Your first ever military spotting trip, where, when etc?

[Grahame W]

I first got interested in aviation in the 1950s. I grew up in South Devon, which was a bit of a backwater, but the skies seemed full of aircraft in those days: Meteors, Vampires, Venoms, Gannets, Canberras, Skyraiders ...I remember seeing an early Swift diving over the Teign estuary (from Boscombe Down, maybe?). I used to go to Exeter Airport to see 3 CAACU in action: Mosquitos and Balliols, and later, Vampires and Meteors. The Exeter Air Day was a regular event. One year, it was opened by Frank Whittle, and 3 CAACU put up a formation of Balliols in a W in his honour. My dad used to take my brother and me to Farnborough (the first time was, I believe, in 1954 or 1955), but that's another story.

[Redflag17]

Coltishall 1965 Battle of Britain open day, parents took me at age 10. loved it !

[Mez7000]

Leicester Airshow sometime early 80's. Remember the Canadian Starfighters taking 6 minutes to come from Germany and the Vulcan scared the life out of me! Since then the whole family have become regulars at the fence at Coningsby.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[paddyboy]

Mine would have been Horsham St. Faith 1959 (can't remember too much as a 6 yr. old)

Then the biggie

Colt' 1960: Frightnings and all that

Got the bug instantly and went to every 'At Home Day' 1960-1973, then 1979

God bless SWMBO for the 100's of shows I have coerced her to attend between 1970 and the present day

Paddyboy

[reheat module]

Being born pretty adjacent to what was RAF Finningley, I guess I was introduced to flying and air displays immediately!
I do remember from the age of about 7 onwards, going to the annual Airshow there.
Better still was watching from my bedroom window as the Vulcans, Hawks, Dominies, jetstreams et al from different eras flew around in the pattern.
Aaah

[Tiga1050]

I'm feeling old here!! I was watching Phantoms at Lakenheath in the mid-seventies and nobody else saw aircraft until mid-eighties or nineties! I'm just off to collect my pension

I'm with you! First visit to a military airfield would have been when I was taken to RAF Wethersfield circa 1962/3.
The USAF had F100s there at that time as I recall.
I was very young at the time and little did I know what train of events that visit would kick off!
A few years later I went to school with the daughters of two RAF liason officers who were stationed there, but that's another story altogether!

[phantoman13]

RAF Binbrook 1978 i was 8 years old remember seeing Belgium Starfighters there and lots of Lightning activity . From then i was hooked still travel around 2 this day spotting ans still loving it. Shame there r no where near the types these days

[Phil H]

As a young child I was petrified of jet noise, due to living among the hills of Scotland, where RAF Lightnings and FAA Buccaneers suddenly flashed past at low level - in the days long before low flying became the fashionable. Was taken to RAF Leuchars 'At Home' Day, in 1965, by my parents and was smitten.

[68001pg]

My first outing was to Farnborough 74 to see the SR71and not looked back ever since.my only regret is not going abroad as much.
My dad took me to Farnborough and due to him being British Airways Cargo that also helped me to get into aviation. When he worked there anything mil he would ring me to listen for it to depart.

[Mallett17]

Mildenhall sometime in 1977. But the first visit I really remember was sometime in spring 1978 when there was a WC-121 parked by the road. Shame I never had a camera then.

[Red Dragon]

My first experience would have been at RAF Valley spotters car park in around 1973/ 1974 time, however my sister remembers earlier, me in my pram pointing at the aircraft flying overhead!

It's been my main passion ever since (and cost me one relationship) but since the start of the new millennium I have been free to attend more events as I have had more disposable income. It's got me to travel the world to see the RNZAF, RAAF, RAN/ FAA Museums and airshows, various UK museums along with the usual base visits and hundreds of airshows all over the UK along with shows & museums in Europe.

I only have two regrets in this hobby......
1 - Never seeing the SR-71 flying "in the flesh"
2 - Never got the chance to see the F-111 do a "Dump & Burn"

Other than that, I'm happy with what I have been able to cover, but I'm planning more trips!

[Unknown74]

Further to my earlier post which was my first Airshow trip, my first non-Airshow trip was to RAF Turnhouse at Edinburgh Airport in 1987 when a U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18A Hornet Squadron (VMFA-122) + supporting KC-130 Hercules' s on it's way to Europe stopped over at Turnhouse and they opened the gates for the public to see them. Shame due to Security and Turnhouses subsequent closure that was the only time that ever happened.

[raaver]

Very enjoyable thread to read up to. I started out in 1992 somewhere with modeling, and with the F-117 being of most interest, it became my first kit. Then, a few more models later (and years), I got an F-16 and I had to see if it was possible to see one in real life. Not museumwise, but actually flying. So I ventured on bike, to Volkel. There I saw so many fly, and some guys with pens and paper writing stuff. "Weirdos" I thought...
Now I regret not joining up with the weirdos at that moment....
In 1995 Volkel had its open days, so I went there too. New camera and it worked like, ' just put the film in and close the lid'...
Little did I know the film got rewinds and never gotten any photo of the event. Even the photos of the vacation following up in the day were non existent. After finding out about this, I got me a new camera and went to Volkel from time to time.
In 1997 I made my first U.K. Trip to Mildenhall, for the air fete. Here my highlight stood nicely packed between fences... but hey, I DID see an F-117...!!!
After returning from the U.K., I booked the trip to Riat....

