircraft was guaranteed by their speed/power, protection (i.e. armor panels) and strength of construction; Germany was the first country to produce dedicated ground-attack aircraft (designated CL-class and J-class ). They were put into use in autumn 1917, during World War I. Most notable

408-605: A class of Schlacht ("battle") aircraft, such as the Henschel Hs 123 . Moreover, the experiences of German Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War , against an enemy with few fighter aircraft, changed ideas about ground attack. Though equipped with generally unsuitable designs such as the Henschel Hs 123 and cannon -armed versions of the Heinkel He 112 , their armament and pilots proved that aircraft were

510-605: A contract in September 1952 with the Royal Navy, to operate the Fleet Requirements Unit (FRU) at Hurn. It used ex-Fleet Air Arm aircraft as targets to provide training for Royal Navy radar operators, however, civilian pilots were employed to fly the aircraft. During the summer of 1959 Airwork moved its head office from Langley to Hurn and centralised it’s overhaul facilities there. In October 1972

612-740: A fractional ownership company, uses the Bournemouth facility for its maintenance needs and has aircraft and crew based at the airport. As well as the Pilatus maintenance facility the airport is also home to several others, all specialising in various areas of the industry. The largest for general aviation aircraft is Airtime Aviation, providing maintenance for aircraft up to the size of Beechcraft King Air . Airtime also provide aircraft painting through its sister company, Airtime Paint, handling all kinds of aircraft including small jets. Fast Aviation also provides maintenance for general aviation aircraft and

714-604: A high altitude bomber escort, but gradually found that role filled by the North American P-51 Mustang (because of its much longer range and greater maneuverability). The P-47 was also heavier and more robust than the P-51 and regarded therefore, as an " energy fighter ": ideal for high-speed dive-and-climb tactics, including strafing attacks. Its armament of eight 0.50 caliber machine guns was effective against Axis infantry and light vehicles in both Europe and

816-404: A lack of Air Force enthusiasm for the ground-attack role, developed the dedicated attack helicopter . On 17 January 1991, Task Force Normandy began its attack on two Iraqi anti-aircraft missile sites. TF Normandy, under the command of LTC Richard A. "Dick" Cody , consisted of nine AH-64 Apaches , one UH-60 Black Hawk and four Air Force MH-53J Pave Low helicopters. The purpose of this mission

918-675: A light aircraft mixing all the roles that required extensive communication with land forces: reconnaissance, liaison, artillery spotting , aerial supply, and, last but not least, occasional strikes on the battlefield. The concept was similar to front-line aircraft used in the World War I, which was called the CL class in the German Empire. Eventually the RAF's experience showed types such as Westland Lysander to be unacceptably vulnerable and it

1020-796: A light attack aircraft. The Soviets' similar Sukhoi Su-25 ( Frogfoot ) found success in the "flying artillery" role with many air forces. The UK has completely retired the BAE Harrier II in 2011, and the Panavia Tornado dedicated attack-reconnaissance aircraft in 2019. It obtained the F-35 in 2018 and it retains its fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighters. [REDACTED] Media related to Attack aircraft at Wikimedia Commons Bournemouth Airport Bournemouth Airport ( IATA : BOH , ICAO : EGHH ) (previously known as Hurn Airport and Bournemouth International Airport )

1122-417: A pair of 7.62mm Frazer Nash machine guns were present within the lower intake lips while a G90 gun camera could be installed in the nose cone. A variety of gunsights could be provided for one or both of the crew. The Strikemaster was outfitted with dual ejection seats that were suitable even for low-altitude escape. A key advantage of the type was its dual-role capability, being suitable for use in both

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1224-566: A significant player in the aircraft manufacturing industry. The former aircraft factory now forms one of Dorset's largest industrial sites, including a base for Cobham plc . Adjacent to the entrance to Bournemouth Airport was the College of Air Traffic Control, operated by NATS , the now privatised provider of air traffic control services in the UK. Established by the Ministry of Civil Aviation as

1326-639: A task of converted trainers, like the BAE Systems Hawk or Aero L-39 Albatros , and many trainers are built with this task in mind, like the CASA C-101 or the Aermacchi MB-339 . Such counter-insurgency aircraft are popular with air forces which cannot afford to purchase more expensive multirole aircraft, or do not wish to risk the few such aircraft they have on light ground attack missions. A proliferation of low intensity conflicts in

1428-479: A total of 647 produced at this site. Some of the development of the ill-fated TSR-2 was also done here (although assembly and flight testing was carried out at Warton , Lancs), as well as the production of Jet Provost wings; other components were manufactured here for Concorde , the Panavia Tornado and Short Skyvan . The closure of the British Aerospace site in 1984 ended Bournemouth's role as

1530-629: A total of four Omani Strikemasters provided close air support to heavily outnumbered ground forces that were under attack by roughly 300 insurgents. Three Strikemasters were shot down over the course of the conflict, including one that was allegedly lost to an SA-7 surface-to-air missile. During the early 1970s, the Kenyan Air Force introduced the Strikemaster as part of a wider modernsation programme. The Kenyan fleet often operated in close conjunction with its first combat jet fighter,

