26 years ago today, the F-111E's finished in the UK

[Pune]

Thanks for the air show info' guys and the images, could it have been '84, time really does fly by, happy days indeed..

[Thunderbolt II]

Never mind guys there's always F35! .

You're obsessed with F35s, you always mention them! I think you secretly fancy them.

[Blackcat1]

Nah Diane Abbot is nicer looking

[eLaReF]

Nah Diane Abbot is nicer looking

Now I'm really worried!

[Blackcat1]

Just taking the proverbial!

[Sparky 119]

You know you are getting old when it only seems like yesterday, having been my local, much missed even after all these years☹☹

[paddyboy]

Gareth, may I point you in the direction of Specsavers

I agree, though

[Blackcat1]

Paddyboy as I said I was taking the proverbial

[Richard B]

Used to deliver parts we made in Hinckley Leicestershire down too Cowley in Oxford in the 80s early 90s. Used to spend a hour or 2 at Upper heyford. Was a great job. Binbrook was a jolly also when delivering to Britax and McClaren up Bridlington way. Used to sit on top of the van roof was handy at Wittering and Cottesmore when doing our Peterborough run.

[vark 1.1]

Thank you so very much to everyone. So good to see the old place is staying with lots of you.

RAF Upper Heyford 27 end was a 15 min drive, back in the day.
Had the box on all the time. I tried to get up there as much as i could around work.
The old 27 end was the best end for photos. from morning tell dark.

Few more for you.

F-111E-680056- by Richard Parker, on Flickr

670123-Blue-Rolling-out-09 by Richard Parker, on Flickr

F-111E-680056-UH- by Richard Parker, on Flickr

Thanks again for looking.

The Varks are missed by me very much.

Cheers
Richard

[tm74sqn]

Yes, time passes so rapidly - seems only yesterday that I was down at the 09 end on a Saturday afternoon in September 1970 when (what turned out to be) the first two F-111Es arrived. From memory they were 80035 and 80045. Weather not ideal but I did manage to photograph them on approach, and afterwards just drove into the base, parked and joined the welcoming party to take more photos! All black and white unfortunately. The strange thing is that I had no idea that they were arriving that day - no Internet or many mobile phones in those ancient times - so it was just part of my regular Saturday spotting routine.

The good old days - you can't beat them!
TM74

[roughcutter]

Hi Vark, Hope you don't mind me adding my twopennyworth to your amazing thread. I took these at the Upper Heyford Open House in May 1990, taken from the runway 27 (Steeple Aston) end;
uh90-8901 by roughcutter, on Flickr
uh90-9003 by roughcutter, on Flickr
uh90-9504 by roughcutter, on Flickr
uh90-9403 by roughcutter, on Flickr
uh90-9302 by roughcutter, on Flickr
More to follow

[roughcutter]

Some more;

uh90-9601 by roughcutter, on Flickr

uh90-9702 by roughcutter, on Flickr

uh90-9803 by roughcutter, on Flickr

uh90-10903 by roughcutter, on Flickr

uh90-11303 by roughcutter, on Flickr

uh90-11202 by roughcutter, on Flickr

[roughcutter]

and a few landings;

uh90-12503 by roughcutter, on Flickr

uh90-12402 by roughcutter, on Flickr

uh90-12301 by roughcutter, on Flickr

uh90-12204 by roughcutter, on Flickr

uh90-12002 by roughcutter, on Flickr

uh90-11901 by roughcutter, on Flickr

uh90-11703 by roughcutter, on Flickr

Enjoy ML

[Snoop 95]

Love em! The crews used to call them Cadillacs 'cos they were big and heavy but a smooth ride.

[roughcutter]

I wish they were still around, brought down long before their time

[Richard B]

One of my regular haunts back in the day was the east coast ranges of Wainfleets, spent many day watching these running in on the targets,
Another story from the F111 days was one of the Airshows held at my local Coventry airport. Over the tannoy system came that the F111 display had just took off from UH, and will be with us in 2 minutes. True enough it came in low and fast wings back. Was a small cloud it punched through on the climb out from the fast run in, ive never seen a cloud Burst like it,
as it blasted through it. Amazing aircraft and one i really miss.

[Snoop 95]

One of my regular haunts back in the day was the east coast ranges of Wainfleets, spent many day watching these running in on the targets,
Another story from the F111 days was one of the Airshows held at my local Coventry airport. Over the tannoy system came that the F111 display had just took off from UH, and will be with us in 2 minutes. True enough it came in low and fast wings back. Was a small cloud it punched through on the climb out from the fast run in, ive never seen a cloud Burst like it,
as it blasted through it. Amazing aircraft and one i really miss.

Had a similar experience at Duxford one year. Commontator said something like "next we have the F111. If you look to your left you should soon see it begin its display." Wait, wait, wait, then it appeared with swept-back wings at very low level going like a bat-out-of-hell. Pulled up into the blue and we never saw it again. Stunning!

[andrewn]

Hi Vark, Hope you don't mind me adding my twopennyworth to your amazing thread. I took these at the Upper Heyford Open House in May 1990, taken from the runway 27 (Steeple Aston) end;

More to follow

Great shots Roughcutter - you caught the role demo aircraft at that years Open House:
42ECS EF-111A's "Sweep 1&2" 66-0037 & 67-0035
79TFS F-111E's "Roar 1-4" 68-0084, 67-0123, 67-0119 & 68-0030