U2 @ Akrotiri
The clue as to why the U-2 was based at RAF Akrotiri was always in the name of the detachment Operation Olive Harvest.
A CIA document 'The CIA and the U-2 Program, 1954-1974' compiled in 1998 has been declassified. Although parts of it are blanked out, it doesn't take much to fill in the blanks. An very interesting read even though parts of it are blanked out.
It can be found at various locations on the web by typing in the title. One link is here. Download 9.30mb
http://www.fas.org/irp/program/collect/u2.pdf
From
The CIA and the U-2 Program, 1954-1974
'Originally classified Secret NOFORN. (Now UNCLASSIFIED)
Chapter 5
Page 256 and 257
The Middle East was again the cause of a Detachment G deployment in October 1973, when another Arab-Israeli war broke out. Two U-2s deployed XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (Blanked out) on 7 and 8 October 1973, to be ready for possible coverage of the conflict. Detachment G received no such tasking, however, and the last of the aircraft returned to California on 13 November.
The 1973 war did lead to the overseas deployment of Detachment G U-2s in 1974, when the CIA was tasked to monitor the Israeli-Egyptian and later the Israeli-Syrian disengagement areas. On 21 April 1974, a Detachment G U-2 with appropriate support elements arrived at XXXXXXXX(Blanked out) to conduct Operation XXXXXXXXXXX (Blanked out) Between 12 May and 28 July, the detachment conducted six overflights of the disengagement areas. During these missions the electronic warning systems of the U-2 registered numerous radar lockons, but no surface-to-air missiles were fired. On 1 August 1974, responsibility for the XXXXXXXXXX (Blanked out) missions as well as the aircraft itself came into the hands of the Air Force as part of the transfer on the entire Agency U-2 program at that time.'
Page 255 and 256 also highlights the previous CIA U-2 detachments to cover the Middle East for peace mediation. It details the involvement of President Nixon's National Security Advisor, Henry A. Kissinger and also previous CIA detachments to the blanked out operating base. You can also see the details about the earlier Detachment G deployments to the blanked out location for peace monitoring of the earlier Arab-Israeli conflicts.
TJ
A CIA document 'The CIA and the U-2 Program, 1954-1974' compiled in 1998 has been declassified. Although parts of it are blanked out, it doesn't take much to fill in the blanks. An very interesting read even though parts of it are blanked out.
It can be found at various locations on the web by typing in the title. One link is here. Download 9.30mb
http://www.fas.org/irp/program/collect/u2.pdf
From
The CIA and the U-2 Program, 1954-1974
'Originally classified Secret NOFORN. (Now UNCLASSIFIED)
Chapter 5
Page 256 and 257
The Middle East was again the cause of a Detachment G deployment in October 1973, when another Arab-Israeli war broke out. Two U-2s deployed XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (Blanked out) on 7 and 8 October 1973, to be ready for possible coverage of the conflict. Detachment G received no such tasking, however, and the last of the aircraft returned to California on 13 November.
The 1973 war did lead to the overseas deployment of Detachment G U-2s in 1974, when the CIA was tasked to monitor the Israeli-Egyptian and later the Israeli-Syrian disengagement areas. On 21 April 1974, a Detachment G U-2 with appropriate support elements arrived at XXXXXXXX(Blanked out) to conduct Operation XXXXXXXXXXX (Blanked out) Between 12 May and 28 July, the detachment conducted six overflights of the disengagement areas. During these missions the electronic warning systems of the U-2 registered numerous radar lockons, but no surface-to-air missiles were fired. On 1 August 1974, responsibility for the XXXXXXXXXX (Blanked out) missions as well as the aircraft itself came into the hands of the Air Force as part of the transfer on the entire Agency U-2 program at that time.'
Page 255 and 256 also highlights the previous CIA U-2 detachments to cover the Middle East for peace mediation. It details the involvement of President Nixon's National Security Advisor, Henry A. Kissinger and also previous CIA detachments to the blanked out operating base. You can also see the details about the earlier Detachment G deployments to the blanked out location for peace monitoring of the earlier Arab-Israeli conflicts.
TJ
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Weather balloons etc
IIRC someone took quite a blasting over the Snoopy on the tail of that balloon! That was a while ago in the 70s when they werent there either!
I and several other friends regularly sailed with the Senior Met Officer Jack Flawn, a wonderful man sorely missed. Im glad there is something permanent to remember him.
I and several other friends regularly sailed with the Senior Met Officer Jack Flawn, a wonderful man sorely missed. Im glad there is something permanent to remember him.
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I'm pretty sure that I didn't see a weather balloon taking off from Brize Norton and doing some circuits, while I wasn't on a mid-afternoon exercise with the Space Cadets... 
Some markings on a U-2S on transit through the UK. Nice to see some banter between enthusiasts, Pilots and ground crews. 
