Akrotiri bad boy
27th Feb 2014, 22:37
I recently took a road trip from Akro Towers to Lowestoft, a journey I'd previously made in the late 1980's whilst still a member of Aunt Bettie's finest. During the 8 hours behind the wheel I got to thinking about what had been the previous time I'd passed along this route.
Passing south on the M6 I looked left at what had been 14MU just north of Carlisle and pondered at the vastness of the derelict site, where's all that stuff kept now?
Crossing the A66 I arrived at Scotch Corner and Catterick, home of the Rock Ape. I think a Vulcan once touched down here, but it looks like there're barracks on the airfield now.
On down the A1 and Leeming, I think it was closed the last time I passed pre Tornado. Next up Topcliffe, I think it was just Chippys and Bulldogs back then. I pass the very impressive looking Dishforth, never knew what went on there, never knew anyone who'd been posted there. Still, it looks good.
A bit of a lull in airfields until signs for Robin Hood International Airport appear. Really? Not in my day! Spent time here on SAR Wing with Sea Kings and Wessex. Also there were Chippys, Bulldogs, JP's, Jetstreams, and Dominies. On down past Bawtry, wasn't that a rocket site once?, through Nottinghamshire and on towards Lincolnshire, home of the RAF. Past signs for Cranwell, JP's, and on towards Newark. There used to be a Liightning on a stick here, I wonder where that's gone?
Now I'm nearing Rutland and Cottesmore with the first Tornados of the TTTE. North Luffenham is signposted, now what was that all about? Ahh, Wittering, 1Sqn and 233OCU with their Harriers. Check out the old house on Collyweston Road as I speed past. Happy days doing my 'Q' course listening to Europe's Final Countdown on the jukebox in the Mally before heading off for Gutersloh.
On past Peterborough where I recall convoys of American military vehicles clogging the A1. They must have been out of Alconbury, a yankee base. F15's I think. This place always seemed to play second fiddle to Mildenhall.
Turning onto the A14 I whizz past Wyton, 51 Sqn were here along with the Canberras of Tacky Ton and also the jammers of 360Sqn I think. Oh, and Devons of 207. Always struck me as an odd place to base some Comms aircraft like the Devon.
Marshalls of Cambridge next with their Herc majors and then Waterbeach, that rings a bell, was it another yankee base?
Mildenhall, nuff said, there's something flying the approach as I pass then on in to the Thetford Forest, I'm sure there're UFO's in these parts. Past signs for Honnington, I remember Buccaneers there with 237 OCU and its twin stick Hunters but I can't recall the squadron number. I know the Buccs became 12Sqn at Lossie and I'm pretty certain they were 216Sqn before that. Ah well, all gone now.
I finally reach Lowestoft, home of Justin Hawkins and The Darkness, and yes, it looks a lot better in the dark.
How things have changed in the intervening 27 years, where did it all go?
Passing south on the M6 I looked left at what had been 14MU just north of Carlisle and pondered at the vastness of the derelict site, where's all that stuff kept now?
Crossing the A66 I arrived at Scotch Corner and Catterick, home of the Rock Ape. I think a Vulcan once touched down here, but it looks like there're barracks on the airfield now.
On down the A1 and Leeming, I think it was closed the last time I passed pre Tornado. Next up Topcliffe, I think it was just Chippys and Bulldogs back then. I pass the very impressive looking Dishforth, never knew what went on there, never knew anyone who'd been posted there. Still, it looks good.
A bit of a lull in airfields until signs for Robin Hood International Airport appear. Really? Not in my day! Spent time here on SAR Wing with Sea Kings and Wessex. Also there were Chippys, Bulldogs, JP's, Jetstreams, and Dominies. On down past Bawtry, wasn't that a rocket site once?, through Nottinghamshire and on towards Lincolnshire, home of the RAF. Past signs for Cranwell, JP's, and on towards Newark. There used to be a Liightning on a stick here, I wonder where that's gone?
Now I'm nearing Rutland and Cottesmore with the first Tornados of the TTTE. North Luffenham is signposted, now what was that all about? Ahh, Wittering, 1Sqn and 233OCU with their Harriers. Check out the old house on Collyweston Road as I speed past. Happy days doing my 'Q' course listening to Europe's Final Countdown on the jukebox in the Mally before heading off for Gutersloh.
On past Peterborough where I recall convoys of American military vehicles clogging the A1. They must have been out of Alconbury, a yankee base. F15's I think. This place always seemed to play second fiddle to Mildenhall.
Turning onto the A14 I whizz past Wyton, 51 Sqn were here along with the Canberras of Tacky Ton and also the jammers of 360Sqn I think. Oh, and Devons of 207. Always struck me as an odd place to base some Comms aircraft like the Devon.
Marshalls of Cambridge next with their Herc majors and then Waterbeach, that rings a bell, was it another yankee base?
Mildenhall, nuff said, there's something flying the approach as I pass then on in to the Thetford Forest, I'm sure there're UFO's in these parts. Past signs for Honnington, I remember Buccaneers there with 237 OCU and its twin stick Hunters but I can't recall the squadron number. I know the Buccs became 12Sqn at Lossie and I'm pretty certain they were 216Sqn before that. Ah well, all gone now.
I finally reach Lowestoft, home of Justin Hawkins and The Darkness, and yes, it looks a lot better in the dark.
How things have changed in the intervening 27 years, where did it all go?