Memories - Who Remembers.1978

[Weazel69]

whilst browsing my log book for 06.1978, how many of you out there remember that 40years ago this month we were treated to the sights of on deployment
18 - F105's from the 507thTFG - AFRES.SH at Sculthorpe 6 of which did an approach/overshoot at Coltishall.04 - 12.06
4 - EB57E's from the 17thDSES at Woodbridge
18 - RF4C's from the 363rdTRW.JO at Coltishall
+ support C141's for the above

so seeing how many people turned up for the 8 - A10's at Mildenhall & the 4 - F35's at Marham has me wondering what would have it been like then if todays info was available.."the mind boggles"

[Bucky P]

I remember Wittering in about '87 when 12 A7s arrived and the A1 was lined on both sides with hundreds of cars! Police were offering £20 fines if you didn't move when asked, a lot of fines were paid that day!

[daggerfan]

When 10 23TFW A-7s arrived at Lossie in 78 for the Tactical Bombing Competition I think the number of spotters waiting for them was barely into double figures!

Those were the days when you had plenty of personal space to enjoy your hobby and there were far fewer noisy and boring idiots bragging about being here, there and everywhere and getting photographs of this, that and the next thing!

[toom317]

I remember 2 of those 105's came into Lossie that year, and to my regret, couldn't be bothered going back to the accomodation block to get my camera. As Daggerfan mentioned, in 2 tours at Lossie covering 5 1/2 tears in total, while there were spotters on the fence,I never saw anything like the state it gets into now, when there is something on. And when you consider the stuff you used to get through there then. And I remember those A7's as well, as they were in the then VASS at 4 hangar, which we shared with them. F104, G91, F100, Draken, Bronco, Mirage III, F4 and C47, were just some of the military stuff that was in there regularly. Happy days.

[rh226]

whilst browsing my log book for 06.1978, how many of you out there remember that 40years ago this month we were treated to the sights of on deployment
18 - F105's from the 507thTFG - AFRES.SH at Sculthorpe 6 of which did an approach/overshoot at Coltishall.04 - 12.06
4 - EB57E's from the 17thDSES at Woodbridge
18 - RF4C's from the 363rdTRW.JO at Coltishall
+ support C141's for the above

so seeing how many people turned up for the 8 - A10's at Mildenhall & the 4 - F35's at Marham has me wondering what would have it been like then if todays info was available.."the mind boggles"

That was some week. I was at Sculthorpe to see the "Thuds" arrive , but you forgot the 4x B-52Gs at Marham and the 2x Nevada ANG RF-4Cs in Alconbury that had dropped out of their homeward flight.

Sadly, I had to go home on the Sunday to go to work on the Monday - and so missed the "JO" RF-4Cs.

[Vulture 01]

I think the main reason so many people turn up for deployments these days is simply the novelty of seeing something 'new'. Back in the day (ie 1970s and before and since etc) there were a lot more aircraft about, of many different types. Nowadays it's different.

Thinking back 20 years, look how many bases have closed: in the UK Alconbury (A10, TR1), Bentwaters (A10), Coltishall (Jaguars), Cottesmore (Tornado then Harrier), Honington (Buccaneer then Tornado), Wattisham (PHANTOMS!!!), Wittering (Harrier), Woodbridge (A10), Wyton (Canberra and Nimrod) and Upper Heyford (F-111) . In Europe, the USAFE is almost extinct: they've closed Bitburg (F4 then F15), Soesterburg (F4 then F15), Hahn (F4 then F16), Zwebrucken (RF4) ,Torrejon (F4 then F16) and so on. Add to that the NATO draw-down and it's enough to make a strong spotter weep!

On top of that were the execises (Priory, Mallet Blw, Hammer etc). Let's not forget all those squadron exchanges as well......

Being an old person has it's advantages, as we've had the privilege of seeing all those machines in their prime. No wonder todays spotters travel the country to pot eight A10s. As for the attitude of some of todays alleged enthusiasts, I put it down to the 'me' generation, where good manners are sneered at as a thing of the past..... Maybe so, but all of you are now paying my pension, so I can get out and about to pot some jets. many thanks for that!

[paddyboy]

Vulture 01:

Agree 101% with all you have said

[Supra]

Agree with 'Vulture 01' except for..."but all of you are now paying my pension, so I can get out and about to pot some jets"
Experience has shown that a minority of enthusiasts that can drive to & stand at an airfield are 'unfit' for work, unable to gain employment & unwilling to try work!
Yet they have the latest phone, scanner, camera. How can this be? It's almost like a fulltime job!