1632-483: A very effective weapon, even without bombs. This led to some support within the Luftwaffe for the creation of an aircraft dedicated to this role, resulting in tenders for a new "attack aircraft". This led to the introduction (in 1942) of a unique single-seat, twin-engine attack aircraft, the slow-moving but heavily armored and formidably armed Henschel Hs 129 Panzerknacker ("Safecracker" /"Tank Cracker"). In Japan,

1734-592: Is an international airport located 3.5  NM (6.5 km; 4.0 mi) north-northeast of Bournemouth , in southern England. The site opened as RAF Hurn in 1941, but was transferred to civil control in 1944. For a short period (between 1944 and 1946) Hurn served as London's international airport, until the opening of facilities at Heathrow . Commercial services resumed in the late 1950s, with Palmair commencing flights to Palma, Majorca in October 1958. Subsequently, Ryanair and TUI Airways based aircraft at

1836-664: Is based on the north side of the airfield. MCA provide specialist King Air support and maintenance, with several worldwide contracts. Jets and Technic Air provide maintenance for Jet aircraft and smaller turboprop airliners. Handling for General Aviation aircraft is provided by two companies, Bliss Aviation a small flight school specialising in Helicopter training provide handling for smaller aircraft such as Piper PA-28 and larger multi engine pistons like Piper Chieftain and Beechcraft Baron . Larger corporate aircraft are handled by Signature Flight Support, often handling aircraft up to

1938-426: Is considered an attack mission . In United States Navy vocabulary, the alternative designation for the same activity is a strike mission . Attack missions are principally divided into two categories: air interdiction and close air support . In the last several decades, the rise of the ubiquitous multi-role fighter has created some confusion about the difference between attack and fighter aircraft. According to

2040-439: Is often stored in the former BASCO building (Hangar 12) and is a regular visitor to Zürich Airport and Heathrow . In late 2001, Bournemouth Flying Club took the leap into full commercial flight training and established Bournemouth Commercial Flight Training on the former SFT site adjacent to the threshold for runway 08. Bournemouth Commercial Flight Training (BCFT) has adapted and expanded throughout its history, contributing to

2142-754: The Cessna 421 Golden Eagle on charter flights, focusing heavily on the medical role. During the Summer of 2021, influenced by the ongoing pandemic and international travel restrictions, easyJet operated its first UK domestic services to Edinburgh, Belfast and later Liverpool. In March 2024, Jet2 the UK’s largest tour operator and third largest airline which was originally founded in Bournemouth as Channel Express Airways announced that it would serve 16 new destinations in Spain, Greece, Portugal and Turkey would become available from

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2244-710: The F-111 "Aardvark" was designated F despite having only minimal air-to-air capabilities. Only a single aircraft in the USAF's current inventory bears a simple, unmixed "A" designation: the A-10 Thunderbolt II. British designations have included FB for fighter-bomber and more recently "G" for "Ground-attack" as in Harrier GR1 (meaning "Ground-attack/Reconnaissance, Mark 1"). Imperial Japanese Navy designation use "B" to designate carrier attack bomber such as

2346-686: The Hawker Hunter . Following the creation of the Botswana Defence Force Air Wing in April 1977 amid escalating regional tensions, the service acquired nine refurbished Strikemasters formerly flown in Kenya and Kuwait. During the late 1990s, the type was withdrawn following their replacement by second hand Canadair CF-5s ; most of the surviving aircraft were sold onto the private sector. The Ecuadorian Air Force deployed

2448-442: The Henschel Hs 123 ). Although not a synonymous class with ground-attack aircraft, fighter-bombers were usually used for the role, and proved to excel at it, even when they were only lightly armored. The Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces relegated obsolescent fighters to this role, while cutting-edge fighters would serve as interceptors and establish air superiority . The United States Navy , in distinction to

2550-835: The Imperial Japanese Navy had developed the Aichi D3A dive bomber (based on the Heinkel He 70 ) and the Mitsubishi B5M light attack bomber. Both, like their US counterparts, were lightly armored types, and were critically reliant on surprise attacks and the absence of significant fighter or AA opposition. During the Winter War , the Soviet Air Forces used the Polikarpov R-5 SSS, and Polikarpov R-Z Sh, as attack aircraft. Perhaps

2652-1017: The Nakajima B5N Type-97 bomber although these aircraft are mostly used for torpedo attack and level bombing. They also use "D" to specifically designate carrier dive bomber like the Yokosuka D4Y Suisei . However by the end of the world war II, the IJN introduced the Aichi B7A Ryusei which could performed both torpedo bombing and dive bombing rendering the "D" designation redundant. The NATO reporting names for Soviet/Russian ground-attack aircraft at first started with "B" categorizing them as bombers, as in case of Il-10 'Beast'. But later they were usually classified as fighters ("F")—possibly because (since Sukhoi Su-7 ) they were similar in size and visual appearance to Soviet fighters, or were simply derivatives of such. In

