St Athan - summer of '87
I've mentioned it before, but the mighty beast appearing from between the hangars, then standing on its tail on full burner, in a clear blue sky, all the way to 23000 feet, then off to Germany, still sticks firmly in my mind.
Cranwell, March 1987
I also remember, one cold march evening, having been put on restrictions for something pretty bad ( didn't dust behind the 'u' bend on my sink before brasso, I think) I was stood out on the front of College Hall, with some other recidivists. A Phantom came in from the right, lit his burners, then powered away into the dark, night sky.
In union, all we could say was "Oooh!"
That was the first time I actually saw those funny little pulses in a reheat exhaust for real. Up until then, I had always presumed them to be a trick of the camera.
The stories of these beasts up near 100,000 feet make remarkable reading too.
Great, proper aircraft. Sky much duller with its passing. Are there any flying anywhere at all anymore. Surely Mike Beachyhead has one lined up?
