Fairford RIAT 1999

[capercaillie]

After seeing Michael's post it brought back flashes of what was a truly colossal show to end the 1990s glut of aircraft at the big shows at Fairford and Boscombe Down. The aerial photo of the static at the western end in 1999 published in the 50 years of Tattoo book emphasises the wealth of types still available to exhibit at that time.

It was perhaps a bit of a shame some aircraft turned up which despite being ridiculously scarce were not even on easy show to the public, particularly the helicopters - eg Polish Navy W-3, Norwegian Bell 412.

Highlights included last UK appearance of the legendary F-8 Crusaders, RAF Canberra T4 display, an ADB Antonov 124, the anniversary RSV Starfighter in the display, many special German Tornados and various F-16s, Greek A-7s, Speckled Trout, a B-2 operating out of Fairford, Marine Corps AV-8Bs only their only Tattoo outing, Ukrainian Su27s and of course that spectacular E-3.

Here's a brief (ahem) resume.

E-3A Sentry LX-N90442 NATO Airborne Early warning Force Geilenkirchen by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-16AM Fighting Falcon FA-60 Belgian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-16A Fighting Falcon E-180 Royal Danish Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-16A Fighting Falcon J-220 311 Squadron Royal Netherlands Air Force Volkel by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-16B Fighting Falcon J-265 313 Squadron Royal Netherlands Air Force Volkel by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-16A Fighting Falcon J-196 313 Squadron Royal Netherlands Air Force Volkel by Paul Downes, on Flickr

part of the NATO 50th anniversary line up by Paul Downes, on Flickr

An124-100 Ruslan UR-82027 Antonov Design Bureau by Paul Downes, on Flickr

DH-104 Dove 8 JY-RJU Royal Jordanian Flight by Paul Downes, on Flickr

DH-87B Hornet Moth W9385/3 and Tutor I K3215 Shuttleworth Collection by Paul Downes, on Flickr

AV-8B+ Harrier II 164553 HMM-365 US Marine Corps USS Guam by Paul Downes, on Flickr

P-3C Orion 161411/LL3 VP-30 US Navy NAS Jacksonville by Paul Downes, on Flickr

E-6A Mercury 164410 VQ-4 US Navy by Paul Downes, on Flickr

C-130H Hercules 93-7313 731AS AFRES US Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

C-135C Speckled Trout 61-2669 412TW US Air Force Edwards AFB by Paul Downes, on Flickr

RC-135W 62-4132/OF 95RS/55th Wing US Air Force Offutt AFB by Paul Downes, on Flickr

OC-135B 61-2670/OF 45RS/55th Wing US Air Force Offutt AFB by Paul Downes, on Flickr

B-2A Spirit 82-1069/WM 393BS US Air Force Whiteman AFB by Paul Downes, on Flickr

A-10A Thunderbolt II 81-0952/SP 81FS/52FW US Air Force Spangdahlem AFB by Paul Downes, on Flickr

C-130E Hercules 13187/12-187 222 Filo Turkish Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-4E Phantom II 67-0226 Turkish Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Su27UB 62 blue 233 IAP Ukrainian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Bell 412EP H2-35 15 Brigade Slovenian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

An30 04 black Open Skies Russian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-5A Freedom Fighter 134 336 Squadron Royal Norwegian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

G-222RM MM62142/14-23 14 Stormo Italian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

AMX-T MM55047/32-45 101 Gruppo/32 Stormo Italian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-104S ASA-M Starfighter CMX611/RS-06 RSV Italian Air Force Pratica di Mare by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-104S ASA Starfighter MM6827 RSV Italian Air Force Pratica di Mare by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-104S ASA-M Starfighter MM6842/4-54 4 Stormo Italian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-104S ASA-M Starfighter MM6817/4-55 4 Stormo Italian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-104S ASA Starfighter MM6827 RSV Italian Air Force Pratica di Mare by Paul Downes, on Flickr

C-130E Hercules 309 131 Squadron Israeli Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

A-7E Corsair II 159292 335 Mira Hellenic Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

TA-7C Corsair II 156747 335 Mira Hellenic Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Tornado ECR 46+48 JBG32 German Air Force Lechfeld by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Tornado IDS 45+79 JBG31 German Air Force Norvenich by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Tornado IDS 44+88 AkG51 German Air Force Schleswig by Paul Downes, on Flickr

PC-6 889/MCC ETMAT French Army by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-8P Crusader 34 12F French Navy Landivisiau by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Super Etendard 32 11F French Navy by Paul Downes, on Flickr

F-8P Crusader 7 12F French Navy Landivisiau by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Mirage 2000D 626/3-XH EC03.003 French Air Force Nancy by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Mirage 2000N 335/4-BJ EC02.004 French Air Force Luxeuil by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Mirage F1CT 278/30-QA EC02.030 French Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

