Greenham Common Hunters ’76 – Graphic intensive

[eLaReF]

Not been on here for a while – retirement means too many long holidays doing 'NOT' aeroplanes!
Part of my retirement was to scan all my negatives which I thought was done. But for my Greenham Common ’76 album, I only had 3 images.
I’ve spent the last 10-15 years cursing at obviously having lost the films, since I knew I had gone down the Hunter line. I liked Hunters anyway, then I had my ’64 ATC camp at Chivenor, so that was my love of them cemented in since there were about 80 of them lying around.
So, annoyed, again, I dug out my negative albums just in case and found the 4 films, correctly labelled & in the correct date order!! Must have had a brain-fade somewhere!!
Anyway, this is the Hunter line – Still from my monochrome period and a bit low contrast

WB188 Hawker Hunter F.3 by eLaReF, on Flickr



WB188 Hawker Hunter F.3 by eLaReF, on Flickr


WT772 Hawker Hunter T.8 FRADU VL875 by eLaReF, on Flickr


WT772 heads the line-up at this point, there were more to come by eLaReF, on Flickr


WV318 Hawker Hunter T.7 Laarbruch Station Flt by eLaReF, on Flickr


XF321 Hawker Hunter T.7 RAE Farnbotough by eLaReF, on Flickr


XF321 Hawker Hunter T.7 RAE Farnbotough by eLaReF, on Flickr


XE531 Hawker Hunter T.12 IAM by eLaReF, on Flickr


XE531 Hawker Hunter T.12 IAM by eLaReF, on Flickr


XE531 Hawker Hunter T.12 IAM by eLaReF, on Flickr


XE531 Hawker Hunter T.12 IAM by eLaReF, on Flickr


XE656 Hawker Hunter F.6 63Sq 35 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XE656 Hawker Hunter F.6 63Sq 35 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XE689 Hawker Hunter GA.11 FRADU 864 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XE689 Hawker Hunter GA.11 FRADU 864 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XF375 Hawker Hunter F.6 ETPS by eLaReF, on Flickr


XF382 Hawker Hunter F.6A 234Sq 15 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XF382 Hawker Hunter F.6A 234Sq 15 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XF967 Hawker Hunter T.8C 237OCU by eLaReF, on Flickr


XG196 Hawker Hunter F.6A 234Sq 25 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XG196 Hawker Hunter F.6A 234Sq 25 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XG274 Hawker Hunter F.6 4FTS 71 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XJ686 Hawker Hunter FGA.9 58Sq 41 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XJ686 Hawker Hunter FGA.9 58Sq 41 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XJ688 Hawker Hunter FGA.9 TWU B by eLaReF, on Flickr


XK137 Hawker Hunter FGA.9 45Sq 42 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XK138 Hawker Hunter FGA.9 79Sq I by eLaReF, on Flickr


XL563 Hawker Hunter T.7 Institute of Aviation Medicine by eLaReF, on Flickr


XL563 Hawker Hunter T.7 Nose Institute of Aviation Medicine by eLaReF, on Flickr


XL563 Hawker Hunter T.7 Institute of Aviation Medicine by eLaReF, on Flickr


XL587 Hawker Hunter T.7 TWU 86 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XL587 Hawker Hunter T.7 TWU 86 by eLaReF, on Flickr


XL612 Hawker Hunter T.7 RAE Bedford by eLaReF, on Flickr


XL613 Hawker Hunter T.7 4FTS 91 by eLaReF, on Flickr


PH-NLH Hawker Hunter T.7 by eLaReF, on Flickr


PH-NLH Hawker Hunter T.7 by eLaReF, on Flickr

Types and Units from Scramble Show Report https://www.scramble.nl/database/show-r ... ommon-1976

[Mustang531]

I remember that day well and the horrendous traffic jams. But got in OK and remember seeing some nice machines. The Hunter line up was something else, although sadly at that time, the Swiss never participated. The story goes that when WB188 arrived by road from whichever museum it lived in then, when being unloaded, it was dropped and the forward fuselage was damaged. They managed to repair it fairly quickly though. Thanks for sharing these with us.

[eLaReF]

Not sure if it was that one, but I think so. We were in a hired white Sherpa mini-bus and stuck in the right of 10 columns trying to get out one gate. In my wing mirror I saw a small RAF convoy with Blue Land Rover leading with flashing blue lights and 2 white Sherpas. They were heading for a small separate guarded gate.~ Nothing Ventured, Nothing gained. To cries of 'NO', 'You can't' I pulled out and joined the end of the convoy.
We got a salute as we went through the gate.....

[Sparts99]

I went to that show, got a lot of pics somewhere. Highlights for me were the F-14 display, and the Intruder pulling ridiculously tight turns and snap rolls in its display, surprisingly agile, and I think the best RAF Jaguar display I'd seen and never bettered since.

[Knife 04]

Very nice set - can remember that - my 1st IAT

Thanks for posting

[warthog56]

Great selection of Hunters there. Sadly I didn't get to this show - only started in earnest in 1977 when I also bought my first SLR camera. But, even in b&w just look at the variety of colour schemes on the Hunters with some wearing long gone squadron colours. So much better than the boring and unadorned grey machines today. Thanks for posting.

[captain scarlet]

Wow!

