Health Warning - Smokers!

[F3]

Back when smoking was de rigeur even the aircraft smoked due to the thirsty engines developed in the 50s and 60s. The B-52a and B-66s were particularly dirty as were the F-104 and F-4 with their General Electric J-79 engines. However the Rolls Royce engined UK F-4s were nt much cleaner as illustrated below. Other notable British smokers were the Lightning, VC-10 and Vulcan and even Concorde smoked when its engines were fired up. One of the smokiest take-offs ever seen was by B-52 'Swashbuckler' @ the '88 Air Fete which was only beaten by a 3 Vulcan Scramble. These days it's rare to see a jet smoking at an air show, unless there's a MiG-29 in the programme!

F-111 - Ch. Fenton '8- by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Linton - Tornado GR1s 617 Sqn. '91 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Phantom F-4K J 111 Sqn. Ch. Fenton circa '84 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Phantom FGR.2s - Linton circa '91 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Battle of Britain 50 Ann flypast - Abingdon '90 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Ch.Fenton - Lightning tailchase summer '83 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Buccaneer -208 Sqn display ship departing Ch Fenton '91 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

VC-10 10 Sqn - Nicolson Event (1) by Michael Britton, on Flickr

EC-135 Mildenhall circa '80 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

CAF Cf-104s - Mildenhall '82 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

RF-4C - Ch. Fenton '82 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Elvington - Luftwaffe F-4Fs '96 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Concorde - RIAT circa '98 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

MiG29 - PAF Leuchars 06 (3) by Michael Britton, on Flickr

RB-66 take -off - Alconbury by Michael Britton, on Flickr

B52 take - off - Air Fete '88 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Finningley '81 - Vulcan scramble by Michael Britton, on Flickr

[Mustang531]

Thanks for sharing these with us, forgotten how smoky some types were. I was at Finningley in 1981 and sure it was a quartet of Vulcans that scrambled at the show.

[F3]

Y're quite right. I found it impossible to get more than 3 in the frame at any time. The fourth will have been just getting airborne and the leader is already breaking away. Same with the Lightnings. They were the last 3 of 4 - the leader having just departed vertically over my head!

[Knife 04]

Interesting shots Michael

I think your EC-135 is a RC-135U with the old 'Towel Rail' fitment

[eLaReF]

You don't see that much in these days of higher efficiency engines (Unfortunately) but always loved smokey shots like yours. Just never took many!!

My smokiest shot is, unfortunately, a Modern Air CV990 so OT here but I'll just add the link without the image https://flic.kr/p/ee7D7S

So just a couple (I don't have 'smoke' as a tag so finding them ain't easy!)

XV108 Vickers VC10 C.1K msn 838 Y 101Sq by eLaReF, on Flickr

MM6776 Lockheed F-104S Starfighter msn 1076 9-46 9 Stormo by eLaReF, on Flickr

[F3]

Liking the typically dirty F-104. Did nt realise the updated S version was still so bad. Everyone else please post yr own dirty pics (no not that kind - aircraft only) and see if we can make a smokers thread.

[STARIL]

Surely someone has a photo or two of the KC-135As departing the hall using water injection!!
Seem to remember vast numbers doing this returning the F-111F's to the states, or are the grey cells at fault??

[Knife 04]

Surely someone has a photo or two of the KC-135As departing the hall using water injection!!

Grey cells not at fault STARIL - they did - have some more but not processed yet
KC-135A - 61-0266 - 97th BW, Blytheville AFB by Darren Currie, on Flickr

Fairford too...........
KC-135A - 62-3565 - 305th ARW, Grissom AFB by Darren Currie, on Flickr

KC-135A - 61-0267 - 97th BW - 11th Strategic Group, RAF Fairford by Darren Currie, on Flickr

KC-135A 'GLOB' - 62-3560 - 509th BW - TDY 11th Strategic Group by Darren Currie, on Flickr

B-52s as well
B-52G - 59-2602 - 416 BW, Griffiss AFB by Darren Currie, on Flickr

B-52G - 59-2602 - 416th BW, Griffiss AFB by Darren Currie, on Flickr

The epitome of Fairford - 'KAGO' Flight by Darren Currie, on Flickr

[STARIL]

Knife04. Love 1 and 4. Case of better than vaping

[mancman]

A few smokers from the past.

I think the smokiest aircraft in UK skies at the moment apart from the visiting B-52s is the civilian AN-12 operated by Cavok.

C-135F French AF St Mawgan June 1985 by Andy Bird, on Flickr

BoB Flypast RAF Sept 1990 Abingdon by Andy Bird, on Flickr

C-130 RAF x 15 1987 Fairford by Andy Bird, on Flickr

[F3]

Thanks for the contributions guys. Well impressed and I think Darren's pic of the B-52s departing Fairford is the smokiest yet!

[Knife 04]

Knife04. Love 1 and 4. Case of better than vaping

Another from Mildenhall 1991
KC-135A - 58-0042 - 380th ARS, Plattsburgh AFB by Darren Currie, on Flickr

[Retro]

A pair of smoking whales at Point Mugu :

[F3]

Excellent latest additions to the thread. There's no wonder USAF re-engined the KC-135s back in the '90s and thanks for those rare Whale pics Retro. Funny nose on that 2nd one, obs some type of radar?

[Ferrari]

Fantastic.
The B-66 and A-3 shots are a bit different!

Thanks for posting,
Regards,
Ferrari