2754-667: The PLAAF , ground-attack aircraft are given the designation "Q". So far this has only been given to the Nanchang Q-5 . The attack aircraft as a role was defined by its use during World War I , in support of ground forces on battlefields. Battlefield support is generally divided into close air support and battlefield air interdiction, the first requiring strict and the latter only general cooperation with friendly surface forces. Such aircraft also attacked targets in rear areas. Such missions required flying where light anti-aircraft fire

2856-721: The Pacific . While machine guns and cannon were initially sufficient, the evolution of well-armored tanks required heavier weapons. To augment bombs, high explosive rockets were introduced, although these unguided projectiles were still "barely adequate" because of their inaccuracy. For the British RP3 , one hit per sortie was considered acceptable. However, even a near miss with rockets could cause damage or injuries to "soft targets," and patrols by Allied rocket-armed aircraft over Normandy disrupted or even completely paralyzed German road traffic. They also affected morale, because even

2958-605: The United States occupation of Haiti and Nicaragua . The United States Army Air Corps was notable for its creation of a separate "A-" designation for attack types, distinct from and alongside "B-" for bomber types and "P-" for pursuit (later replaced by "F-" for fighter) aircraft. The first designated attack type to be operational with the USAAC was the Curtiss A-2 Falcon . Nevertheless, such aircraft, including

3060-564: The carrier-based nuclear strike Douglas A-3 Skywarrior and North American A-5 Vigilante , while the Grumman A-6 Intruder , F-105 Thunderchief , F-111 , F-117 Nighthawk , LTV A-7 Corsair II , Sukhoi Su-25 , A-10 Thunderbolt II , Panavia Tornado , AMX , Dassault Étendard , Super Étendard and others were designed specifically for ground-attack, strike , close support and anti-armor work, with little or no air-to-air capability. Ground attack has increasingly become

3162-486: The fighter-bomber began to take over many attack roles, a transition that continued in the post-war era. Jet -powered examples were relatively rare but not unknown, such as the Blackburn Buccaneer . The U.S. Navy continued to introduce new aircraft in their A - series , but these were mostly similar to light and medium bombers . The need for a separate attack aircraft category was greatly diminished by

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3264-558: The interdiction and tactical bombing roles. Today it remains the only dedicated fixed-wing ground-attack aircraft in any U.S. military service. Overall U.S. experience in the Gulf War , Kosovo War , Afghanistan War , and Iraq War has resulted in renewed interest in such aircraft. The U.S. Air Force is currently researching a replacement for the A-10 and started the OA-X program to procure

3366-481: The " Night Witches " utilised an obsolescent, wooden light trainer biplane type, the Polikarpov Po-2 and small anti-personnel bombs in "harassment bombing" attacks that proved difficult to counter. Wartime experience showed that poorly armored and/or lightly built, pre-war types were unacceptably vulnerable, especially to fighters. Nevertheless, skilled crews could be highly successful in those types, such as

3468-591: The 1,420 maritime strike variants of the North American B-25 Mitchell G/H, which mounted either a M4 cannon , or light-weight T13E1 or M5 versions of the same gun. These weapons, however, were hand-loaded, had shorter barrels and/or a lower muzzle velocity than the BK 7,5 and, therefore, poorer armor penetration, accuracy and rate of fire. (Except for versions of the Piaggio P.108 armed with

3570-491: The 2020s, albeit with increasing difficulty due to a decreasing supply of spare parts over time. During the 1950s, the Hunting Jet Provost had entered service as the Royal Air Force (RAF), becoming the first ab initio jet trainer to be standardised by any air service in the world. In the 1960s, the British Aircraft Corporation , which had acquired Hunting Percival , and therefore the Jet Provost, proceeded with

3672-588: The A-2's replacement, the Curtiss A-12 Shrike , were unarmored and highly vulnerable to AA fire. The British Royal Air Force focused primarily on strategic bombing, rather than ground attack. However, like most air arms of the period it did operate attack aircraft, named Army Cooperation in RAF parlance, which included the Hawker Hector , Westland Lysander and others. Aviation played a role in

3774-618: The A338 and approximately 100 miles (160 km) south west of London. The airport is accessible via the A31 from the M27 and M3 motorways to the east, and via the A35 to the west. The nearest other airport serving the area is Southampton Airport . Before World War II , Bournemouth's airport was Christchurch Airfield . From November 1944, the airfield took over from Bristol 's Whitchurch airport as

3876-684: The Brazilian Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 , although both sides had few aircraft. The federal government had approximately 58 aircraft divided between the Navy and the Army , as the Air Force at this time did not constitute an independent branch. In contrast, the rebels had only two Potez 25 planes and two Waco CSO , plus a small number of private aircraft. During the 1930s, Nazi Germany had begun to field