Lovely to see photos of my first ever airshow (aged 12). Only had a Kodak 56x so my photos aren't very good.

Thanks for posting.

[eLaReF]

So much better than the boring and unadorned grey machines today.

Agree totally - Also I'm not an airliner fan but once you've taken a photo of one twin-jet, they all look the same these days.

[raptor9]

Lovely!. Hunters.....Sex on wings.

[waghorn41]

Great set of photos. I've worked on some of those. May I copy these to my personal archive?

[SeaFuryFan]

Holy......Beep what a line up of gorgeous Hunters

[luxto]

Went to all of those wonderful IAT's at Greenham. In the late 50's and early 60's I'd been watching B-47's and other USAF gems using that taxiway and never dreamed anything like this would ever happen when the base closed in mid 1964. The Hunter was also a favourite of mine and this great post has certainly jogged the memory. I noted 22 in the line up plus 4 of Yeovilton's `Blue Herons` team which flew in the display.

[paddyboy]

Superb shots of one of the most beautiful airframes of all time

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[Gordsmith]

Went to all of those wonderful IAT's at Greenham. In the late 50's and early 60's I'd been watching B-47's and other USAF gems using that taxiway and never dreamed anything like this would ever happen when the base closed in mid 1964. The Hunter was also a favourite of mine and this great post has certainly jogged the memory. I noted 22 in the line up plus 4 of Yeovilton's `Blue Herons` team which flew in the display.

When I was in the RAF I used to "thumb" my way down to Thatcham where my now wife lived. She worked on Saturday morning so I would use her cycle and head up to Greenham to watch the B-47s. There was a track following the edge the edge of the fence, but I more than once was chased off by rather large and irate SPs.
Wonderful days, Gordon

[warferry]

Thanks for the memories hope you don't mind here are a few colour shots Not to sure about the first two .
Hunter WB188 by [url=https://flic.kr/p/2oPjJZM]File0004 by [url=https://flic.kr/p/2oPnKqj]File0019 by warferry,File0018 by warferry, on Flickr

[3Greens]

Great set. It was my first IAT and we camped on the Common adjacent to the approach that week so managed to catch them flying in as well as their fantastic static line. My first F-14A Tomcat too !!

Thanks for posting
3Greens

This post has created some great memories for all so hope you don't mind a few colour landing shots to add ..
T.7 XF321 RAE Farborough


T.7 PH-NLH Netherlands National Air & Space Laboratory (NL version of the RAE) ex. N-320 KLu


T.12 XE531 RAE Institute of Aviation Medicine


T.7 XL563 RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine

[Stratocruiser]

My goodness, I went to all the IAT's as (apart from Mildenhal) it was the highlight airshow of each year.
Brilliant memory kindled by your superb captures; it made me dig out my log: -

WB188 Hunter F.1/3 (1st prototype) St Athan Museum
WT722 / VL-875 Hunter T.8C FRADU
WT804 / VL-831 Hunter GA.11 FRADU
WT806 / VL-838 Hunter GA.11 FRADU
WV267 / VL-836 Hunter GA.11 FRADU
WV318 Hunter T.7 Laarbruch Stn Flt
WW654 / VL-833 Hunter GA.11 FRADU
XE531 Hunter T.12 Institute of Aviation Medicine
XE656 / 35 Hunter F.6 TWU / 63 Sqn (Brawdy)
XE689 / VL-864 Hunter GA.11 FRADU
XF321 Hunter T.7 RAE Farnborough
XF375 Hunter F.6 ETPS
XF382 Hunter F.6A 4 FTS (Valley)
XF967 Hunter T.8C 237 OCU (Honington)
XG196 / 25 Hunter F.6A TWU / 234 Sq (Brawdy)
XG274 / 71 Hunter F.6 4 FTS (Valley)
XJ686 / 4 Hunter FGA.9 TWU / 58 Sq (Brawdy)
XJ688 / B Hunter FGA.9 TWU / 79 Sq (Brawdy)
XK137 / 42 Hunter FGA.9 TWU / 45 Sq (Brawdy)
XK138 / I Hunter FGA.9 TWU / 79 Sq (Brawdy)
XL563 Hunter T.7 Institute of Aviation Medicine
XL583 / 91 Hunter T.7 TWU (Brawdy)
XL587 / 86 Hunter T.7 TWU (Brawdy)
XL612 Hunter T.7 RAE Bedford
XL613 / 91 Hunter T.7 4 FTS (Valley)
PH-NLH Hunter T.7 Institute of Naval Medicine

A brilliant post and thanks for sharing your super nostalgic captures

[luxto]

Went to all of those wonderful IAT's at Greenham. In the late 50's and early 60's I'd been watching B-47's and other USAF gems using that taxiway and never dreamed anything like this would ever happen when the base closed in mid 1964. The Hunter was also a favourite of mine and this great post has certainly jogged the memory. I noted 22 in the line up plus 4 of Yeovilton's `Blue Herons` team which flew in the display.

When I was in the RAF I used to "thumb" my way down to Thatcham where my now wife lived. She worked on Saturday morning so I would use her cycle and head up to Greenham to watch the B-47s. There was a track following the edge the edge of the fence, but I more than once was chased off by rather large and irate SPs.
Wonderful days, Gordon

Remember that as well - people by the fence taking an interest in the aircraft weren't welcome. How times have changed.