Originally Posted by
Murty
Being stationed at RAE Bedford (NATS provided the ATC for the MoD) from 1987-1991, the ground party and high speed car only ever came on base once when a TR-1 as they were known then did divert in and stayed overnight.
In fact what occurred during the training flights often having 2-3 in the circuit at a time ,was the 5.0-litre Mustangs chase cars would sit in a layby on the road between RAF Alconbury and RAE Bedford listen to ATC frequency as they only did go arounds so never needed the cars for the final talkdown.
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Sorry got the wrong impression; the chase car was operating on the runway at Bedford one day when I visited and from what one of the Bedford controllers (AM) told me that day I thought it was a daily occurence.
Course it did mean when a TR1 landed at Farnborough for the airshow, I was the only one who wasn't surprised when the chase car entered the runway behind it; everyone else was panicking asking what he was doing!