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A-4E 151059 of VF-126 seen on approach to NAF El Centro, California, in November 1989. The unit was the west coast aggressor squadron, and was deployed to El Centro for ACM training with VF-21's F-14s. |
©
Stuart Freer
Minolta K64 250/F8 |
 |
F-16A
79-0380, the commanders aircraft of Nellis based 429th Tactical Fighter
Squadron, seen taxiing to depart RAF Bentwaters in June 1985, during
a two week deployment.
Minolta
K64 250/f8 |
 |
RF-4C
68-0570 of the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing photographed on the Owl
End taxiway at RAF Alconbury in November 1981.
Minolta
K64 250/f8 |
 |
F-15C
80-0029 of the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing, photographed at RAF Coningsby
in June 1987
Minolta
K64 250/f8 |
 |
Phantom
FGR.2 XV393 of 228 OCU on finals to runway 08 at RAF Coningsby, November
1985. This aircraft was one of the RAF's final Phantoms to wear the
original camouflage scheme, before air defence grey took over.
Minolta
K64 250/f8 |
 |
F-14A
162591 of VF-1 'Wolfpack', photographed on finals to NAS Miramar in
November 1989.
Minolta
K64 250/f8 |
 |
TA-4J
153492 of VT-7, seen on approach to NAF El Centro in November 1989.
Minolta
K64 250/f8 |
I inherited this hobby from my father. He took me to my first Airshow in 1971, when I was only five, at RAF Little Rissington. I can still remember to this day the grand finale to the show, a flypast performed by four F-4Cs from the 81st TFW at RAF Woodbridge - that was it - I was hooked.
The first Airshow at which I took photos was the first IAT at RAF Greenham Common in 1973. The camera was a Zenith, the pictures were some rather grainy black and whites.
In the 1980s when I got my own transport, most weekends were spent in East Anglia with a couple of mates. The airfields in this area were superb for photography from the outside. At RAF Alconbury the best spot was the now famous Owl End taxiway, where the RF-4Cs and F-5Es held for the active runway. RAF Bentwaters was just as good for taxiway shots - there wasn't even a steel mesh fence, just a low wooden one.
Things began to change in the late 80's. The Berlin wall came down and the cold war was over, with bases to close and the arm arms cutting back and disbanding many squadrons. So the hobby as it is today in the UK is a shadow of its former self, with only two active USAFE airfields left, but Mildenhall and Lakenheath still have the potential for great photos from time to time.