Eldorado Canyon - 14th April 1986

[Knife 04]

Just wanted to post a tribute

30 years ago this evening an armada of aircraft got airborne from Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Upper Heyford and Fairford to 'visit' Mr Gaddifi in his tent in Libya

Long trip out over the Atlantic, down past Spain, Portugal - left past Gibraltar and into the Med refuelling on the way. Then dropping down to skim the waves prior to the attack on Libya, in response to terrorist attacks in Europe. Most did not get back until the early hours of the 15th April

Unfortunately 2 of the 48th failed to return - Capt Paul Lorence & Maj Fernando Ribas-Dominicci in F-111F 70-389 'Karma 52' during the run on the Al Azziziyah Compound

To you (and all those that flew that evening from all units) - you are not forgotten - God bless and for the two who did not return - Rest in Peace

Darren

F-111F - 70-390 'Remit 31'
F-111F - 'Remit 31' - 70-390 - LN 495TFS Lakenheath by Darren Currie, on Flickr

Edit - Apologies - Did not have access to my photos last night just the ones already on Flickr. Uploaded this one this evening following a visit to the 'Planes on Sticks' as they call them at Lakenheath. From the 'F-111F - 70-389' in the memorial park

Eldorado Canyon 86 by Darren Currie, on Flickr

[sonicbenj]

Great tribute. I remember the night well as a kid and I still miss the old F model at LN.

Thanks for helping us remember.

[johnhowe]

On the subject of F111s, I well remember the Salty Hammer Exercises involving USAFE aircraft from the different US European Bases F 5s A 10s F4s F15 and best of all
30 F111s about 24 F 111 F and 6 EF 111s what a sight that was always held med week in may in the 1980s

I won't mention what happened when the majority of the USAF aircraft were intercepted by our F3 Tornados from Coningsby Leeming and Leuchars.

[TS010]

I remember it well. We spent the week leading up to it generating all available Lightning's at Binbrook in case things went pear shaped in the Med and they were needed to go to Cyprus. The down side to that was that I never got the chance to get to Mildenhall to see the airfield full of tankers.

[HP88]

I remember that all radio traffic was eerily quiet the evening of the attack. It was as if everything else was on the ground keeping out of the way of the strike aircraft and their tankers to get airborne.
The next morning it was a totally different matter, I had to drag myself away from my scanner and go to work.

[razor23uk]

I too remember the noise overhead my house. I live near the severn bridge in S Wales, and watching the news reporting that a strike was building, with reporters filming over the fence at the KC135s at Faiford. Just about dusk, the noise of a stream of tankers labouring overhead going down the Bristol channel was quite eery...it went on for about 20 mins if I recall...

[quid21]

Apparently there is a staned glass window dedicated to the lost airmen of the raid in Lakenheath Church - not seen it myself though.

[paddyboy]

Hi Darren

That post just confirms what a top bloke you are

Couldn't have said it better myself

Cheers and hope to see you again soon

Paddyboy

[slogen51]

Yes well remembered

There is an ex LN F-111F preserved at Santa Fe NM with an inscription on the side in tribute to the Airmen.

[Mark43]

30 years ago. OMG. I remember driving up to the Hall about midnight to watch the tankers. Cleared a few KC10's that night.
Great tribute .

[mprl]

Great tribute

[Blue Diamond]

Remember it well. Called in at LN on our way back from Marham and couldn't understand why the base was so quiet. Nothing moved. Toddled off to the Heath, passing a Rapier battery on the way. Thought that a bit odd and when we got in sight of the Heath we saw more tankers than you could shake a stick at. That's when we sussed something was up.

[lhrlima]

Darren,

What a sincere and heartfelt tribute. Many thanks for posting and taking the time to remind us. Spot on!

Regards,
Steve.

[lardyboy999]

Indeed we did, SD.

[graham luxton]

Very thoughtful Darren - good post.

Add me to the list of those who remember it - I spent a lot of time at both Fairford and Mildenhall over the period as the KC-10 force built up. Eventually 15 KC-10's were gathered at Mildenhall and 9 at Fairford for the mission - an impressive sight and record unlikely to be broken.

Went to Mildenhall on the 15th as the a/c recovered. Lakenheath was landing on R06 with all the F-111's making instrument approaches due to the poor weather. The first one down landed at about 0730L. (For those who may not be aware of it such an approach involves overflying the West end of Mildenhall)

One surprise on the 15th was that 3 of the Mildenhall KC-10's were used to A/R both of Det4's SR-71's which flew Post Strike photo sorties that morning. This was in addition to 4 9thSRW KC-135Q's which also took part.

Another surprise was at Fairford after the mission when 3 rare 305thARW ART's '135's showed up - 58-0018,
58-0124 and 58-0126. Their ability to be air refuelled meant that they were too important an asset to be rotated to the UK for weeks at a time like a bog standard KC-135A. Their appearance therefore, suggested that they may also have taken part in Eldorado Canyon departing for home just over one week after the strike.

[f106dart]

Wow its been a long time. And being stationed at the heath at the time. It was the start any way of a salty nation. Scheduled months in advance. Then a few hours into it we where all called back. No one knew why at least where I worked. Then we came back in the morning and the night shift said we had bombed Libya. We did stand by when they all came back one at a time. I do remember one a green tail had hot brakes when he landed. And thanks for the Post

[adderman]

Hi Folks

Bit late to this thread but, hard to believe it was that long ago when some of us were just getting into Military serials.

Managed to miss all this lot as I'd not yet learned to drive and didn't know that many people then to enable a lift to either Mildenhall or Fairford.
Got a phone call later on from a couple I did know but by then they'd 'already been' so no need to repeat the journey...thanks guys!.

Graham's comments about the ART's KC135 struck a note as by looking through my requirements I discovered that I STILL need 80124&6. 018 visited Mildenhall on 19-08-90 during the GW1 build-up.
BTW all three of these are still in service with 22 ARW at McConnell.

Regards.

Mike.

[Knife 04]

34 years ago this evening - where has all that time gone?

Eldorado Canyon Sticker by Darren Currie, on Flickr

[Blackcat1]

Beautiful tribute!

[SteveP3]

Yes, nice tribute.
It may interest you to know that the F111 in RAFmuseum Cosford is one of the aircraft that took part in this operation. The ground crew left a little reminder of this in the front undercarriage compartment, a little painted image of bombs going into a swimming pool together with the name and date of the op.