3978-697: The Caribbean. Also in 2005, Air Berlin and EasyJet began services by announcing routes to Paderborn and Geneva respectively. Air Berlin have now ceased operations at the airport. The airport previously had a daily service to the Channel Islands provided by the Jersey-based Blue Islands airline, which withdrew from Bournemouth in April 2009. Hungarian-based Wizz Air also ran routes to Gdansk, Katowice, and Kraków during 2006 and 2007. In 2007, Ryanair began to rapidly increase

4080-624: The FRU moved to RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) , in Somerset . In 1969, the airport was purchased jointly by the Bournemouth Corporation and Dorset County Council and renamed as "Bournemouth Hurn Airport", later to become Bournemouth International Airport. The new owners decided to redevelop the facility as a commercial airport and, by 1980, the airport became used by charter airlines, when European Aviation began services. In 1993,

4182-694: The German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 , the British Hawker Typhoon and the US Republic P-47 Thunderbolt . The Typhoon, which was disappointing as a fighter, due to poor high altitude performance, was very fast at low altitudes and thus became the RAF's premier ground attack fighter. It was armed with four 20mm cannon , augmented first with bombs, then rockets. Likewise the P-47 was designed and intended for use as

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4284-536: The Republic of Ireland.) In January 1946 Pan Am opened a scheduled New York ( La Guardia ) to London (Hurn) service, five days a week, using the new DC-4 ; the journey time was 17   hours 40   minutes. It was also the starting point of the first England-Australia landplane service, which took three days in Avro Lancastrians (modified Lancaster bombers ). The first Palmair charter from

4386-458: The School of Air Traffic Control in 1949, the establishment was retitled as a college in 1962. Students from home and abroad were trained in all aspects of ATC operations and went on to work throughout the world. Electronic computer-based ATC simulators were widely employed. Usefully situated at an operational airfield, for a considerable period training in approach radar control was facilitated by

4488-496: The Soviet/Russian Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot. A variety of light attack aircraft has also been introduced in the post-World War II era, usually based on adapted trainers or other light fixed-wing aircraft. These have been used in counter-insurgency operations. U.S. attack aircraft are currently identified by the prefix A- , as in " A-6 Intruder " and " A-10 Thunderbolt II ". However, until

4590-576: The Strikemaster during the brief 1995 Cenepa War , flying ground sorties against Peruvian positions. An Ecuadorian Strikemaster crashed during a training mission in the Northern Border area, near Colombia, on 25 March 2009. Both pilots ejected; one later died of injuries received during the rescue attempt. The Strikemaster was also operated by several private enterprises, such as Blue Air Training and Global Aviation; such businesses typically used them to conduct training activities. Operations by

4692-537: The Strikemaster was Oman , which ordered the type in 1967 and took delivery in the summer of 1969. On several occasions during the Dhofar Rebellion , the Royal Air Force of Oman conducted combat missions with the type, the earliest such strikes being reportedly conducted in October 1969. A particularly notable engagement occurred during July 1972, which has since been referred to as the Battle of Mirbat ;

4794-454: The U.S. Marine Corps has noted similar problems. In the late 1960s the United States Air Force requested a dedicated close air support (CAS) plane that became the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II . The A-10 was originally conceived as an anti-armor weapon (the A-X program requirements specifically called for an aircraft mounting a large rotary cannon to destroy massed Warsaw Pact armored forces) with limited secondary capability in

4896-432: The UK's newest AOC's Scenic Air Tours started operations from the airport, offering pleasure/scenic flights along the south coast and aircraft rentals. The company has now expanded with a second operating base at Durham Tees Valley Airport in the North East. The company operates two Piper PA-28 and one Grumman American AA-5 . In November 2016, Bournemouth based Eagle European commenced operations on its A – B AOC, flying

4998-409: The USAAF, preferred the older term "Scout-Bomber", under a "SB-" designation, such as the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver . The Junkers Ju 87s of the German Luftwaffe became virtually synonymous with close air support during the early months of World War II. The British Commonwealth's Desert Air Force , led by Arthur Tedder, became the first Allied tactical formation to emphasize the attack role, usually in

5100-630: The USAAF. It was not until 1946, when the US Navy and US Marine Corps started using the "attack" (A) designation, when it renamed BT2D Skyraider and BTM Mauler to, respectively, AD Skyraider and AM Mauler. As with many aircraft classifications, the definition of attack aircraft is somewhat vague and has tended to change over time. Current U.S. military doctrine defines it as an aircraft which most likely performs an attack mission , more than any other kind of mission. Attack mission means, in turn, specifically tactical air-to-ground action—in other words, neither air-to-air action nor strategic bombing

5202-416: The aircraft, including an uprated Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojet engine, wing hardpoints capable of carrying a wide variety of munitions, a pair of machine guns under the intakes, uprated flap system with two jacks, enlarged airbrake jacks, new communication and navigation gear, different electrical system, canopy breakers on the ejection seats , and a revised fuel system including tip tanks on

