International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

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Wrexham Mackem
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International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by Wrexham Mackem »

Derek's ace thread on this event has had us all reminiscing on this landmark IAT, so I thought I'd raid my archive for some old scans to furnish a few more of those memories.

July 13th and 14th 1985. The history books will tell you this was the weekend of Live Aid, but far more significantly for us the first Air Tattoo at Fairford. It was a big deal for us aviation enthusiasts. Greenham Common had become an institution, and IAT was nailed on in the diary - being only every other year you couldn't afford to miss one. How would it be at a different venue? Well, there was a mixed reception, I mean, what a great location for an airshow and a venue as good as any, but the show did not go down well with the enthusiast community.

No RAF Strike Command displays, due to a funding/fuel crisis. No visiting aerobatic teams; the regular French, Italian, Austrian and Portuguese teams all skipped the event. A much publicised mass DC-3 gathering for the 50th anniversary of the Dakota yielded 'only' 8 airframes, and the 'Sky Tanker' theme give us a static line up of KC-135's that stretched an awful long way. About 15 I think. Repetitive said many.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Because looking back now even the familiar at the time is now fascinating, and it was without doubt a cracking airshow.

With a selection of statics to start. And just look at the litter, a disgrace. Not everything was better in the old days!
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And on to the flying, where the SkyTanker theme was covered well
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A new livery for Concorde. What a machine it was.
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the first of the Air Tattoo Red Arrows signature moments?
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ref the nose art visible on the Torrejon F-16A in Derek's photo bus shot, there's something on this one but the more clearly marked one was obviously the spare
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with no RAF Strike Command flying displays until very late in the season in '85 this was their sole contribution to the flying display
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the first time I recall seeing a Cri-Cri, Yves Duval brought a duo, and unloaded and assembled them in front of the crowd
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and here perhaps the campest pose I've ever photographed
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IAT 85 was especially good for F-104s, so here are a few Starfighters to finish
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And of course, the American barbecue stalls, of which urban myth now recalls as being a Mildenhall-only thing, were just as prevailant here. In fact there's a good old family snapshot of me flipping a burger after being invited 'live side' on the burger stall. I'll keep that one to myself. As I did the wet burger! :-)

With two years to wait for the next event - biennial of course - we had a long wait to see if 87 would feel like IAT again. Of course it did, and in fact the best years were still ahead. As I said, hindsight is a wonderful thing.

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DerekF
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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by DerekF »

Excellent stuff. I have to say, I didn't recall any of the background. We stayed at a holiday home in Ampney Crucis so got back on the Saturday in time to see a lot of Live Aid. Happy days indeed, except for the post-airshow film processing. :shock:

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The Flying Barrel
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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by The Flying Barrel »

Great post, really enjoy the look back at the halcyon days of wall to wall '104's, F-4's etc, Tanker/Herc line ups as far as the eye can see! Although amazed at the amount of FOD in a few images!

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st24
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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by st24 »

Great post and commentary Nige- agree 100%. And yes, just look at that litter, a real pet hate of mine. :mad:
I think this thread really does deserve that lovely image of a fantastic piece of engineering and a national treasure (along with a Nimrod!) :wink: :grin:
You caaan't trust the system... Maaan!

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Wrexham Mackem
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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by Wrexham Mackem »

Well, ladies and gentlemen, here is that fantastic piece of engineering, and national treasure.... st24 in residence!

and a Nimrod MR2.

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I bet it was palatial on the inside. Like the Jordanian show tent. :wink:

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st24
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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by st24 »

Wrexham Mackem wrote:Well, ladies and gentlemen, here is that fantastic piece of engineering, and national treasure.... st24 in residence!

and a Nimrod MR2.

Image

I bet it was palatial on the inside. Like the Jordanian show tent. :wink:


:wave: :grin: Magnificent! Palatial ?! - more Bestial! Great stuff Nige, so many great times in that combo '84-'85...... :snack: :cuppa: :sick: :hypno:
You caaan't trust the system... Maaan!

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Arthur Tee
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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by Arthur Tee »

Cracking shots - but some horrendous FOD in the static!

It had to happen sooner or later - I'm fairly certain I can see myself sat behind the wheel of the Red Incident Commander's Land Rover in the background of that Canadian Dash 7 shot! :biggrin:

Arthur
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st24
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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by st24 »

Arthur Tee wrote:Cracking shots - but some horrendous FOD in the static!

Arthur


Hey!! That was my car!.. oh I see what you mean... :grin:
You caaan't trust the system... Maaan!

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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by jaguar54 »

I took part in the airshow that year, we had our C-47 Dakota displaying after we arrived on one engine on the Thursday, we met up over the Thames Eustary with a couple of more Dakota's then we did a flypast over Heathrow Airport before moving onto Fairford and half way there we developed an engine problem on the Port engine where we had to shut her down and we were left behind by the rest of the formation, we finally arrived and spent the rest of the day working on the engine ready for her part in the weekend display.

Paul.

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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by speedbird2639 »

st24 wrote:
Arthur Tee wrote:Cracking shots - but some horrendous FOD in the static!

Arthur


Hey!! That was my car!.. oh I see what you mean... :grin:


Bet you wish you'd kept it now - there is a Mk2 Capri which is listed on Autotrader as having been a Cat C and he wants £7k for it!

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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by Spiny Norman »

Goldien Oldies going through a purple patch at the moment - please keep them coming everyone.

I remember them relaying Live Aid over the tannoy at the end of the show. Memory is not great but I think it was Queen.

Was 1985 the year Buzz Aldrin was in the corporate hospitality near the FRIAT enclosure? Shame he didn't come in for a chat.

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st24
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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by st24 »

speedbird2639 wrote:
st24 wrote:
Arthur Tee wrote:Cracking shots - but some horrendous FOD in the static!

Arthur


Hey!! That was my car!.. oh I see what you mean... :grin:


Bet you wish you'd kept it now - there is a Mk2 Capri which is listed on Autotrader as having been a Cat C and he wants £7k for it!


Thread drift apology! Tell me about - I had a Mk3 2.0S next then an original XR3 and a '4i - all would have bought me a fair amount of camera kit had I kept 'em!! :facepalm: :sad:
You caaan't trust the system... Maaan!

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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by capercaillie »

Wrexham Mackem wrote:Well, ladies and gentlemen, here is that fantastic piece of engineering, and national treasure.... st24 in residence!

and a Nimrod MR2.

Image

I bet it was palatial on the inside. Like the Jordanian show tent. :wink:


Quite appropriately after reading Derek's 85 thread, with that photo you had to make a Dash for it. :whistle:
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AlexC
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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by AlexC »

st24 wrote:yes, just look at that litter, a real pet hate of mine. :mad:


And mine. I was at a fly-in at Old Sarum last Sunday, and someone had left a number of drinks cans on the grass when they drove off, and I also noticed an old suitcase dumped on the field. I spoke to some of the guys there and they told me that they get quite a bit of litter dumped there including old nappies, yuk! Just can't get my head round it, we really are a filthy Nation, hate to think what overseas visitors think of us.
Pte. Aubrey Gerald Harmer, R. Suss. R. (att. to the Sherwood Foresters) KIA 26/9/1917 Polygon Wood, aged 19, NKG. RIP

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Re: International Air Tattoo 85 RAF Fairford

Post by AMB »

AlexC wrote: they told me that they get quite a bit of litter dumped there including old nappies, yuk! Just can't get my head round it, .


Don't think I would either Alex! :hide:
Adrian

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