Looking back at the Mildenhall Air Fete (More photos added)

[bigcrow]

With the sad news of Mildenhall’s closure yesterday I thought it would be a good time to share some memories of the wonderful Air Fetes over the years… I was fortunate to go to all the shows with dad from the early eighties to its final one in 2001. Dad attended his first one in 1971.

As for me as a kid growing up in the eighties nothing came close to that weekend at the end May when Mildenhall opened its gates to the public not even IAT, the general atmosphere the wet burgers & the superb flying display it couldn’t be bettered. We all hoped for its return someday… Oh well. Thank you for the great memories RAF Mildenhall. These are a mixture of mine & dads shots from over the years.

#1

38+12 F-4F WGAF Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#2

A-7B 154502 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#3

A-10A 82-0655 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#4

Alize 60 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#5

EC-121T 54-2307 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#6

C-118B 131578 Mildenhall Air Fete 1984 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#7

C-118B 131578-2 Mildenhall Air Fete 1984 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#8

C-2A 155124 Mildenhall Air Fete 1984 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#9

C-5A 69-0004 Mildenhall Air Fete 1982 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#10

F-14A 159601 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#11

C-131F 141023 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#12

CF-104G 104805 Mildenhall Air Fete 1983 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#13

B-2A 90-0040 Mildenhall Air Fete 2000 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#14

E-2C 159110 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#15

Alouette A-536 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#16

EC-135H Mildenhall Air Fete 1985 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#17

A-7D 70-1008 Mildenhall Air Fete 1990 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#18

A-7E 157452 Mildenhall Air Fete 1984 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#19

EA-6B 161882 Mildenhall Air Fete 1997 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#20

EF-111A 67-0032 Mildenhall Air Fete 1989 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#21

EC-135C 63-8054 Mildenhall Air Fete 1997 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#22

F-14 161422 Mildenhall Air Fete 1984 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#23

F-15E 90-0248 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#24

F-111F 72-1448 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#25

ZA447 Tornado GR1 Mildenhall Air Fete 1991 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#26

Lancaster PA474 Mildenhall Air Fete 1990 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#27

Mirage 3 499 MH78 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#28

YC-14A 72-1874 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#29

YC-15A 72-1876 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#30

SR-71A 61-7974 Mildenhall Air Fete 1982 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

[Knife 04]

Now THAT is a great post! Thanks for putting these up Stuart - great memories of that last weekend in May every year!

Always preferred the Hot Links sausages myself though

cheers

Darren

[paddyboy]

Hi Buddy

Wonderful pics/memories

Never ever missed a single fete

We shall not see their like again, and I agree so much; Fairford cannot hold a candle, atmosphere-wise, to the 'halls marvellous display days

Thank God we were there to see them and enjoy them

Thanks for a wonderful, emotive and evocative post

Paddyboy

[DanBeeden]

Superb! Tough choice but 'Miss Liberty' gets my vote. This captures very nicely just how spotless that jet looked at the '92 show.

[TankBuster]

Great images of great days!!!
I was flicking through Youtube earlier and found this little gem!..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jpPbEdlsjU

One thing I remember about the last decade of Air Fetes, was the very early morning walk around the static park to the sound of a Paul Mcartney / Wings best of album blasting through the airshow PA system...every single year!

Thanks for posting the pictures, I love em .


TankBuster

[GOOSE]

Absolutely magnificent! '77 and '84 United States Navy toptastic, wish I'd been there.

[GhostFlight91]

What a post

[Nighthawke]

Oh what a mix of memories they bring back. Quite a time-span there Stuart. 1977 was my first Mildenhall on the local coach trip then 78/79. Recall getting off the bus as the Canadian Red Indian 104s hit the field low hard and fast - BANG!

Nice to see the YC-14 & YC-15 again. I can hear Roger Hoefling's mellowed tones now filling unexpected gaps with his calm commentary and added information.

Many thanks for the reminder - great shots.

[eagle1]

Excellent. A BIG thank you Stuart for sharing these. They have really cheered me up

Thank you also tankbuster for the video link

Cheers Martin

[snuzz]

Mildenhall Air Fete Fairwell airshow would be nice

[Maurits37]

Great selection...

[Proteus]

You just made an old man happy, thank you........Regards N.

[Golfer]

Never been to the'hall,probably never will, thanks for posting superb images of some sadly missed aircraft. Magic

Craig.

[Jazz]

Aeroporn! Too many classics to take in one hit Must have been stood near you for the Prowler shot. Epic stuff

[MKR]

Great post Stuart . Nice to see some from my first air fete in 1984 and that EC-121 is superb .
Thanks for posting. Mike

[herbert]

Great shots. I went in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989 and 2000. If I had to choose one year that was best I would say 1977 with the USN stuff off JFK, YF-16, A-10 plus the AMST candidates.

I also remember s cracking Harrier demo that year.

Always laughed at the MPs posted by the SR-71, F-117 or B-2 who tended to disappear into the afternoon.

1984 I went on the Sunday after Upper Heyford on the Saturday. Watched a couple of hours of the show from the car whilst queuing in traffic.

Who else can name their one favourite Air Fete year?

Alan

[bigcrow]

Thanks for the comments guys, it was an amazing show wasn't it with lots of great memories, one particular stands out when the pair of RAF Lightnings were pulled out of the static at the 1987 show? They performed a circuit,then both pulled up and away into seperate zoom climbs on a glorious late summer evening that wil live long in the memory. Here are a few more...

#31

YF-16A 72-1568 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#32

F-104G 26+72 Mildenhall Air Fete 1985 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#33

F-117A 85-0834 Mildenhall Air Fete 1997 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#34

FA-18C 163477 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#35

G-91PAN MM6243 Mildenhall Air Fete 1974 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#36

G-91R 32+71 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#37

Gannet AEW3 XL502 Mildenhall Air Fete 1988 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#38

Noratlas 146 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#39

OV-10A 66-13556 Mildenhall Air Fete 1979 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#40

S-3A 159760 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#41

SR-71A 61-7980 Mildenhall Air Fete 1983 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#42

Sea Harrier FRS1 ZD581 Mildenhall Air Fete 1986 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#43

Jaguar A A36 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#44

Mirage F1C 72 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#45

U-2R 80-1074 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#46

SR-71A 61-7974 Mildenhall Air Fete 1982 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#47

TF-100F GT-874 Mildenhall Air Fete 1981 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#48

B-1B 86-0114 Mildenhall Air Fete 1989 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#49

SR-71A 61-7980 Mildenhall Air Fete 1986 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

[DeanW]

Keep them coming mate. Love the look of the grubby F-100!

[Jazz]

Mmmm more good stuff. Diggin the Bone in the old camo and the U-2 especially (explanation of the markings?)

[Knife 04]

U-2 especially (explanation of the markings?)

Think (from memory and not looking it up from mine) it was named 'Scud Hound' following the 1991 altercation in the desert

Again Stuart - another great addition and thanks for posting. Please keep them coming

cheers

Darren