Runways on motorways

[Ruperts Trooper]

And here is the news that the RAF Typhoons have for the first time taken off from and landed on normal roads. This took place on exercises in Finland.

https://raf.mod.uk/news/articles/raf-ty ... irst-time/

Looks like it was on that 3km stretch of straight road on the 551 east of Tervo. I'm not sure how much runway the Typhoons need, but for comparison the Swedish Gripens only need 500m.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/qi86MhGdSTZBpXuk7

Eurofighter Typhoon is STOL and quoted at 500m for take-off and landing but without specifying how much load.

[Vierwielen]

During WWII, the A30 between Camberley and Hartley Wintney was often closed because an operational runway at Blackbushe Airfield crossed the road. Unlike jet aircraft however, propellor-powered aircraft did not melt the runway.

It was a taxiway to/from a maintenance facility which crossed the A30 at Blackbushe rather than an operational runway - a similar arrangement existed at RAF Bitteswell where the B4111 (now A4303) had traffic lights at the crossing.

Slightly off-topic, but I recently met a Hungarian family (grandmother, mother and son).Only the son spoke English. The grandmother had fled Hungary with her fiance during the 1956 uprising and they found themselves at the Red Cross Centre in Church Crookham (5 miles from Balckbushe). Blackbushe had been to operational centre for bringing Hungarian refugees to the UK. The couple concerned, fearing that they would be given jobs far apart from each other, got married in te local Catholic Church three weeks after arrival. Grandad died in 2012 and Grandma came to the UK to visit the church where she was married.

[wallmeerkat]

During WWII, the A30 between Camberley and Hartley Wintney was often closed because an operational runway at Blackbushe Airfield crossed the road. Unlike jet aircraft however, propellor-powered aircraft did not melt the runway.

The old Monkton Road A79 used to cross Prestwick's runway https://www.google.com/maps/@55.5115066 ... ?entry=ttu

It was bypassed in 1964 https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title=A79

[DeptForLameExcuses]

This has, kind of, been featured already. But 'been featured already' has never prevented much on SABRE before, nor will. What would SABRE be, without 'copy and paste'? Nowhere, mostly.

It is largely featured in the two-post thread 'Autobahn landings', somewhere before. Apparently it's the A29 autobahn in April 1984, near Ahlhorn in Niedersachsen.

Except the video material here - is much better than before, and features an undeniable smörgåsbord of different aircraft, that would make Airfix weep.

The resolution, or pixel count, of the video is far better. And features a much better view of the aircraft. And there is a British SEPECAT Jaguar, three minutes in. And an A-10, or two.

[DeptForLameExcuses]

Which leads me to a conclusion. Why don't motorway traffic police 'deploy' some A-10 aircraft. The A-10 has superb firing capabilities. And the A-10 is not too fast, as jet aircraft go. It is designed to knock out vehicles.

The death count could be a bit of problem though. Wouldn't stand up in court.

[mistral]

Apparently it's the A29 autobahn in April 1984, near Ahlhorn in Niedersachsen.

Except the video material here - is much better than before, and features an undeniable smörgåsbord of different aircraft, that would make Airfix weep.

That is a beltingly good video. Many thanks for posting it for us all to enjoy!