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5304-432: The airport ATC unit. Students were able to practise live radar control exercises using temporarily detached Civil Aviation Flying Unit Dove aircraft as live targets. The building was also the home to the Air Traffic Control Evaluation Unit, responsible for developing technology used within the service. During 2011, NATS transferred ATC training to its headquarters facility at Whiteley near Southampton. The Hurn facility

5406-420: The airport by April 2025. With the budget increased to £45   million in July 2008, the plan intended to replace the arrivals terminal and upgrade the check-in and departure lounge areas. The number of aircraft stands to rise from four to 11. Christchurch Council and central government backed plans for the re-building of the airport terminal, increasing its size by 62%; work started in August 2007. Work on

5508-423: The airport received its first regular passenger flights when Palmair wet leased its first aircraft and European Aviation Air Charter (EAC) started operations. In 1995, the airport was sold to National Express and then, in March 2001, was acquired by the Manchester Airports Group , which was at that time the second-largest owner of UK airports. In 1996, an extension to the main runway was officially opened by

5610-498: The airport took place in 1958, using a single 36-seat Viking aircraft destined for Palma de Mallorca . The service was one of the first charter flights in the United Kingdom. Vickers-Armstrongs took over some ex-BOAC hangars at Hurn in 1951 and started production of Varsities , then Viscounts and eventually, as the British Aircraft Corporation , the BAC One-Eleven . During a 33-year period, 222 One-Elevens, 146 Varsities and 279 Viscounts were built and delivered from Hurn making

5712-447: The airport, its secondary base located at Durham Tees Valley Airport houses one of its Piper PA-28 aircraft available for Sightseeing and Aerial Photography. The Bournemouth-based fleet consists of a Piper PA-28 and Grumman American AA-5 both available for sightseeing trips and rentals. Bournemouth is home of a dedicated Pilatus maintenance facility, focusing on the Pilatus PC-12 , serving aircraft from across Europe. Jetfly Aviation,

5814-437: The airport, with scheduled flights now frequently serving Western Europe and the Mediterranean area, with charter and seasonal services serving North Africa, North America, and the Caribbean. Passenger numbers peaked in 2007 when just over one million passed through the airport. In 2019, the passenger total was around 803,000. This dropped to around 176,000 in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . Ryanair and TUI Airways are

5916-402: The arrival of Concorde . Travel agency Bath Travel chartered Concorde for supersonic champagne lunches across the Bay of Biscay. Ryanair also began services from Bournemouth to Dublin with a Boeing 737-200 . Since 2001, a Boeing 747SP has been based at the airport; it is used by the Royal Family of Qatar and other VIP government staff from the Middle East state of Qatar . The aircraft

6018-501: The attack role, although they would not be considered attack aircraft per se ; fighter-bomber conversions of those same aircraft would be considered part of the class. Strike fighters , which have effectively replaced the fighter-bomber and light bomber concepts, also differ little from the broad concept of an attack aircraft. The dedicated attack aircraft as a separate class existed primarily during and after World War II . The precise implementation varied from country to country, and

6120-402: The carriage of a variety of munitions. Up to 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) of stores could be carried by the Strikemaster upon four hardpoints present underneath its wings. Underwing munitions could include up to four 500lb bombs, 24 SURA R80 rockets, eight 25lb practice bombs, eight 20lb fragmentation bombs, four 18-tube SNEB 68mm rocket pods , a pair of 0.5 inch mini- gun pods . In addition,

6222-599: The company operated a fleet of Diamond DA42 , Slingsby T67 Firefly and recently Diamond DA40 aircraft. Their Bournemouth base complemented its facilities in Southampton, Coventry, Ponte de Sor (Portugal), Hamilton (New Zealand) and Cranfield. Bournemouth Commercial Flight Training and Airline Pilot Academy Operated from its main office and hangar on Aviation Park West adjacent to the National Police Air Service (NPAS) facility. The apron provided parking for its commercial fleet including two BE76 Duchess and four Piper PA-28 aircraft. They also had hangared aircraft belonging to

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6324-580: The company, including a Pilatus PC-12 , a SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 , a Beagle B.121 Pup , a Scottish Aviation Bulldog , a Partenavia P.68 and several Robin HR 200 aircraft. BCFT specialised in modular flight training whilst its sister company APA was pioneering a new and dynamic approach to Integrated Flight Training with bases at Bournemouth International Airport and Melbourne Orlando International Airport . It ceased operations in early September 2022. Scenic Air Tours, an A to A AOC holder, also operates from Aviation Park West with its main base of operation at

6426-666: The current U.S. designation system, an attack aircraft ( A ) is designed primarily for air-to-surface (Attack: Aircraft designed to find, attack, and destroy land or sea targets) missions (also known as "attack missions"), while a fighter category F incorporates not only aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat , but additionally multipurpose aircraft designed also for ground-attack missions. "F" - Fighter Aircraft were designed to intercept and destroy other aircraft or missiles. This includes multipurpose aircraft also designed for ground support missions such as interdiction and close air support. Just to mention one example amongst many,

