Alconbury Air Fetes

Photos older than five years old (preferably much older)
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capercaillie
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Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by capercaillie »

The little brother of Mildenhall, usually held in either late July or early August, it was almost guaranteed to attract a good selection of NATO hardware, through the 1980s the home team would usually put up a few of their RF-4Cs and F-5Es, sadly this stopped when the A-10s moved in to take their place. A TR-1A was often included in the lying display as well. By the 1990s the HC-130s and MH-53s had moved in from Woodbridge as well.

Unfortunately despite being an oldie myself now, I wasn't old enough to get to the base until 1986, so missed the SR-71 appearing in the flying in 1984. The posts will probably be a bit random and jiggledy, and arrival days feature more heavily than the display days but hopefully something of interest will appear. Images prior to 1991 will be from negatives, 1991 onwards from Kodachrome slides.
1991 to start with. Display featured a Portuguese A-7 solo - things were taked more for granted back then!
ImageEC-135H 61-0282 10ACCS US Air Force RAF Mildenhall by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageMC-130E Hercules 64-0555 7SOS/435TAW US Air Force Rhein-Main AFB by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageC-141B Starlifter 66-7950 6AS/438AW US Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageTR-1A (later U-2R) 80-1083 95RS/17RW US Air Force RAF Alconbury by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageF-15C Eagle 80-0011/BT 22FS/36FW US Air Force Bitburg AFB by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageTR-1A (later U-2R) 80-1088 95RS/17RW US Air Force RAF Alconbury by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageCF-188B Hornet 188926 421 Squadron Canadian Forces Baden-Sollingen by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageF-16A Fighting Falcon J-619 311 Squadron Royal Netherlands Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageA-7P Corsair II 5529 Esq 302 Portuguese Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageTornado GR1P ZA326 RAE Bedford by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageCanberra B6mod XH568 RAE Bedford by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageTornado GR1 ZD810/AA 9 Squadron RAF Bruggen by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageTornado F3 ZE888/EV 23 Squadron RAF Leeming by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImagePhantom FGR2 XV470/BD 56 Squadron RAF Wattisham by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageTornado GR1 ZA606 45 Squadron/TWCU RAF Honington by Paul Downes, on Flickr
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My flickr photos https://www.flickr.com/photos/146673712@N06/

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Ian G
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by Ian G »

Fantastic stuff, I'm really loving looking at oldies at the moment so thanks for sharing!

We moved house in July 1990 - I was only 8 at the time - but I remember that it was a really hot summer. I am not 100% but I am pretty sure we went to an airshow at Alconbury that year. It must only have been a few weeks after we'd moved house as I remember a bare living room and standing in the bay window reading the programme one morning, perhaps the week after the show. The name 'Eddie Rickenbacker' sticks in my mind about that show and indeed the programme as there was a lot of stuff about him in it, that's the only thing I can remember! I can't find anything on the internet linking the two together but he was born in 1890 so it would tie in as a 100th anniversary?
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Tommy
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by Tommy »

Splendid set, mate!

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Alpha Delta 210
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by Alpha Delta 210 »

Lovely set, thanks for sharing - those were the days.....

Unknown74
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by Unknown74 »

Only ever attended 1988 Alconbury Air Fete, gotta admit nothing really stands out, only finding out later that the F-5E Tiger II on Static was the last of the based Aircraft still present and the others had already left, a little disappointed that the Wild Weasel F-4 and F-16s which took off during the display peformed one Flypast then vanished...... Mind you saying nothing stood out, the TR.1 display and F-15 Eagle displays were pretty cool - oh and there was a ZR RF-4 Phantom on static.......

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Tuckat
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by Tuckat »

Really enjoyed these Paul, more please 😁 I remember one year at an Alconbury show, possibly 1991, there was a Fulton STARS demo, absolutely outstanding, if memory serves me well it was also demonstrated at an IAT.
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Mike
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by Mike »

‘Air Fete’ was the Mildenhall branding. The Alconbury shows were known as ‘Air Tattoo’

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Blackbird
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by Blackbird »

A great set Paul. I managed only a couple of Alconbury shows, 1982 and 1993 and both had some great items. As you say, so much was taken for granted. Happy days!

GeeRam
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by GeeRam »

Lovely the old Alconbury shows back in the 80's.

Distinctly remember the Aug 1987 show on a sunny clear blue sky day, as it was the last time I ever saw a full RAF Lightning solo aero's display when Jon Fynes put on a superb display in the F.3 as he neared the end of that last Lightning display season :sunglasses: :pensive:

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Wrexham Mackem
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by Wrexham Mackem »

Ah Alconbury! I think I did three - maybe four. It was a lovely location for an airshow, with the taxiway down the crowdline, the sun in the right place, static around the HASs, never too crowded. Like all of the USAF open days (Mildenhall excepted) the content could be a bit hit and miss, which is why I think we didn't travel to every one. Of course, I missed the Portuguese A-7; even for its time that was a flipping rare pull. Had I known of course I would've been there that year.

Great shots Paul.

The things we took for granted as everyday normal eh?

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BobL
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by BobL »

Image

A couple of scans of images I took at Alconbury - can't recall what camera I was using (probably a Canon AE1...)

Image

Image

Image
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Blackbird
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by Blackbird »

Here are links to two Alconbury shows that I put on my Flickr account some time ago:
1982
https://www.flickr.com/photos/148629640 ... 5456000758
1993
https://www.flickr.com/photos/148629640 ... 5456000758

Andy

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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by Stagger2 »

Morning Blackbird, I think all my marbles are insitu, but you ONLY linked RAF Alconbury Open House 12 August 1982.
Link seems to be the same reference for 1982 & 1983? Looking forward to seeing the 93 version? :wink:

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Blackbird
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by Blackbird »

Hi Stagger,

Your marbles are exactly as they should be - it's mine that have a problem! Hopefully this will work: https://www.flickr.com/photos/148629640 ... 5568934466

Andy

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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by Stagger2 »

Great to see the '93' collection. That silver/Yellow Gnat shown as XM693/ G-TIMM (assuming by Reg' it was in the ownership of Tim Manners) was the one(Red by then!) that suffered Loss of control and impact with terrain during a flying display, Oulton Park, 1 August 2015.. Strangely enough, Google the serial No; XM693 & it gives you this iteration of XM693 on a post since way before your picture? Link-https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.u ... php?id=810. Wonder which jet has the right number as they are both configured as short-nose pre-production T.Mk 1 jets.
Gotta love that Mossie! Much missed. :frowning2:

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spellow3010
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by spellow3010 »

Great images here both of you... Was really nice to look through those. I got into it too late as well and regret not changing up to a better camera earlier.

Keep them oldies coming :)
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dreamworker
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by dreamworker »

It was a great show, mainly because the sun was behind you for most of the day, all the participants taxied past the crowd nicely lit and it always produced something different . I always remember the Voodoo at the 86 show, and it was a great place to see the Blackbird fly for the reasons already stated. I did learn a very hard lesson though when I bought two rolls of slide film from a stall which had clearly seen better days. All my photos from 85 had a green cast, luckily nowadays these can been corrected. If I recall it was the last time I saw a Canadian F104 and of course the lovely Vikings F104s too.

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POD
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Re: Alconbury Air Fetes

Post by POD »

Good stuff Paul...

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