Looking back at the Mildenhall Air Fete (More photos added)

[bigcrow]

With the sad news of Mildenhall’s closure yesterday I thought it would be a good time to share some memories of the wonderful Air Fetes over the years… I was fortunate to go to all the shows with dad from the early eighties to its final one in 2001. Dad attended his first one in 1971.

As for me as a kid growing up in the eighties nothing came close to that weekend at the end May when Mildenhall opened its gates to the public not even IAT, the general atmosphere the wet burgers & the superb flying display it couldn’t be bettered. We all hoped for its return someday… Oh well. Thank you for the great memories RAF Mildenhall. These are a mixture of mine & dads shots from over the years.

#1

38+12 F-4F WGAF Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#2

A-7B 154502 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#3

A-10A 82-0655 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#4

Alize 60 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#5

EC-121T 54-2307 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#6

C-118B 131578 Mildenhall Air Fete 1984 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#7

C-118B 131578-2 Mildenhall Air Fete 1984 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#8

C-2A 155124 Mildenhall Air Fete 1984 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#9

C-5A 69-0004 Mildenhall Air Fete 1982 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#10

F-14A 159601 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#11

C-131F 141023 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#12

CF-104G 104805 Mildenhall Air Fete 1983 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#13

B-2A 90-0040 Mildenhall Air Fete 2000 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#14

E-2C 159110 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#15

Alouette A-536 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#16

EC-135H Mildenhall Air Fete 1985 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#17

A-7D 70-1008 Mildenhall Air Fete 1990 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#18

A-7E 157452 Mildenhall Air Fete 1984 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#19

EA-6B 161882 Mildenhall Air Fete 1997 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#20

EF-111A 67-0032 Mildenhall Air Fete 1989 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#21

EC-135C 63-8054 Mildenhall Air Fete 1997 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#22

F-14 161422 Mildenhall Air Fete 1984 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#23

F-15E 90-0248 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#24

F-111F 72-1448 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#25

ZA447 Tornado GR1 Mildenhall Air Fete 1991 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#26

Lancaster PA474 Mildenhall Air Fete 1990 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#27

Mirage 3 499 MH78 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#28

YC-14A 72-1874 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#29

YC-15A 72-1876 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#30

SR-71A 61-7974 Mildenhall Air Fete 1982 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

[Airwolfhound]

Wow, how ugly does that YC-14 look

Lovely shots, I loved the Air Fete's myself, went to every single one with either my parents or near the latter years on my own or the first wife or friends. Such a fabulous show, pity I don't have an extensive range of shots from them though

[keithholden]

Wonderful. thanks for posting. Lump in throat

[stuart n]

Brilliant photos and brilliant memories, went to every Air Fete from '83 onwards

[tankbuster81]

Oh my that YC14 is an ugly Aircraft! Fond memories of so many Air Fete's.I think my first visit was 1982? ,and i only missed one year until it's sad demise.From driving to and parking on base,to Driving to Newmarket Racecourse for the Park&Ride.
Always greeted by the dulcit tones of an American serviceman "Air Fete Stickers" on arrival,and then the magnetic smell of those burgers= Heaven! Onwards to what would always be a collection of many Air forces Sexiest Beasts in the static park, as you pass through mostly Aviation related stalls, en route to the must see Squadron stands in the Hangers at the far end of the base.
So many great and amazing flying displays witnessed over many years,and commentated on by my favourite voice, Roger Hoefling.
So many highlights,and way to many to mention, but some of the best i can recall are:- A10,F16,F15 flypast together, Every SR71 Display, F14 tomcat, Red and white Austrian Draken, P47&A10 Combo, The last visit by Raf lightnings, when they both departed from the static park at the end of show (1988?) took off, performed a circuit,then both pulled up and away into seperate zoom climbs, to this day i've never seen any video footage of that event,and would love to see it.My first sightings of F117 and B2 stealth aircraft, The Turkish stars and there over enthusiastic commentator, and almost yearly near the end of the show Displays by the B1 and B52. I could go on all night. The best airshow's i've ever been to, sadly missed, but they live on through photo's , video and happy memories. Apologies for the long post.

Andy

[psquiddy]

Wow - 1978 was the only Mildenhall Air Fete I got to and the Connie is what I remember - must dig out my log book.

I was still at school and a me and a few mates got the LAAS coach from Heathrow _ IIRC we spent most of the day on the coach and it was the first time I had ever tasted Bud Wise aaR.

[Blackbird]

What a fitting tribute

My first year was the bicentennial show (1976) but unfortunately have so few photos to show for it I managed to make it to many of the subsequent shows and like so many on here, have fond memories of the wet burgers! No wish to hijack the thread, but I've found one photo on my p'bucket account to share and hope this is acceptable.


