The Mick Freer Archives (Updated more photos added 07/12/17)
The Mick Freer Archives (Updated more photos added 07/12/17)
It would have been my Dad’s 71st birthday tomorrow, so it seems appropriate to show you some of his vast slide collection. He started taking his first slides in the summer of 1971. He also attended every single IAT/RIAT apart from last year when he was too ill to attend. Here is a selection of shots showing the large variety of types & Air Forces which could be seen in the U.K in the seventies… I will be regularly updating this post when I get the chance to fire up the scanner.
First up a shot of a very youthful looking Mr Freer Snr at Portland, prior to an air to air with 829 Sqdn Wasps
#1
XT423 Wasp HAS.1 829 Naval Air Squadron, RNAS Portland by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#2
54-1640 C-130A 105th TAS, Tennessee ANG, Nashville Airport. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#3
56-0617 B-52D 22nd Bomb Wing, March AFB, California by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#4
147562 SP-2H French Navy, 25 Flotille, Lann Bihoue AB. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#5
156/12-YK Super Mystere B2 FAF, Escadron de Chase 01.012, Cambrai AB by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#6
XX947 Tornadp GR1 BAE\A&AEE MOD(PE) Boscombe Down. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#7
XP737 Lightning F3 226 Operational Conversion Unit, RAF Coltishall. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#8
158802/AB-612 EA-6B VAQ-133 'Wizzards', NAS Whidbey Island by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#9
XW626 Comet C4 Royal Aircraft Establishment, MOD(PE) Bedford. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#10
XZ286 Nimrod AEW3 BAE/A&AEE, MOD(PE) Boscombe Down. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#11
155880/NH-107 F-4J VF-213 "Black Lions" NAS Miramar, Ca by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#12
156640/603 RA-5C Vigilante RVAH-1 "Cool Tigers", NAS Key West, Fl. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#13
155684/AJ-502 A-6E VA-35 "Black Panthers', NAS Oceana, VA by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#14
64-14847 RC-135U 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Offutt AFB, Nebraska by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#15
144852 / 18 EA-3B VQ-2 'Batmen', NAS Rota, Spain. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#16
159449/AE-212 F-14A VF-142 'The Ghostriders' NAS Oceana, USS America. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#17
TG503 Hastings T5, Strike Command Bombing School (1066 Squadron), RAF Lindholme by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
First up a shot of a very youthful looking Mr Freer Snr at Portland, prior to an air to air with 829 Sqdn Wasps
#1
XT423 Wasp HAS.1 829 Naval Air Squadron, RNAS Portland by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#2
54-1640 C-130A 105th TAS, Tennessee ANG, Nashville Airport. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#3
56-0617 B-52D 22nd Bomb Wing, March AFB, California by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#4
147562 SP-2H French Navy, 25 Flotille, Lann Bihoue AB. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#5
156/12-YK Super Mystere B2 FAF, Escadron de Chase 01.012, Cambrai AB by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#6
XX947 Tornadp GR1 BAE\A&AEE MOD(PE) Boscombe Down. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#7
XP737 Lightning F3 226 Operational Conversion Unit, RAF Coltishall. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#8
158802/AB-612 EA-6B VAQ-133 'Wizzards', NAS Whidbey Island by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#9
XW626 Comet C4 Royal Aircraft Establishment, MOD(PE) Bedford. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#10
XZ286 Nimrod AEW3 BAE/A&AEE, MOD(PE) Boscombe Down. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#11
155880/NH-107 F-4J VF-213 "Black Lions" NAS Miramar, Ca by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#12
156640/603 RA-5C Vigilante RVAH-1 "Cool Tigers", NAS Key West, Fl. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#13
155684/AJ-502 A-6E VA-35 "Black Panthers', NAS Oceana, VA by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#14
64-14847 RC-135U 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Offutt AFB, Nebraska by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#15
144852 / 18 EA-3B VQ-2 'Batmen', NAS Rota, Spain. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#16
159449/AE-212 F-14A VF-142 'The Ghostriders' NAS Oceana, USS America. by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
#17
TG503 Hastings T5, Strike Command Bombing School (1066 Squadron), RAF Lindholme by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr
Last edited by bigcrow on Thu 07 Dec 2017, 3:12 pm, edited 8 times in total.
Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Absolutely brilliant Stu.
This thread is a fitting tribute to your Dad. I look forward to seeing the additions in the future.
This thread is a fitting tribute to your Dad. I look forward to seeing the additions in the future.
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Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Wonderful photographs.
It's lovely to think of your dad taking a picture all those years ago without a thought, not knowing they'd still be bringing pleasure to plenty of other people in years to come!
Love the BUFF most of all.
It's lovely to think of your dad taking a picture all those years ago without a thought, not knowing they'd still be bringing pleasure to plenty of other people in years to come!
Love the BUFF most of all.
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Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Stumped for words really...
I can only echo both comments above!
Arthur
I can only echo both comments above!