6528-419: The development of a counter-insurgency/light attack derivative of the type, which it designated as the BAC 167. By this point, it had become apparent that several of the competitions that the Jet Provost had been entered into had decided against the type due to its perceived lack of potential firepower. It was powered by a single Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojet , akin to the Jet Provost; however, this engine

6630-412: The end of World War II the A- designation was shared between attack planes and light bombers for USAAF aircraft (as opposed to B- prefix for medium or heavy bombers). The US Navy used a separate designation system and at the time preferred to call similar aircraft scout bombers (SB) or torpedo bombers (TB or BT). For example, Douglas SBD Dauntless scout bomber was designated A-24 when used by

6732-402: The entrance to the airport. The following airlines operate regular scheduled flights to and from Bournemouth: The airport has a 200-acre (0.81 km ) industrial park, including offices and hangars . In early March 2009, Manchester Airport Developments completed the construction of Cirrus Court, a development of 14 industrial units which is the first part of a number of phases to redevelop

6834-402: The first country to place an order for the type, opting for an initial batch of 25 Strikemaster Mk 80 aircraft as part of a wider air defence order. On 26 August 1968, the Saudi Arabian Air Force took delivery of its first examples; deliveries continued through to May 1978. In Saudi service, the Strikemaster was used in both the training and light attack roles. Another key early customer for

6936-414: The first quarter, the airline announced routes to Málaga , Murcia , Palma de Mallorca , Wroclaw and the re-introduction of the Nantes route. An additional flight each day was added to the Glasgow Prestwick route, with the addition of a twice-daily flight to Edinburgh . In May the same year, Bergamo and Beauvais routes were announced to commence in October plus a new weekly ski flight to Turin for

7038-419: The form of single-engine Hawker Hurricane and Curtiss P-40 fighter-bombers or specialized "tank-busters", such as the Hurricane Mk IID, armed with two 40 mm Vickers S guns (notably No. 6 Squadron RAF ). At around the same time, a massive invasion by Axis forces had forced the Soviet air forces to quickly expand their army support capacity, such as the Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik. The women pilots known as

7140-406: The introduction of precision-guided munitions which allowed almost any aircraft to carry out this role while remaining safe at high altitude. Attack helicopters also have overtaken many remaining roles that could only be carried out at lower altitudes. Since the 1960s, only two dedicated attack aircraft designs have been widely introduced, the American Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II and

7242-485: The jets as they were able to both out accelerate and out maneuver the jets. The Royal Navy Hawker Sea Fury fighters and the U.S. Vought F4U Corsair and Douglas A-1 Skyraider were operated during the Korean War while the latter continued to be used throughout the Vietnam War . Many post-World War II era air forces have been reluctant to adopt fixed-wing jet aircraft developed specifically for ground attack. Although close air support and interdiction remain crucial to

7344-487: The leading Stuka ace, Hans-Ulrich Rudel , who claimed 500 tanks, a battleship, a cruiser, and two destroyers in 2,300 combat missions. The Bristol Beaufighter , based on an obsolescent RAF bomber, became a versatile twin-engine attack aircraft and served in almost every theatre of the war, in the maritime strike and ground attack roles as well as that of night fighter. Conversely, some mid-war attack types emerged as adaptations of fighters, including several versions of

7446-592: The main operating base for British Overseas Airways Corporation until Heathrow fully opened in 1948. Starting in October 1945, Hurn served as London's transatlantic airport until Heathrow opened to the airlines in mid-1946. In that role, it participated in the "First Commercial Land Plane Flight Overseas" from the United States, on 23 October. (That intercontinental flight in the Douglas DC-4 involved refueling stops at Gander, Newfoundland and Shannon in

7548-462: The modern battlefield, attack aircraft are less glamorous than fighters, while air force pilots and military planners have a certain well-cultivated contempt for "mud-movers". More practically, the cost of operating a specialized ground-attack aircraft is harder to justify when compared with multirole combat aircraft . Jet attack aircraft were designed and employed during the Cold War era, such as

7650-574: The most notable attack type to emerge during the late 1930s was the Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik , which became the most-produced military aircraft type in history. As World War II approached, the concept of an attack aircraft was not well defined, and various air services used many different names for widely differing types, all performing similar roles (sometimes in tandem with non-attack roles of bombers, fighters, reconnaissance and other roles. The British concept of

7752-465: The network, bringing the total to 17. Another Boeing 737-800 was based at the airport and the airline projected to fly 650,000 passengers per annum at Bournemouth, however the actual figure was lower. Following the closure of European Aviation Air Charter, Palmair chartered various aircraft types from Jet2, Viking, Blue Line, Tor Air and Astraeus, before unveiling their new Astraeus-leased Boeing 737-500 (G-PJPJ) on 13 May 2009. The original agreement

