Virginia ANG 1981

[xkekeith]

From the days when you could just turn up and ask if a few photo's would be possible.
The unit was transiting from the F-105 to the A-7D, with a couple of F-105F's still flying.
They even took the covers off a Thud for the photo's.

62413 F-105F 'Flying Anvil' Virginia ANG USAF by Keith Heywood, on Flickr

62413 F-105F 'Flying Anvil' Virginia ANG USAF by Keith Heywood, on Flickr

62414 F-105F Virginia ANG USAF by Keith Heywood, on Flickr

75398 A-7D Virginia ANG USAF by Keith Heywood, on Flickr

70942 A-7D Virginia ANG USAF by Keith Heywood, on Flickr

Visiting Phantom

73-1167 'SJ' F-4E 4 TFW 'green flash' USAF by Keith Heywood, on Flickr

[3Greens]

Wow just magic Love those 'working day' shots. Only ever saw the Thuds in Sculthorpe

Thanks for posting

3Greens

[xkekeith]

Both of the F-105F's deployed to Lakenheath in October 1976 as part of Coronet Fife, 62-4414 with the Virginia ANG but 62-4413 was then with the District of Columbia Air National Guard.
I watched them arrive on a Sunday afternoon but no photo's as the weather was sh*te and my camera wasn't a lot better...

[F3]

Soo-perb. Esp #2. The A-7s appear v.dingy compared to the Thuds which are redolent of the 60s. Good Morning Vietnam.

[Punkrunner62]

Tremendous stuff , outstanding cant praise it enough.
Cheers.

[paddyboy]

Hi Keith

Thuds, BLUFFs and Tooms

Superb set

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[teeonefixer]

superb !

[eLaReF]

Both of the F-105F's deployed to Lakenheath in October 1976 as part of Coronet Fife, 62-4414 with the Virginia ANG but 62-4413 was then with the District of Columbia Air National Guard.
I watched them arrive on a Sunday afternoon but no photo's as the weather was sh*te and my camera wasn't a lot better...

I've got their arrival as the 23rd Oct which was a Saturday but whatever - It was dark! My photos were so bad I never put them on Flickr until now
Just a couple of representative examples

On the approach
Anon F-105 Thunderchief by eLaReF, on Flickr

Going past me
61-0212 Republic F-105D Thunderchief Virginia ANG by eLaReF, on Flickr

Both have been lightened to get to just this bad!

[xkekeith]

Love the photo's, great memories, waiting for their arrival with just a weather Herk in Mildenhall to confirm things were happening.
Could have sworn it was a Sunday but it was a long time ago......

[eLaReF]

Love the photo's, great memories, waiting for their arrival with just a weather Herk in Mildenhall to confirm things were happening.
Could have sworn it was a Sunday but it was a long time ago......

We all survived on rumour in those days! I've checked someone else's log - He also has the 23rd

Our 2 mini-buses got there early so there was a confab and a re-shuffle of passengers so that those willing to stump up for the extra petrol (50P??) went off to Sculthorpe to see the ones there and left the other bus hanging around. As we got back to the 'Heath, we could see them already in the circuit!

[The Phantom]

Superb images

[graham luxton]

Great post - I checked my log as well. It was Sat 23rd. First (of 16) arrived at 1625L and the last one landed at 1735L. Should have been 18 but 2 aborted in the US. These were the first Thuds to be seen in the UK for 10 years. Virginia ANG A-7's also visited Lakenheath - I caught 12 staging through in Sept'89. This was Coronet `Anaconda` Richmond to Evenes, Norway. They arrived at Lakenheath on Sat 9th and departed to Evenes on Tues 12th. By this time though the brown/green camo had been replaced by slate grey.

[slogen51]

Really nice - the photos are in such good condition considering the age.

I have stood in front of that hangar at Richmond in the 90s and got a similar shot but of and F-16.

I missed those F-105 at Lakenheath as my first visit was in 1977 so I can just about live with missing them but I did see the A-7 in 1989