ALSS deployment RAF Weathersfield 1975

[HABU 71]

A few shots from RAF Weathersfield of the ALSS[ Airborne Location Strike System, Pave Strike] deployment that took place from May till June 75 .The deployment consisted of at first five U2C's from the 349th SRS/100th SRW which according to "official" press release was a High Altitude Sampling Program hence the "camo" on the jets.During the two month deployment they lost one of the U2's at Winterburge near Bonn West Germany on the 29-May with the pilot getting out safely.This why there are only for shots of the jets instead of five.Here are a few shots from then,they are scans so please excuse quality.















If any one is interested,the tail numbers of the U2 are

56-6680

56-6701

56-6707

56-6714

Cheers for looking Norm,

[GOOSE]

Excellent. More please.........

[BOLLO]

Yes Norm,more of the "old days" and those jets of that time.Like those a lot boss.

[698]

Great Stuff

I don't live too far from Wethersfield and my son and myself were having a little look around the Eastern end of the old airfield only last week.
We took a few "nostalgia" shots throught the fence at some of the old structures and taxiways and the remaining lights at that end.

While we were doing this the farmer came out to see what we were upto on his land.
We then chatted for about 3/4 of an hour and this U2 1975 deployment came up, it obviously figured in his mind, as he remembers the airfield being built so nust have seen some sights there over the years.


Thanks for posting.

[ndfilter]

I remember it well, sort of. I finally got an SLR but as you will see from the scanned print I could not yet afford a long lens. These were parked under their sunshades on the northern dispersal. I also have an extra registration of 66700 in the original batch and for the replacement that was sent, 66716.
I know of a story that an unidentified aircraft over West Germany was intercepted by a WGAF F-104. It turned out to be a U2 and on turning away, the Starfighter flew across the U2's flight path where upon the poor brittle thing broke up in it's wake - oops. I don't know the date, was it from this operation I wonder.
Thanks for the post, nice to see them again.

[HABU 71]

Yes your right 56-6700 was the one that was W/O in Germany, The date was 29-5-75 not long after thay arrived.Did not know that thay replased it with another jet.Thanks for that info it all helps to compleat an interesting story.
thanks for looking NORM.

[BOLLO]

Them were the days hey Norm,find some more and bang them on buddy.

[JAWS]

Interesting shots there Norm , would have loved to see them in the " camo " scheme. Your story of the U-2 crashing in Germany because of wake turbulence intrigued me and I went surfing the web and found this excellent website : http://www.blackbirds.net/u2/u2-timeline/u2tl50.html. Admittedly the timeline isn't totally complete and I could only find mention of this accident that involved Canadian F-86's over Germany , could this be the one your thinking of ?

17 Sep 1956
Howard Carey(CIA pilot) is killed in crash of U-2 near Kaiserlauten, W. Germany caused by jet wash from Canadian F-86 (PH)

and this on this website : https://www.cia.gov/news-information/fe ... ogram.html

Howard Carey

Before 1956 came to a close, two more U-2s piloted by Agency test pilots on contract crashed during test flights. One of these crashes was fatal.

On Sept. 17, 1956, pilot Howard Carey took off from Lindsey Air Force Base in Wiesbaden, Germany. His U-2 mysteriously disintegrated in mid-air, perhaps caused by the jet wash from four fighter aircraft nearby. Carey was less than three weeks shy of his 34th birthday when he died.

[HABU 71]

Hi Steve. Thanks for looking but this U2.C was one of six that were deployed to Wethersfield England in 1975.Then for a short time whent over to Germany
were one was unfortunatly lost and the pilot ejected safely.Interesting web site thoe i think there is some good info to read about on it.?? The story by ndfilter saying that there the was a crash of a U2 involving a WGAF F.104 could be right if it could be tyed in to the date of 29/5 75. This was by the way my first post hope to find time to post some more soon.





Thanks for looking and info NORM

[JAWS]

Sorry Norm I got my posters and secondary posters mixed up there !

[UKADGE]

I can not remember the dates, but a least 2 U-2's broke up in mid air operating over Europe due to fast jet wake turbulance. I remember the F-104 incident, and that the pilot suvived. The other incident is also recorded and not a fabrication, but I can not recall the details.

[3Greens]

Great Norm. Thought some of those scenes looked a little familiar - I estimate I was stood about 3ft from you! I remember the old boy in the village giving us the nod that they 'go out at lunchtime and back just after tea' - true to form I've checked my old notebook and they came back at 5 min intervals from 6.35pm.
It was Friday 27th June 1975 by the way - we had just travelled over from experiencing the first European demo of the F-16 with RF-4C chase plane at Bentwaters (now there's another story!!) Then we went onto the Alconbury show on the Sat 28th. Them were the days
I think my posts of that memorable week were on the old site but thanks again for posting mate.
Sorry didn't get down to see you at the 'Hall. I'll catch up with you when I get back to the UK
Cheers
Keith