7854-544: The northern aviation sector. When Channel Express operated, its head office was in Building 470 at the airport. Babcock International Group has its Defence and Security offices located at the airport. L3 CTS (formerly CTC Aviation) used to have its main U.K flight training base at the airfield with students completing basic, intermediate and advanced training there. Located on the East side from its purpose built hangar,

7956-624: The number of services from the airport, initially starting routes to Marseille , Alicante , and Milan which brought the total to eight. In 2008, Palmair introduced a new series of charter flights to Tunisia , Fuerteventura , Naples , Amalfi Coast , and Rhodes . Olympic Holidays also launched new charter flights to Corfu and Zakynthos in Greece and Larnaca in Cyprus. On 9 January 2008, Ryanair announced that they would base one of their Boeing 737-800s at Bournemouth from April 2008. During

8058-430: The overall success of the airport and continuing to make Bournemouth Airport important to the overall commercial flight training in the UK. Bath Travel's Palmair remained the prime user of the airport, with a 737-200 permanently based there. In 2005, Thomsonfly became the first major low-cost airline to establish a hub at Bournemouth, allocating two Boeing 737-300 aircraft for scheduled services to Europe and (in 2008) to

8160-518: The post-World War II era has also expanded need for these types of aircraft to conduct counter-insurgency and light ground attack operations. A primary distinction of post-World War II aviation between the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force was that latter had generally been allocated all fixed-wing aircraft , while helicopters were under control of the former; this was governed by the 1948 Key West Agreement . The Army, wishing to have its own resources to support its troops in combat and faced with

8262-413: The previous facility with the design taking advantage of the building's orientation to make maximum possible use of solar gain, solar shading, daylight, and natural ventilation. These measures will reduce the need for mechanical and electrical installations which, in turn, will reduce the building's energy requirements. Other changes to the infrastructure around the airport include adding traffic lights at

8364-486: The primary users of the airport, which was owned and operated by Manchester Airports Group (MAG), one of the largest British airport operators until December 2017, when Regional & City Airports (RCA) acquired Bournemouth Airport for an undisclosed amount. Bournemouth Airport is situated on the edge of Hurn village in the BCP Council area , 4 miles (6 km) north of Bournemouth, 1 mile (1.6 km) west of

8466-512: The prospect of a rocket attack was unnerving. The ultimate development of the cannon-armed light attack aircraft was the small production run in 1944 of the Henschel Hs 129 B-3, armed with a modified PAK 40 75 mm anti-tank gun. This weapon, the Bordkanone BK 7,5 , was the most powerful forward-firing weapon fitted to a production military aircraft during World War II. The only other aircraft to be factory-equipped with similar guns were

8568-407: The result of an internal competition, the aircraft was given the name Strikemaster, which received official endorsement in October 1968. Production of the type was initially centred at Warton; however, during the late 1970s, final assembly was transferred to Hurn Airport . Sales of the type slowed during the early 1980s, leading to discontinuation of production. During May 1966, Saudi Arabia became

8670-509: The specification was dropped before an aircraft went into production. In some air services, dive bombers did not equip ground-attack units, but were treated as a separate class. In Nazi Germany, the Luftwaffe distinguished between the Stuka ( Sturzkampf- , "dive bombing") units, equipped with Junkers Ju 87 from Schlacht ("battle") units, using strafing/low-level bombing types such as

8772-472: The terminal itself is now complete, where the check-in areas, security control, and departure lounges have been upgraded. A new World Duty Free store has opened on the airside, as have a new WHSmith store and The Olive Tree eatery. All remaining retail space has since been completed and opened. The new arrivals hall was completed on time and budget in July 2011. The building produces 70% less carbon dioxide than

8874-411: The trainer and ground attack roles. Furthermore, the Strikemaster was capable of operating from relatively austere air strips; these attributes led to the type being widely used by numerous overseas nations as a relatively affordable combat aircraft. On 26 October 1967, the first prototype performed its maiden flight from Warton Aerodrome ; a total of two prototypes were produced for company trials. As

8976-802: The type were restricted by most military users after the Royal New Zealand Air Force found fatigue cracking in the wings of its aircraft. By the end of the 2010s, there was a shortage of several key components, such as brakes and starter generators, making it increasingly hard to keep the Strikemaster airworthy. Many aircraft retired by Botswana , New Zealand , Saudi Arabia and Singapore are in museums and private collections. Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77 General characteristics Performance Armament Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Attack aircraft Fighter aircraft often carry out

9078-415: The wing tips. First flown in 1967, the aircraft was typically marketed as a light attack or counter-insurgency aircraft , however, the majority of customers were air forces seeking an advanced trainer. The Strikemaster did see combat on multiple occasions in the service of Ecuador , Oman and Yemen . A total of 146 aircraft were produced prior to the end of production in 1983. The type remains flying into

9180-613: The winter season. Increasing from 14 routes, after the discontinuation of the Nantes route, to 18 – Carcassonne , Faro , Limoges , and Reus were added to the route network in February 2009. In December 2009, bmibaby announced a new summer route to Jersey. It was the first time the airline had operated out of the airport; they provided three services a week, using a Boeing 737-500. Again in December, Ryanair added four new routes to

