Yep concur with that
It is incredibly quiet here now in Oakham being of course on the center line from the south and only a few miles out.
Of course there was a lull after the Argosys left in the mid 70s but the Yanks made sure we were kept awake with plenty of low level work from the A10s out of Bentwaters and Woodbridge from 79 with low level Jet Provost flights for good measure and then the TTTE arrived to add to the mix!!
Luckily I left school in 79 but my eldest reckons it was fun doing exams with the Tonkas and Harriers overhead. I can remember having a hearing test abandoned at the local hospital and having to go to Leicester!! But you got used to it. the sound of freedom as they say and we never had any trouble in town from the base.
The youngsters will miss the chance to go bowling at the base with Scouts and Cubs etc and all the other things that come with having such a large RAF community on the doorstep
Just looking at the 2000 RIAT footage on youtube when i was lucky to work on the gate. It seemed impossible then to think that this could happen
I am sure others have gone through this same process such as when the big yank bases at Heyford and Bentwaters/ Woodbridge closed, but
We will miss you all at Cottesmore
