RAF BINBROOK hangar tour 9th July 1987

[Sparky 119]

Top post, brilliant

[Mike Dodd]

Superb post- a real memory jerker! I and a couple of mates all of us in the Fire service had a fantastic day at Binbrook in 1986 courtesy of the RAF Fire Service at the base with access all areas. Great Days!

[Punkrunner62]

Always great to see from the inside with such a sublime subject and quality of the images, i only visited Binbrook once and before i had a camera.
Cheers.

[3Greens]

Absolutely awesome! Much better weather than in August of that year! I never managed to get into the hangars during the airshow so seeing these shots is superb! Thanks for sharing. I never realised the F-100 was based there temporarily

Yes, the "Last, last Lightning Show" was a tad wet! As I recall, all hangars had their doors cracked open enough to be able to see what was inside, I think most had a list or a map of what was where in the hangar for the spotters (i.e. ME!) to be able to work out what we saw. Quite a day out! In fact, after the excitement of the amazing 11-ship launch in the murk and clag (and the brilliant diamond 9 passes that followed), it took 20 years to attend a show that lived up to that one, when I went to the Mustang meet at Columbus, OH in 2007!

Great memories!

I don't remember a map (because I arrived a little late?), so does anyone have one that they could put on this thread? Many thanks, TM74

It was so sad that the weather on the 22nd for the show was just so bad after all the work and the importance of the day. There had been a massive 'shuffling' around of frames to ensure that there was safe space inside for the public and the side stalls.
For you tm74sqn I've put up my list of the frames that were left inside :

Hangar 1 : ( L.E.S.F.)F.6 XS895/AO, XS925/BD, and T.5 XS419/DV
Hangar 2 : (5 Sqd.) F.6 XR747/AL, XS932/AG, XS416/AZ, XR724/AE, XS922/AF and T.5 XS458/DY,
Hangar 3 : (ASF) F.6 XR769/BE, XS927/BB, XS923/BE, XR759/BJ, XR727/AB, and T.5 XS459/AW
Chipmunk T.10 WK624/12
Hangar 4 : (11 Sqd.) F.6 XR757/BL, XR758/BF, XS903/BE, XR755/BN, and T.5 XV328/DU
Hangar 5 : (Storage) T.5 XS457/AT, XS420/DV, XS417/DZ, XS452/BT
F.3 XP694, XP702, XP750, XR720, XR751, XP749, XP701, XP751. XP706
F.6 XR756/BH

And a massive thank you to all who have left comments, I'm very pleased to have awoken so many good memories.... better get a few more out

[3Greens]

Excellent post!
It reminded me of the excellent (at the same time sad) day during the following month when the final Binbrook airshow occurred (22/8/87). I made a special trip with friends from Bournemouth that day to attend the show and I remember seeing all those lovely frames in hangars, outside and in the air. I think it was the very next day when the Lightnings were withdrawn from use and 5 Sqn and the LTF were disbanded
Thanks for the super pics and the nostalgic trip

Hi Stratocruiser, just a small correction. The LTF (Lightning Training Flt) had finished its' conversion courses in April. They had an 8 ship fly about on 16th April and officially had disbanded on 1st August, while 5 Squadron's official disbandment was planned for 1st November 1987 but they actually ended up flying up to 23rd December.

[F3]

Fabulous set Keith. particularly those flightline pics with the blue sky which was all too rarely seen atop the Wolds, probably due to the proximity to the coast.

[Stratocruiser]

Excellent post!
It reminded me of the excellent (at the same time sad) day during the following month when the final Binbrook airshow occurred (22/8/87). I made a special trip with friends from Bournemouth that day to attend the show and I remember seeing all those lovely frames in hangars, outside and in the air. I think it was the very next day when the Lightnings were withdrawn from use and 5 Sqn and the LTF were disbanded
Thanks for the super pics and the nostalgic trip

Hi Stratocruiser, just a small correction. The LTF (Lightning Training Flt) had finished its' conversion courses in April. They had an 8 ship fly about on 16th April and officially had disbanded on 1st August, while 5 Squadron's official disbandment was planned for 1st November 1987 but they actually ended up flying up to 23rd December.

Hi and thanks for the additional information.