9282-621: Was a part of the Allied armies' strength in holding German attacks and supporting Allied counter-attacks and offensives. Admittedly, the cost to the Allies was high, with the Royal Flying Corps sustaining a loss rate approaching 30% among ground-attack aircraft. After World War I, it was widely believed that using aircraft against tactical targets was of little use other than in harassing and undermining enemy morale; attacking combatants

9384-499: Was an armored twin-engine triplane for ground strafing with eight machine guns and about a ton of armor plate, and the 1922 Aeromarine PG-1 was a combined pursuit (fighter) and ground attack design with a 37mm gun. The United States Marine Corps Aviation applied close air support tactics in the Banana Wars . While they did not pioneer dive bombing tactics, Marine aviators were the first to include it in their doctrine during

9486-620: Was carried out by purpose-designed and heavily armored aircraft such as the Henschel Hs 129 and Ilyushin Il-2 . The Germans and Soviets also used light bombers in this role: cannon-armed versions of the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka greatly outnumbered the Hs 129, while the Petlyakov Pe-2 was used for this role in spite of not being specifically designed for it. In the latter part of World War II,

9588-475: Was expected and operating at low altitudes to precisely identify targets. Other roles, including those of light bombers , medium bombers , dive bombers , reconnaissance , fighters , fighter-bombers , could and did perform air strikes on battlefields. All these types could significantly damage ground targets from a low level flight, either by bombing, machine guns, or both. Attack aircraft came to diverge from bombers and fighters. While bombers could be used on

9690-564: Was for the aircraft to be leased until April 2012, but the airline ceased operations in October 2010. Flybe started services in May 2010 but discontinued services in November the same year. It led to no scheduled services from the airport. After a hiatus of services, Blue Islands recommenced services to Guernsey and Jersey on 1 November 2011. Flybe announced on 10 November 2015 that all destinations would end 27 March 2016 In September 2016 one of

9792-689: Was generally much more dangerous to aircrews than their targets, a problem that was continually becoming more acute with the ongoing refinement of anti-aircraft weapons . Within the range of types serving attack roles, dive bombers were increasingly being seen as more effective than aircraft designed for strafing with machine guns or cannons . Nevertheless, during the 1920s, the US military, in particular, procured specialized "Attack" aircraft and formed dedicated units, that were trained primarily for that role. The US Army Engineering Division became involved in designing ground attack aircraft. The 1920 Boeing GA-1

9894-555: Was handled by a wide variety of designs. In the United States and Britain , attack aircraft were generally light bombers or medium bombers , sometimes carrying heavier forward-firing weapons like the North American B-25G Mitchell and de Havilland Mosquito Tsetse . In Germany and the USSR , where they were known as Schlachtflugzeug ("battle aircraft") or sturmovik ("storm trooper") respectively, this role

9996-427: Was purchased by a free school , Parkfield School, serving Bournemouth and the local area. Yvonne Pope Sintes was the first British woman air traffic controller and worked at Bournemouth Airport when first qualified, before graduating to Gatwick and later becoming Britain's first female commercial airline captain. Airwork Limited , referred to as Airwork Services Limited from 1957 for defence support work, secured

10098-585: Was replaced by faster fighter types for photo-reconnaissance, and light aircraft for artillery spotting. During the inter-war period, the British flew the Fairey Battle , a light bomber which originated in a 1932 specification. Designs in 1938 for a replacement were adapted as a target tug. The last British specification issued for a light bomber was B.20/40 described as a "Close Army Support Bomber" capable of dive bombing and photo-reconnaissance. However,

10200-780: Was the Junkers J.I , which pioneered the idea of an armored "bathtub", that was both fuselage structure and protection for engine and crew. The British experimented with the Sopwith TF series (termed "trench fighters"), although these did not see combat. The last battles of 1918 on the Western Front demonstrated that ground-attacking aircraft were a valuable component of all-arms tactics. Close support ground strafing ( machine-gunning ) and tactical bombing of infantry (especially when moving between trenches and along roads), machine gun posts , artillery , and supply formations

10302-852: Was to create a safe corridor through the Iraqi air defense system. The attack was a huge success and cleared the way for the beginning of the Allied bombing campaign of Operation Desert Storm . One concern involving the Apache arose when a unit of these helicopters was very slow to deploy during U.S. military involvement in Kosovo. According to the Army Times , the Army is shifting its doctrine to favor ground-attack aircraft over attack helicopters for deep strike attack missions because ground-attack helicopters have proved to be highly vulnerable to small-arms fire;

10404-421: Was uprated to produce up to 3,140 lb (14.0 kN) of thrust. The fuel system was also revised, incorporating conformal fuel tanks upon the wingtips along with the option to fit up to four 75-gallon underwing drop tanks , which extend the aircraft’s endurance and effective combat radius when required. Furthermore, key areas of the airframe, such as the wings, were stressed to withstand the additional weight incurred by

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