1973 Retrospective

[Keflavik69]

It is a nice tradition in the Current Photography Section that people show the year retrospective. After having covered some air shows from 50 years ago I thought I could do 1973 in retrospect by posting pictures of aircraft photographed during that year at various places. The result of course is too many photos.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a splendid 2024.

Hahn 10 February 1973. F-4D 66-7721 HO 49TFW fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Bitburg 16 March 1973. F-4E 68-0460 BT 36TFW fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Ramstein 17 March 1973. F-4D 65-685 HR 50TFW fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Landstuhl 17 March 1973. UH-1H 67-19494 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Ramstein 30 March 1973. RF-4C 65-0835 AR 10TRW fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Ramstein 30 March 1973. VC-118A 53-3266 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Ramstein 30 March 1973. F-4C 63-7507 WR 81TFW fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Bitburg 31 March 1973. F-4D 66-7638 HO 49TFW fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Maastricht 18 April 1973. Pembroke WV729 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Nancy-Ochey 6 May 1973. Mirage 3E 529 3-JS fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Nancy-Ochey 6 May 1973. Mystere 4A 149 7-AB fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Nancy-Ochey 6 May 1973. Mystere 4A 187 7-CU-1 fc by Soesterberg 30 June 1973. RF-5A 97143 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

@N08/]arnold booy[/url], on Flickr

Brüggen 9 May 1973. F-4M XV488 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Liege-Bierset 14 June 1973. CASA 207 T7-16 351-16 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Deelen 30 June 1973. A-7B 154482 AB-301 VA-46 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Deelen 30 June 1973. S-11 E-22 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Deelen 30 June 1973. NF-5A K-3039 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Spangdahlem 5 July 1973. F-4C 63-7467 SP 52TFW fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Bruggen 9 July 1973. F-4M XV501 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Bruggen 10 July 1973. Canberra WD955 Q 360sqd fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Brüggen 10 July 1973. F-M XV393 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Wildenrath 10 July 1973. T-33A DT-102 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Bordeaux-Merignac 20 July 1973. Mirage 5 423 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Mont de Marsan 23 July 1973. KC-135F 38475 CF fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Bordeaux-Merignac 24 July 1973. Mirage 3B 250 DD fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Bordeaux-Merignac 24 July 1973. Vautour 2B 632 92-AS fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Bordeaux-Merignac 24 July 1973. Mirage 5D 450 Lybian AF fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Paris-Le Bourget 27 July 1973. C-119 0-37880 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Maastricht 5 August 1973. U-7A 96-14 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Sembach 11 August 1973. OH-58A 70-15121 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Sembach 11 August 1973. U-8F 62-3841 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Sembach 11 August 1973. UH-1H 66-16857 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Ramstein 15 August 1973. Lightning XN773 92sqdn fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Ramstein 15 August 1973. Lightning XN782 92sqdn fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Ramstein 26 August 1973. UH-1N 69-6609 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Ramstein 26 August 1973. Gnat XS107 Red Arrows fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Ramstein 26 August 1973. AH-1G 68-15023 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Ramstein 26 August 1973. Lightning XN793 92sqdn fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Ramstein 26 August 1973. C-130K XV190 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

Pirmasens AAF 22 September 1973. UH-1H 65-9781 fc by arnold booy, on Flickr

I hope you found these pictures interesting.
Best regards,
Arnold

[iainpeden]

double post, blooming predictive text!

[iainpeden]

Certainly do find them interesting.Despite my Phantom obsession my favourite is the Turkish RF-5, showing the overpainted square markings replaced by the current roundals.

[Mike]

Wonderful photos from all those years ago, Arnold, thank you so much for sharing them with us. Have a great Christmas and New Year.

Mike

[F3]

Some great Tooms and Frightenings there Arnold plus a few rarities. Never seen a Vautour!

[Nighthawke]

Lightnings, Phantoms and classic French - wonderful Many thanks for all your great posts from the past and look forward to more next year.

Merry Christmas.

[eLaReF]

I have to confess to never being a Fantom Fan, but the rest are great, especially those round-engined transports

[747woody]

Fantastic Arnold, look forward to more!

[Mustang531]

Thanks Arnold, I suppose that it's good to spoil us at Christmas, some great shots you've provided for us to enjoy. So much variety and hard to pick a favourite. I think the Casa 207 must stand out, I've only ever seen examples displayed in Spanish museums, the Turkish Northrop is nice, also the Lightning's, the Danish T-33A and of course the Vautour. I saw a few of these in service. Living locally to Kenley, apparently back in the fifties an example visited the base. Unfortunately the pilot mistook it for Biggin Hill, it's intended destination. Unfortunately Kenley always suffered from short runways and although the Vautour landed, it went off the end of the runway and through the fence and ended up in someone's garden. I bet that took a bit of explaining.

[phantom23]

What a great set especially the Phantoms taken at Bruggen, glorious!

[paddyboy]

Hi Arnold

O.M.G.

Pictures of Lightning F2A’s, the best of the best

They even top those gorgeous little Northrops

Thanks for yet another awesome post

Paddyboy

[LimaHotel01]

Thank you for another wonderful collection of photos to brighten the holidays.

My favourites have to be the variety of USAF F-4s, both USAFE and deployed TAC units, but especially the RAF Germany Phantoms and Lightnings.

Please keep your posts coming next year to further entertain us.

Kind regards and Happy Christmas.

LH01.

[hvaneupen]

Libyan Mirages and a Maroccan C119…. You went around in those days Arnold!
Have a merry Christmas and happy new year!

[Gordsmith]

Arnold, what a way to end the year. As ever your shots are top notch in quality and glorious types.
Very best of wishes to you and yours, Gordon.

[Mustang531]

Following on from my earlier comments, I keep looking at this selection, the Moroccan C-119 at Le Bourget was typical of what could be seen there in those days. I saw a few Senegalese AF F.27s there, also a Gabonese AF Nord 262 once. The VC-118 brings back lots of memories, but the Pembroke looks interesting with the red stripe, presume some senior officers personal transport. I'm definitely in the queue for a time machine now. As previously said, Arnold, thank you for putting these up and all your earlier contributions, a lot of happy and grateful people out there.

[Punkrunner62]

Thank you Arnold, a tremendous post, a very Happy Christmas and New Year to you.
Cheers.

[Amp]

Love that Casa 207! Thanks for sharing your photos this year!

[Petepilot]

Hi Arnold - I would echo the accolades of my fellow FCers: brilliant content and brilliant quality!
Just a question for you: were you ever at home during 1973?
Cheers, Peter
PS More please

[ridgmeister]

I really enjoyed this set, although just a little before my photography-time, many happy memories just seeing some of these types again!
Many thanks and Happy Christmas,
Paul

[GeorgeA]

Remember seeing two F27s at Wonsdrecht in 1979 which were then operated jointly by Senegal and the Gambia although I believe they eventually returned to sole ownership of the former.