Arthur
Canon PowerShot SX40HS - It's not what you've got - it's what you do with it!
Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Wonderful stuff, Stu. It appears your Father's and my paths must have crossed many times. These photos are a great reminder of a bygone age.
Re: The Mick Freer Archives
There's a few there that look mighty familiar... Reckon I must have been standing next to your Pa for several of these...Nos.2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 16 are all Greenham Common. No.3 is Brize Norton, Nos.6 and 10 are Farnborough, as is No.9 I think. Nos.11 and 12 were aboard a carrier in the Solent - not the Kitty Hawk but the name escapes me at the moment. Possibly USS America... No.13 is on the Nimitz in the Solent, but I'm not sure about 12, 15 and 17...though I am fairly confident No.14 is Mildenhall round near the pig farm that used to be there.
Great days indeed - and great pics... We were so fortunate then... I really ought to dig some of my stuff out and get scanning.
Great days indeed - and great pics... We were so fortunate then... I really ought to dig some of my stuff out and get scanning.
I am not a loony... I used to be, but I think I am better now...
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Re: The Mick Freer Archives
What a lovely collection of a bygone age - thank you for sharing them, and I'll keep an eye on your Flickr uploads!
Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Stu, your Dad's pictures have given me a lot of pleasure over the years. It will be great to see more of them, some I do remember, the comrod and aew3 especially
Have you thought of doing a book with some of them in. Perhaps for charity? I for one would buy it.
Have you thought of doing a book with some of them in. Perhaps for charity? I for one would buy it.
Last edited by AndyXH558 on Sun 18 May 2014, 6:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Life's a piece of S*** if you look at it!
Re: The Mick Freer Archives
A stunning selection of photographs!
''Time to dive into the fireworks!''
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Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Hi Stu,
What a brilliant tribute to your Dad!
The quality of the photographs are such that they look like they could have been taken yesterday!
Thank you so much for sharing.
Cheers
Tim
What a brilliant tribute to your Dad!
The quality of the photographs are such that they look like they could have been taken yesterday!
Thank you so much for sharing.
Cheers
Tim
Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Sometimes its just more than the aircraft that make you feel the impact of a set of photos. Your words about your Dad and his passion, brought life to the photos.
Thank-you for posting up...
Thank-you for posting up...
Don't say something crass, to hide your envy. Just give credit, when its applicable...
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Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Beautiful shots, digital quality in an era of crap cameras, especially love the Tornado, or was it still the MRCA then? More please.
Re: The Mick Freer Archives
The least we can do is bother to comment as you have bothered to upload these. Your Dad clearly had a very special talent, and in the days too when (unlike today) creating a good picture was a human calculation. Ive often stumbled across a real belter on Airlines.net and more or less without exception, M Freer is the photographer!
Great tribute
Great tribute
My completed Model builds...http://www.flickr.com/photos/52328347@N02/sets/
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Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Wonderful stuff. Thanks for sharing. The Hastings T5 is a nice catch - a good friend of mine worked on them.
Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Lovely, thanks for sharing and I look forward to more
6D | 7D | 60D
11-16 f/2.8 | 24-105 IS L | 70-300 IS USM | 50 f/1.4 | 100 f/2.8 | 400 f/5.6
11-16 f/2.8 | 24-105 IS L | 70-300 IS USM | 50 f/1.4 | 100 f/2.8 | 400 f/5.6
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Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Fantastic stuff.
How good does that Tornado look?!!
How good does that Tornado look?!!
"You really are an oafish philistine at times!"
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Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Unfortunately I never knew or met your father, but he certainly had the eye for framing a shot. As everyone else has said, it would be fitting for you to post more and it seems that all of us on UKAR can enjoy these gorgeous photos from a unfortunately long gone era of aviation variety.
Last edited by Red Dragon on Fri 16 May 2014, 10:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Wonderful stuff, top quality scans.
Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Stu
Excellent selection, very well scanned too.
You've no idea how long I've waited to see a good shot of that SP-2H at Greenham or the OCU Hastings
Mick's photos are a great memorial to a great "aviation enthusiast". He is missed.
Sadly I have part of Phil Duckett's collection to go through at the minute, another one who has left us too soon.
Look forward to the next instalment.
Regards
Ian
Excellent selection, very well scanned too.
You've no idea how long I've waited to see a good shot of that SP-2H at Greenham or the OCU Hastings
Mick's photos are a great memorial to a great "aviation enthusiast". He is missed.
Sadly I have part of Phil Duckett's collection to go through at the minute, another one who has left us too soon.
Look forward to the next instalment.
Regards
Ian
Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Legendary all round Stu. Glorious reminder of wonderful days all taken by a true gent and one of the nicest people I`ve had the pleasure to meet. Miss pa a lot.
Big hug to all your gang. Great to see you last Sunday. Best wishes, Ian
Big hug to all your gang. Great to see you last Sunday. Best wishes, Ian
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Re: The Mick Freer Archives
Thank's for posting, superb collection and tribute to a talented guy.
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