[eagle driver]

whilst browsing my log book for 06.1978, how many of you out there remember that 40years ago this month we were treated to the sights of on deployment
18 - F105's from the 507thTFG - AFRES.SH at Sculthorpe 6 of which did an approach/overshoot at Coltishall.04 - 12.06
4 - EB57E's from the 17thDSES at Woodbridge
18 - RF4C's from the 363rdTRW.JO at Coltishall
+ support C141's for the above

so seeing how many people turned up for the 8 - A10's at Mildenhall & the 4 - F35's at Marham has me wondering what would have it been like then if todays info was available.."the mind boggles"

That was some week. I was at Sculthorpe to see the "Thuds" arrive , but you forgot the 4x B-52Gs at Marham and the 2x Nevada ANG RF-4Cs in Alconbury that had dropped out of their homeward flight.

Sadly, I had to go home on the Sunday to go to work on the Monday - and so missed the "JO" RF-4Cs.

Also that weekend was the first sighting of what was to become the TR-1 at Mildenhall . Remember coming out of Bird in hand at closing time to go sit in the Field around by what is now gate2 I was not alone I may add ,to wait for the security truck to come and open the doors to the hangar, giving us a view of the U-2/TR-1 inside .Then to wake up at 6.00 am to find its outside doing engine runs.

[LM47]

I had a similar discussion at Prestwick the other day when we were waiting for the 'Growlers'
Apart from the sheer variety of types,part of the excitement of the hobby was not knowing what was coming so every visitor was a bonus.
Whilst generally enjoying today's scene where nearly everything is known about,I do get frustrated when I can't get down to see the stuff.

Lossiemouth (HMS Fulmar) in the sixties was an amazing place to be a spotter. ( I am one of three of the original group of six from that period who are still active) so gramp.t,hurry up with the Tardis.
I agree with Vulture 01 on manners etc.
Some obnoxious types and litter louts who claim to be spotters give the whole scene a bad name. Fortunately they are in the minority I susupect.

[rh226]

whilst browsing my log book for 06.1978, how many of you out there remember that 40years ago this month we were treated to the sights of on deployment
18 - F105's from the 507thTFG - AFRES.SH at Sculthorpe 6 of which did an approach/overshoot at Coltishall.04 - 12.06
4 - EB57E's from the 17thDSES at Woodbridge
18 - RF4C's from the 363rdTRW.JO at Coltishall
+ support C141's for the above

so seeing how many people turned up for the 8 - A10's at Mildenhall & the 4 - F35's at Marham has me wondering what would have it been like then if todays info was available.."the mind boggles"

That was some week. I was at Sculthorpe to see the "Thuds" arrive , but you forgot the 4x B-52Gs at Marham and the 2x Nevada ANG RF-4Cs in Alconbury that had dropped out of their homeward flight.

Sadly, I had to go home on the Sunday to go to work on the Monday - and so missed the "JO" RF-4Cs.

Also that weekend was the first sighting of what was to become the TR-1 at Mildenhall . Remember coming out of Bird in hand at closing time to go sit in the Field around by what is now gate2 I was not alone I may add ,to wait for the security truck to come and open the doors to the hangar, giving us a view of the U-2/TR-1 inside .Then to wake up at 6.00 am to find its outside doing engine runs.

Aircraft was U-2R 68-10339.

It was already there on Monday 5th June when I arrived at the 'Hall, but remained in its hangar (was that the 2nd from the right from the South-side road? - memory has faded a bit ) until I saw it on the Thursday (8th June).

There was a few of us in the old spotters car park on the bend - someone even had a gas stove with kettle going for a brew - when someone screeched into there shouting "The U-2 is outside". I have never seen people and equipment hit the inside of cars so quickly - including a rather hot stove and full kettle!! There was a procession of about 5-6 cars hurtling through Beck Row then down the back roads and out onto the South-side road. Screeched to a halt near to where the West Row exit gate now is. The U-2 was just being put back inside its hangar. About 10 minutes later all was shut up tight.

I have a note in my log that, on the Saturday (10th), it flew a mission departing at 09.03 and returning at 12.10.

[eagle driver]

Hey Bob from the horse trough the hangar was more of less straight ahead and slightly off to the left .
A well known aviation editor fell into the horse trough that night .Was not best pleased.

[Rodders]

I thank goodness I started serious aircraft photography in the late 60`s,and when the Humber Bridge opened in 1980,I became a regular visitor to "Fighter-Town UK",other wise known as RAF Binbrook,and I was very lucky to see the many colourful visitors they had and of course the fabulous Lightnings(Not F-35B!!).What a differnce nowadays,all we see now are two shades of grey!!

Regards

Old man Rodders