FighterControl

I just had the thought at the Weekend I've been spotting since late '86/ early '87 but only had the Video Camera/ Digital since start of the '00s relying on a point and shoot stills film camera between times. How often have we all looked back and thought "If only I'd had that Camera at that point?".......

Many times - but living in N Ireland the door gunners may have pointed something with a larger calibre back at me,had i pointed a camera at them!

Witnessed some great flying here over the years but alas - no pics

Days after days watching F-111's flying round Boston (over my garden) while growing up and never bothering to take photos. They just seemed always there and kinda boring after awhile, what id give to go back with a camera

I remember going through Lincolnshire many times when there were Vulcans wheeling around and you hardly raised an eyebrow... if only...

Ah ... ... ... being an old fart I go back a long way, but not as far as some FC members.

I remember RAF Ansons, Javelins, Beverleys, Argosies, Valettas, Hastings, Vampires; RN Venoms, Scimitars, Buccaneers S1s, Sea Princes; Army Skeeters, Austers; Septic B-47s, C-54s, C118s, T29s, F-100s, F101s etc. - Oh and almost everyone had F-104s except the Froggies who had other interesting things like Noratlas and Flamants etc.

Eeeh when I were a lad ... ... ... No Jaguars, Phantoms, Harriers - hadn't been thought of yet

There's was loads of good stuff i wish i'd had the chance to photograph or video - especially the Greenham Common Air Tattoo's.

Also wish i could have photographed the Phantoms inbound to RAF Alconbury in the 70s; Summer days, with blue skies and RF4C's trailing long lines of black smoke!!

Hi everyone

Just sat here reading this thread and have allready thought of several times when i wish id had my digital video camera then.

6 A10s on Donna Nook Range strafing.

F111S at Lakenheath and Upperheyford.

C5s and C141s in white livery under what was then MAC ( Military Airlift Command )

F4s in to Finningley, 12 from the 183rd FS Illinois ANG 1982 and another 12 from Washington ANG in 1983.

Lakenheath Xcallibar( sorry if thats spelt wrong )

9 x Binbrook Lightnings scramble.

Not to mention also the early Air Shows such as,

Finningley Vulcan Scramble

Mildenhall Air Fete 1986 my first ever SR71 momment with the famous flame out

IAT Greenham Common 1983

Alcobury Air Pagent

Upper Heyford Air Pagent

Bentwaters Air Show

and many many more, oh if only there was a time machine, id gladly visit anyone of the above with the Digital Video Camera, but i still have the memmories

Best rgds

Tiger 1

After spending 2 or 3 hours standing with my mate and his family at Lowestoft Airshow i decided to wander off and drive home.
I was going around the roundabout listening to the Harrier hovering when it all went VERY quiet.
If i'd have stayed where i was for another 10 minutes i'd have had a grandstand view of the Ejection !

Oh well, i made up for it by being on the beach when the wreck was recovered a few weeks later.

At least no one was badly hurt. ( yes i know, the pilot broke his ankle)

A-10's at wainfleet,tornado f3's dogfighting with lightnings in the vale of york

GummyBear wrote:Missing out on the Russians at the Hall last year, the couple of times that I have wanted to make the trip up to Mildenhall then decided against it to find out it was busy and missing out on all those snow diverts in at mildenhall gutted I felt trust me and the plenty of others I can give but it will take me forever to right it

Regards

Gummy

What Russians were they Gummy ?

I only ever visited Binbrook the once - and that was for the (potentially) wonderful airshow that was held there in 87....when it p*****'d down!
I was quite surprised at how easy it was to find and could have gone back there on the monday to watch and photograph the departures ....I never did!
Infact I had a whole year to visit the place before the Lightnings finally departed.....I never did!
Don't know why.... what a pr****!!!!

roughcutter wrote:I only ever visited Binbrook the once - and that was for the (potentially) wonderful airshow that was held there in 87....when it p*****'d down!

Still great to see a Lightning Diamond 9 though I do recall walking the static trying not to get the notebook wet and then dodging the raindrops to grab something on film of the mass take off & diamond. Would post my shot but it is just too cr**py!
The Lightning has always been, and always will be, my favourite aircraft - just to be able to go back with good weather and a DSLR sniff...

Spent many hours at CG3 at Binbrook. Up there from early morning til it was dark. Lightnings galore and plenty of other stuff long since retired. Just to go back in time once to savour the moment again. Id die a happy man.

I spent three and a half years based at Binbrook and wished I'd taken more photos. I only ventured to the crash gate once! Working on Lightnings every day made you take them for granted a bit. What a wasted opportunity.

Hi

Yes that Lighting diamond 9 was something else.

I did not see it on the day of the show, i caught it on one of the practice days.

Oh... if only the digital age was there then, each aircraft taking off went in to a 360 and climbed out in the vertical above the next jet that was rolling.

Absolutley amazing
Best rgds

Tiger 1

Yeah, that was an amazing take off sequence, all with after burners on too! Quite unique I've never witnessed a massed take off like it since.

Hi roughcutter

It certainly was amazing, its still very vivid in the memmory.

I to have not seen anything like it since and i doubt i ever will.

Best rgds

Tim

My biggest regret has always been taking about six rolls of film at both the Last Lightning Show and the Coningsby 86 airshow. They then gathered dust around my bedroom, as I discovered the delights of the pub as a spotty teenager and didn't want to spend money on processing them! After that I joined the RAF and definitely didn't want to process them and so they were binned.