Wow! A VERY noisy plane just went over Admin Towers. Could that have been one of them? I thought Concorde had made a come-back.

^^ I heard it here in Northwood at 8.43pm, though not very noisy at this distance, very fast though. Definately one of the Typhoons I would say.

I heard it again a few minutes later, then at 9.30ish I was having a coffee in the Portuguese cafe in Kingshill Ave, Hayes, when it was flying around again. I went outside to take a look, the noise was deafening, even though it looked from where I was standing as if it was circling probably over RAF Northolt at the time.

Yes heard it again from Northwood at 9.32pm. Far from deafening here, but im a bit concerned about this report which mentions a 'lack of pilot training' though.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... ttack.html

Albeit from April 2011, and relating to air stikes on Libya.......even so !!

Gulp!

The noise was most certainly one of the 'test' missions that is mentioned in the gazette link on my original post on this thread. More flights tomorrow night too.

I had a friend phone from Havering to ask if I knew anything (she knows I am near RAF Northolt), so it seems they were doing (at least) the Northolt to Stratford route. She said FB was buzzing with anxious people trying to find out what was happening.

Not quite panic in the streets, but how anxious will (some) Londoners be during games if they are getting their collective knickers in a twist over this one plane?

I heard this too, thought there was two planes that flew over around 20:30. Shame it was dark as I would have liked to have at least seen them.

Yep I heard them

No need to fret Moley....

The article mentions little training has taken place in the 'ground attack role'. Unless terrorists are able to hijack a Soviet tank division and roll T80's down Stratford High Street there is nothing to fear.

These aircraft are simply protection from a 9/11 type event. If a plane was hijacked out of Heathrow and they had to scramble from their existing bases they may not have enough time to reach the Capital before an event took place.
Many who have flown into Heathrow will be aware that an Westerly facing landing on either of the runways brings you on an approach path right over East and Central London. Clearly time to react is a huge factor in the decision to base these aircraft in Northolt for the duration.