Enjoy!

Andy

[bigcrow]

Thanks for the comments guys, it was an amazing show wasn't it with lots of great memories, two particular stand out firstly when the pair of RAF Lightnings were pulled out of the static at the 1987 show? They performed a circuit,then both pulled up and away into seperate zoom climbs on a glorious late summer evening then secondly the Blackbird flame out, these will live long in the memory. Here are a few more...

#31

YF-16A 72-1568 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#32

F-104G 26+72 Mildenhall Air Fete 1985 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#33

F-117A 85-0834 Mildenhall Air Fete 1997 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#34

FA-18C 163477 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#35

G-91PAN MM6243 Mildenhall Air Fete 1974 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#36

G-91R 32+71 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#37

Gannet AEW3 XL502 Mildenhall Air Fete 1988 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#38

Noratlas 146 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#39

OV-10A 66-13556 Mildenhall Air Fete 1979 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#40

S-3A 159760 Mildenhall Air Fete 1977 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#41

SR-71A 61-7980 Mildenhall Air Fete 1983 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#42

Sea Harrier FRS1 ZD581 Mildenhall Air Fete 1986 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#43

Jaguar A A36 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#44

Mirage F1C 72 Mildenhall Air Fete 1978 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#45

U-2R 80-1074 Mildenhall Air Fete 1992 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#46

SR-71A 61-7974 Mildenhall Air Fete 1982 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#47

TF-100F GT-874 Mildenhall Air Fete 1981 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#48

B-1B 86-0114 Mildenhall Air Fete 1989 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

#49

SR-71A 61-7980 Mildenhall Air Fete 1986 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

[The Flying Barrel]

No 44 Stands out for me, not only for the Mirage but stood or trying to stand on 'that' corner of the taxiway where the fast jets normally were parked. Who else had that as the place to be? Ahhhhhh Burger and a Bud!

[Russ]

Brilliant. Thanks for sharing once again Stu, lots of fond memories even though I only started going in 1989.

Keep them coming.

[Heavy Metal]

With the sad news of Mildenhall’s closure yesterday I thought it would be a good time to share some memories of the wonderful Air Fetes over the years…

Agreed

#6

C-118B 131578 Mildenhall Air Fete 1984 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

This reminded me that I saw one of these depart RAF Northolt in the early eighties.

#13

B-2A 90-0040 Mildenhall Air Fete 2000 by Stuart Freer - Touchdown Aviation, on Flickr

Mildenhall Air Fete 2000?
There wasn't one that year.

[bigcrow]

Thanks got all the comments guys & glad you enjoyed them. As for the B-2 there was definitely one at Air Fete 2000 it was on the ground & took part in the flying

[Ledhead27]

Thanks gor sharing such a glorious set of images! After seeing through all these I wish I'd been born 10 years earlier, and THAT SR-71A Blackbird picture

[Russ]

As for the B-2 there was definitely one at Air Fete 2000 it was on the ground & took part in the flying

Yep, I remember it in 2000 too. Great B-2 display, topsides.

[AlexC]

More great shots. All that litter around No. 40 is disturbing though.

[Andy63]

Absolutely fabulous selection, thanks for posting. Brings all the memories flooding back. Spring bank holiday weekend used to be one of my favourite times of the year because I'd always be looking forward to Air Fete so much - one of my personal highlights of the display season. Sadly no more.

Just for the record, reference an earlier comment, it was 1988 when the two Lightnings were pulled out of the static and did that fabulous departure on the Sunday (F.6 XR754 and T.5 XS458). It was very the last time I ever saw a Lightning fly

[Airwolfhound]

Loving number 49 of the SR-71. I seem to recall the commentator saying something like that Germany gets the display whilst we get the noise

[SPLAT]

Is that a tiger squadron Danish f100 or just rust

[lambo17841]

Great set of pictures,never to be repeated.
1st show I went to was 69 with a B58 in static! And went to most shows until the end of them.
No graphs but great memories as mentioned wet burgers at SACdonalds amongst the many other stalls.
In those days you had no idea what was in static until you arrived and saw what was there through the haze of burger cooking..

John in Seaford

[Hamble Flyer]

Adding to the B2 appearance I went to the Air Fete in 1999 or 2000 when the B2 took off for its display slot as a very heavy downpour started with I think some lightning and thunder
It apparently curtailed its display due to concerns over a lightning strike on its exotic skin material.
Was that 2000?
Anyhow it was my only experience of seeing a B2 start up, take off and land.

[stevie]

Yes it was 2000. The 1999 show was cancelled due to the Kosovo conflict.

Absolutely fantastic photos. The Air Fete has to be the most missed airshow of them all.