363 TRW Visit to Alconbury 08/1979

[SW Sky Blue]

awesome

[bobthehandyman]

A bit different to a few years later (1988?) when 18 turned up on the Friday before the airshow and they hid them all away in shelters far side with not a single one on static.

That was 1986 Malcolm - I was there when they arrived on the Thursday evening, SW's from Shaw (JO's were recoded SW in the 80's). Think it was up to the deployment commander as to whether any of his a/c appeared in the show - it certainly disappointed a lot of people. They had a Photo Call in their shelter area on Thurs afternoon 14 Aug when 8 taxied out and flew plus 2 on static. Also that afternoon an SR-71 did an overshoot.

I think this is a great reminder of how good Alconbury was and I remember 6 deployments there by the 67/363TRW's, each comprising of 18 a/c. There were also smaller deployments as well by the ANG. Can't heap enough praise on Alconbury Public Affairs for organising those Photo Calls to keep us happy. I particularly like those cherry picker shots - back in the days when the 10TRW operated 3 squadrons of RF-4C's, that ramp was full of 32TRS a/c. Couldn't make that Photo Call so its interesting to see what was on offer. However, saw them all depart back to Shaw on Thurs 24 Aug and then it was on to Waddington to see the 18 South Dakota/Iowa A-7's of Coronet Stallion plus 4 Italian Starfighters at Wittering.

Great times!

was my local base, and all this went on before social media and internet, so much stuff went through and was either not pictuered or just never reported, seen so many F-5s being delivered through Alconbury, seen un marked F-15's, and once a year the white two seat TR-1 and the odd Nasa visitor....great times......

[herbert]

Superb shots. Thanks for sharing them.

[Wildweasel52]

Very very nice!!

[paddyboy]

Hi Buddy

Toom heaven

Phanks phor a phabulous post

Paddyboy