I studied at Bangor University from 2000-2003. In my final year I bought my first car and subsequently spent more time sat at either Rhosneigr or 'suicide rock' watching movements than actually studying! Who needs an environmental science degree anyway..... For some reason I decided to give slides a go and recently bought a slide scanner to go through all of my Dad's slides from the 60's-90's - some airshow gems there to show one day - but gave it a go with a few boxes of slides that I'd not looked at for a long time and had completely forgotten about. The camera I used was a Pentax ME super, my first camera and one I'd received for Christmas a few years prior. I got to grips with it on film much better than with slides and actually had far better results with that than my next film camera which I think was a 300V?
Anyway, I thought I'd share some really awful slide scans which have brought back some happy memories for me. I've now got a few thousand prints to go through and scan, that's my next task!
Obviously Hawks were the order of the day and there was no better place than to walk over what we called the 'rickety-rackety bridge' to the perimeter fence and to the end of, what was at the time, runway 32 threshold.
Valley - 015 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 020 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
XX176 complete with gun pod probably having returned from Aberporth
Valley - 004 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 016 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 021 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
We'd get a fair few 100sqn Hawks here as well
Valley - 022 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 023 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 031 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 006 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
It was amazing how close to the airfield you could get walking around the sand dunes - I have no idea if it's still as accessible now?
Valley - 007 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 005 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 013 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 009 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley would always get some interesting visitors throughout the week and there was nothing more joyous at the time than hearing ATC say 'request POB and are you familiar with Valley as published'..... GR4's, F3's, Jaguars, Harriers, Eagles, Nimrods, Tucanos, Sea Kings and Pumas I can remember seeing on my spotting days.
Valley - 039 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 038 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 036 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 037 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 033 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 027 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Valley - 018 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Yeah, this one caught me off guard a bit but I was standing right under the 32 threshold!!!
Valley - 001 by Ian Garfield, on Flickr
Thanks for looking at these god awful scans, the print scans will be (slightly) better!
RAF Valley - 2002/2003
Re: RAF Valley - 2002/2003
Brought back happy memories of holidays in Nth Wales,usually a day up the mountains and then a day recuperating at Valley -bliss,thanks for posting
Don't know about those jets ,they spoil a very nice place
Re: RAF Valley - 2002/2003
Very cool mate. Can’t wait to see what else you’ve got him the archives!
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Hell is other people.
Re: RAF Valley - 2002/2003
Hehe, the rickety rackety bridge, that takes me back! Not sure what it's like down that end these days, though I suspect that the perimeter gate won't be swinging in the breeze like it used to be!