Nellis F.16s at Bentwaters + LV A.7s at Woodbridge.

[Scorch998]

Its several years ago now and I'm struggling to remember the exact year but several NA F.16s were operating out of Bentwaters and I distinctly remember fire crews coming to the aid of one pilot who had managed to taxi onto the grass beside the end of the runway and got stuck!. Anybody have any idea on the dates and the aircraft involved?

I also had a spell actually working on Bentwaters airfield whilst LV coded A.7 Corsairs were operating out of Woodbridge; familiarisation flights for F.117 pilots in Europe I believe? ... Again any ideas on the dates and aircraft involved.

The sad thing is I did have all these aircraft logged once upon a time!.

[TankBuster]

The A-7D's were Nellis machines from of the 4450th TG.
They were in at Woodbridge from the 31st Oct 84 until 14th Nov 84, and they returned again from the 8th to 22nd of May 86. I think they were here conducting trials for the F-117s avionics rather than for F-117 pilot familiarisation.


I dont know what year the NA F-16s were at Bentwaters, but I do remember there being an incident with an F-15 coming off the runway onto the grass, could this be the same incident you refer to?


TankBuster

[plmc135]

Arriving at Bentwaters on Tuesday 5 June 1984 were the following Nellis based F-16's plus the Thunderbirds deploying for a European tour:-

79-0335 F-16A Fighting Falcon 474 TFW 428 TFS NA b
79-0339 F-16A Fighting Falcon 474 TFW 428 TFS NA b
79-0348 F-16A Fighting Falcon 474 TFW 428 TFS NA b
79-0349 F-16A Fighting Falcon 474 TFW 428 TFS NA b
79-0358 F-16A Fighting Falcon 474 TFW 428 TFS NA b
79-0360 F-16A Fighting Falcon 474 TFW 428 TFS NA b
79-0361 F-16A Fighting Falcon 474 TFW 428 TFS NA b
79-0365 F-16A Fighting Falcon 474 TFW 428 TFS NA b
79-0368 F-16A Fighting Falcon 474 TFW 428 TFS NA b
79-0376 F-16A Fighting Falcon 474 TFW 428 TFS NA b
81-0663 F-16A Fighting Falcon ADS Thunderbirds - 1
81-0667 F-16A Fighting Falcon ADS Thunderbirds - 2
81-0676 F-16A Fighting Falcon ADS Thunderbirds - 3
81-0677 F-16A Fighting Falcon ADS Thunderbirds - 4
81-0679 F-16A Fighting Falcon ADS Thunderbirds - 5
81-0687 F-16A Fighting Falcon ADS Thunderbirds - 6
81-0678 F-16A Fighting Falcon ADS Thunderbirds - 7
81-0683 F-16A Fighting Falcon ADS Thunderbirds - 8

Paul

[Scuba 11]

The Nellis F-16's were also at Bentwaters in 1982,losing one of the aircraft, 79-0390 of the 429TFS crashing near Beccles due to main fuel pump failure. The aircraft had just undergone major maintanence and was being flown for a maintanence test flight. The pilot ejected safely. The damaged canopy from this aircraft is on display at the Bentwaters Cold War Museum in Suffolk.

[pawlee1]

Hi scorch, I saw these at Bentwaters mid 85.

79-0380 F-16A NA y 474TFW 429TFS BENTWATERS 29/05/85 '429TFS'
79-0399 F-16A NA y 474TFW 429TFS BENTWATERS 29/05/85
79-0405 F-16A NA y 474TFW 429TFS BENTWATERS 29/05/85
79-0406 F-16A NA y 474TFW 429TFS BENTWATERS 29/05/85
80-0474 F-16A NA y 474TFW 429TFS BENTWATERS 29/05/85 '474TFW'
80-0484 F-16A NA y 474TFW 429TFS BENTWATERS 29/05/85
80-0485 F-16A NA y 474TFW 429TFS BENTWATERS 29/05/85

pawlee

[PaulN]

Scorch

The A7Ds were

69-6198 LV
70-0944 LV
70-0969 LV
70-1020 LV

Deployed to Woodbridge between 31-10-84 and 14-11-84 as "Coronet Spark"

Hope this helps

Paul

[graham luxton]

Adding to what the others have put Scorch:
LV's Woodbridge '86
69-214, 70-982, 70-005, 70-020, 70-021, 70-023

NA/y Bentwaters '82
79-378, 79-382, 79-384, 79-389, 79-390, 79-391, 79-392, 79-399, 79-403, 79-404, 79-405, 79-429

NA/bl Bentwaters '84 - additions
79-367, 79-373

NA/y Bentwaters '85 - additions
79-388, 79-393, 79-403, 79-407, 80-492

Graham

[Scorch998]

Thanks to you all for your help, much appreciated; I've managed to work out the F.16s were the ones in 1982 as thats the year I finished school and was there with school friends. The A.7s were the ones in 1986 as that was when I was working on Bentwaters base re-surfacing the taxi ways to the newly constructed C.5 pad near the control tower. I also remember the Nimrod AEW.3 doing several touch and goes one particular day.

Just a note to Tankbuster, it was definately one of the F.16s that got stuck on the grass, 3 or 4 had taxied out for take off and he throttled up whilst still coming round to line up and got it completely wrong!.

Thanks again for all your help!