Robert

[grimm31]

My first log is only dated November 1983 at what was to become my local - RAF Coltishall. As one of the visitors that day was what turned out to be a rarity 60131/15 Swedish AF Saab 105, hopefully someone can assist with a date. Other visitors that day were:
ZA604/12 Tornado 27sqn
XT898/E Phantom 228ocu
XV246 Nimrod
XM296 Heron
Additionally there were 6 Royal Navy Sea King’s on temporary deployment which I seem to recall wasn’t an unusual occurrence.
It certainly started some good times.
Thanks
Andrew

[Nighthawke]

Andrew - I've dug out my old copies of Norfolk Air Review from that era(!). I can find no record of the Saab but on October 27th the visitors included your Nimrod, 27 Sqn Tornado and the Sea Heron. Also XT299/X but not 298/E of the OCU.

I have scanned through but can find no Saab 105 (Sk60) at also must have escaped the reports.

My guess is that this is your visit day, assuming that the log was just a single day. It would also tie in with the RN Sea Kings which were present for the last week in October - in case you haven't got them they were:

819 Sqn
XV710/701
XV674/706

846 Sqn
ZA310/VS
ZA293/VK
ZA313/VZ
ZA291/VB

Hope this helps - now I 've got some Sunday afternoon nostalgia to read!

[roughcutter]

As a young lad I had ventured on one or two various air show trips in the 1970's, travelling with the Merseyside Aviation Society. My first ever show being Biggin Hill International Air Fair 1972, via a brief stop off at Gatwick Airport, also did RAF Lakenheath Open House with them in August 1973. Then after an absence of a few years I got the bug again after venturing on a loacal coach trip (Selwynns) to RAF Finningley Battle of Britain show 1981. My first ever actual spotting trip (under our own steam) didn't happen until spring 1983, which was a run to RAF Valley with my mate (who had not long acquired his first car - a battered old Vauxhall Viva). It took a eternity to get there through lots of roadworks, we got lost twice. But eventually found the place via a dirt track down the side of Angelesy Golf Club, which led to a bailey bridge and then on to the sand dunes from where we "discreetly hid poling off the hawks. After a while a big yellow Wessex took off and headed quite low right in our direction, hovered briefly and the crew eye-balled us. We sh@t ourselves, thought we were going to be arrested for trespass/espionage... how naive we were then

[johnwayne]

RNAS Stretton nr. Warrington 1953 aged 7 with my dad . Vickers Supermarine Attackers and Grumman Avengers . I was instantly 'hooked' (pardon pun) by the close up action . I was already keen as USAF Burtonwood was also nearby so lots of overflights where I lived but it was only after Stretton visit that I started to branch out on my own (well with my similar age cousin) and we started biking together to Burtonwood - based WB50D's of 53rd WRS plus odd C47's , T33's , USN R6D1's , C54's , and frequent visitors MATS C124's , and Europe based C119's & C123's , plus a host of less frequent (but often rare) visitors often for maintenance with Base Air Depot . My lack of records haunts me ! I could also claim then to identify any aircraft in the magnificent 'Observers Book of Aircraft' given no more than 3 pieces information , most with just 1 or 2 . And of course I'm still keen as ever on USAF with frequent visits to my 'adopted local' Fairford just 65 mls away.

[grimm31]

Andrew - I've dug out my old copies of Norfolk Air Review from that era(!). I can find no record of the Saab but on October 27th the visitors included your Nimrod, 27 Sqn Tornado and the Sea Heron. Also XT299/X but not 298/E of the OCU.

I have scanned through but can find no Saab 105 (Sk60) at also must have escaped the reports.

My guess is that this is your visit day, assuming that the log was just a single day. It would also tie in with the RN Sea Kings which were present for the last week in October - in case you haven't got them they were:

819 Sqn
XV710/701
XV674/706

846 Sqn
ZA310/VS
ZA293/VK
ZA313/VZ
ZA291/VB

Hope this helps - now I 've got some Sunday afternoon nostalgia to read!

Thanks for the additional details. I remember the Sk60 really well because we cycled around to the main gate to get a better view of it parked near the 41 & 54 sqn line. A date of the end of Oct actually makes more sense as that would have been half term. I still have some Norfolk Air Reviews from 1987, as you say a nice trip down memory lane!

[sschofield]

I lived (and indeed still do!) about 15 minutes from Woodford in Cheshire, so I was taken to the shows there from an early age, first one I really remember was when the Galaxy did a fly-by, think that was early 80's but I reckon I'd been going since the mid 70's.

First "proper" military spotting trip was with Cheshire Aviation Society in August 1986, hitting most of the East Anglian airfields - Loads of A-10s at Woodbridge and Bentwaters, RF-4Cs at Alconbury from the based unit and a deployment of 18 from the 363TRS from Shaw AFB, German Tornadoes at Honington (along with lots of based machines too!), F-4E/G's from Spangdahlem deployed to Marham, 74 sqn Phantoms flying at Wattisham, loads of Canberras at Wyton (as well as a Comet and a Nimrod R.1), loads of F-111F's at Lakenheath, and all sorts at Mildenhall including a USAF T-39, C-23s, EC-135H's, C-5A's, C-141B'S, loads of detached tankers and the Navy UC-12B's. What a great day out that was!

First "proper" airshow was Mildenhall in 1987, attended my first IAT that year too, as well as Finningley and the "Last, Last Lightning Show" at Binbrook too. Never looked back!

[paddyboy]

Hi Stuart

Who could forget that 'Last, last, last Lightning Show'

The wettest me and SWMBO EVER got at an airshow

Worth it though

Paddyboy