CP-140 Aurora 140114/GX-N 415 Squadron Canadian Forces by Paul Downes, on Flickr

CT-142 Dash-8 142805 402 Squadron Canadian Forces by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Alpha Jet 1B AT05 and AT18 7 and 11 Squadron Belgian Air Force Beauvechain by Paul Downes, on Flickr

707-368C A20-261 33 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Canberra B2 WK128 DRA Llanbedr by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Sea King HAS6 XV712/CU66 814 Squadron Royal Navy RNAS Culdrose by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Puma HC1 XW224 33 Squadron RAF Odiham by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Canberra T4 WJ874 as VN799/P 39 Squadron RAF Marham by Paul Downes, on Flickr

distant topside
B-2A Spirit 82-1069/WM 393BS US Air Force Whiteman AFB by Paul Downes, on Flickr

[iainpeden]

Great memories, thanks for posting.
The B-2 was parked at the western end behind two banks of barbed wire and armed guards. Then the one due from USA to display was cancelled and it was decided to fly the static a/c; away came the wire and the guards, tractor hooked up, British police inspector asking politely for the crowd to move aside, and the bomber swung around with the wing tip right over my head. The American guards looked aghast as their super secret bomber got very close to the crowd.

[Unknown74]

That must have been the only UK Airshow which took place that Year? If memory serves me.. Was due to go to Mildenhall and Leuchars but both cancelled.......

[capercaillie]

That must have been the only UK Airshow which took place that Year? If memory serves me.. Was due to go to Mildenhall and Leuchars but both cancelled.......

Waddington hosted a pretty decent show with the Test Pilots Flankers, Voltige Victor, Mirage 2000, Viggen, Turkish F-4Es etc. Not sure about Yeovilton that year, only other off the top of my head I attended was the 25 years of Hawk photocall at Valley.

[Mustang531]

Some great shots and memories, some people have said that this was the best RIAT ever. After this were the two Cottesmore shows, which were both pretty good, before returning to Fairford in 2002.

[F3]

Great set from a great show Paul. Do you have a pic of the Norwegian F-16 which can be seen in that NATO 50th Ann line -up?

[paddyboy]

Excellent set from a superb show, Paul

A proper RIAT lineup

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[DanBeeden]

Fantastic images from a brilliant Tattoo. The huge line up of NATO fighters at the western end was a sight to behold, as was that magnificent C-135C. Too many other highlights to mention. Thanks for sharing these.

[Knife 04]

Another great set Paul

Great memories, thanks for posting.
The B-2 was parked at the western end behind two banks of barbed wire and armed guards. Then the one due from USA to display was cancelled and it was decided to fly the static a/c; away came the wire and the guards, tractor hooked up, British police inspector asking politely for the crowd to move aside, and the bomber swung around with the wing tip right over my head. The American guards looked aghast as their super secret bomber got very close to the crowd.

B-2 - 82-1069 / WM 'Spirit Of Indiana' - 393d BS, Whiteman AFB by Darren Currie, on Flickr

[iainpeden]

Thanks for that

[KeBul]

What an amazing set,

Thanks for sharing

Kev

[ciaranchef]

Wow, didn't realise that there were so many types still in service in '99, C

[roughcutter]

Arguably, probably the last of the Great Fairford Shows. On the Monday, Marston Meysey was 'the place to be at' for the departures. Absolutely Legend!!!
Practically all the fighters were parked towards the Western end, or they had to taxi westwards to back taxi parallel to 09 to take off. It was quite literally 360 degrees of activity, there was no point in parking your arse anywhere, because there was so much going on around us. Every which way you looked, there was something new happening, planes being readied & starting up, processions of taxiing aircraft, planes of all shapes & sizes parked up holding, waiting for their slot, and then there were the 'showboater take-offs'....
The noise, the many splendid colour schemes in the bright sunlight, the shimmering heat haze emanating from jet engines, the smell of jp8. Inevitably, I ran out of film "my kingdom for one more roll!!". I think I shot 12 rolls off, and then suddenly was time to leave (5pm?). Time flew that day, and yet there were still aircraft on the base, including a broken FN Crusader parked up - that had a tyre blow out the previous day. I loaded up the car and we drove away, my ears were still buzzing, head was spinning. Can't remember the journey home, but I had a grin on my face like a Cheshire cat. By a country mile, that Day at Marston Meysey was by far the best photo session I have ever had the pleasure of attending. It was priceless, glad I was there.

[SW Sky Blue]

Great set Paul.

[RS2]

Great set, forgot just how good this show was, also forgot about some of the atendees.

[sjoerd]

What a show that was!! What I would pay for a time machine and take the DSLR with me (would solve the problem Roughcutter described).

[roughcutter]

What a show that was!! What I would pay for a time machine and take the DSLR with me (would solve the problem Roughcutter described).

I wish!!!

[Red-Eye-Knight]

Brilliant set of photos lots of colour and nice schemes wish it was like that nowadays.

[hvaneupen]

Those are magnificent scan's! I have a few additions as I recently finished scanning my entire collection...

[roughcutter]

Forgot about that South African, nice scans