FighterControl • Home to the Military Aviation Enthusiast • View topic - MikeB on a U-2.... [Video & Recordings]
TJ
FighterControl • Home to the Military Aviation Enthusiast • View topic - MikeB on a U-2.... [Video & Recordings]
TJ
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In '89 I had just departed my pal's airstrip at Langham and was aiming for Old Sarum via scumbling round various zones [In my CFM Shadow 3 axis micro] when I glanced up and did not see the underside of a high aspect ratio black machine lowering its way to Sculthorpe. Later that same year I was approaching and cleared overhead Marham at 4000 feet enroute Pocklington when I didn't see yet another high aspect ratio device that had lifted off and was pointing at our two machine loose group [Shadow, Streak] so I advised Marham that I had this device visual and it was getting ever bigger and still aiming at us! Marham told me he was doing circuits at 2000 feet and at that moment he levelled off and my blood pressure approached normality.
Then at night near Leiston Suffolk [Bentwaters nearby] seeing the cluster of lights and with the moon behind not seeing another type of pointy weather balloon wheels down on approach was great fun.
Then at night near Leiston Suffolk [Bentwaters nearby] seeing the cluster of lights and with the moon behind not seeing another type of pointy weather balloon wheels down on approach was great fun.
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Some might remember the fight at The Pen Club in the 80s, involving 111 Sqn and 34 Sqn RAF Regt, in which some OH blokes also got involved (to their detriment). Some might remember the aftermath, during which a certain CO got a visit from Nicosia asking why the US recce capability in the Middle East that day, had been scrubbed due to his 'brutal thugs'. It almost got him sent home. I say 'might' because it never happened of course. They complained about our alternative 5th July do as well.. we probably didn't do Anglo/US relations much good in those days.
I don't remember nights in the AAA bar either. No, THEY actually did happen, but I really don't remember them. I have happy memories of many Bacon and Haloumi butties in 'the' hangar with the guys as the warm breeze drifted in. I remember the medics getting to grips with new resus procedures in the event of a crash, and the fact that in those days, pre flight briefing seemed to involve every flight getting maps of the world drawn from the map store in Ops. This, due to Opsec and the fact that nowhere was not available if needed.
Now, what were those cocktails called..? They involved a Creme de Menthe depth charge being dropped into a spirit mix, in a Gill measure.
I don't remember nights in the AAA bar either. No, THEY actually did happen, but I really don't remember them. I have happy memories of many Bacon and Haloumi butties in 'the' hangar with the guys as the warm breeze drifted in. I remember the medics getting to grips with new resus procedures in the event of a crash, and the fact that in those days, pre flight briefing seemed to involve every flight getting maps of the world drawn from the map store in Ops. This, due to Opsec and the fact that nowhere was not available if needed.
Now, what were those cocktails called..? They involved a Creme de Menthe depth charge being dropped into a spirit mix, in a Gill measure.
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Originally Posted by matkat
And I don't remember a weather baloon with a snooppy painted on it next to me whilst ground running a phantom in the mid 80s
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U2 or whatever
I seem to remember visiting OH detachment where we were shown around their aircraft in an exchange visit. They threw a sheet around the cockpit to prevent us stealing their "secrets".
When they visited us up the mountain (OLYMPUS- reason for the exchange), I remember we had a curtained area for communications and we placed a chair on top of a coffee table, shrouded it with a blanket, closed the curtains and frustrated the OH Crew and Support teams by refusing to disclose what was underneath the blanket after leaving the curtain slightly open.....childish I know but fun all the same.....
The most fun would be denying to Nicosia ATC (they used DME except for local ATC radars) that we had anything to do with that great rocket noise that most of Paphos and Limassol had heard Lol
1985-1988!!
When they visited us up the mountain (OLYMPUS- reason for the exchange), I remember we had a curtained area for communications and we placed a chair on top of a coffee table, shrouded it with a blanket, closed the curtains and frustrated the OH Crew and Support teams by refusing to disclose what was underneath the blanket after leaving the curtain slightly open.....childish I know but fun all the same.....
The most fun would be denying to Nicosia ATC (they used DME except for local ATC radars) that we had anything to do with that great rocket noise that most of Paphos and Limassol had heard Lol
1985-1988!!
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Whilst on a 56(F) APC detachment to Akrotiri I was walking with three others from the airfield gate towards the Survival Equipment Section (OPS block area) to start work for 7am.
As we passed the hangers the very young rather naive airman who was with us and on his first Cyprus detachment suddenly started hallucinating .
"A spaceman a spaceman I've just seen a spaceman he was shouting.
Of course none of us had seen one.
We had to explain to him that it must have been the result of his first encounter with the joy and perils of Keo/ brandy sours/kokinelli the previous evening and that such apparitions could become quite common during the 6 week detachment.
I think that we managed to convice him.
But why did those noisy spaceships have to take off so early?
As we passed the hangers the very young rather naive airman who was with us and on his first Cyprus detachment suddenly started hallucinating .
"A spaceman a spaceman I've just seen a spaceman he was shouting.
Of course none of us had seen one.
We had to explain to him that it must have been the result of his first encounter with the joy and perils of Keo/ brandy sours/kokinelli the previous evening and that such apparitions could become quite common during the 6 week detachment.
I think that we managed to convice him.
But why did those noisy spaceships have to take off so early?
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I was lucky enough to see one in the early 90s at Waddo after I took my then pre school son over to the public viewing area to watch the usual nothing happening
No one about at the old pre tarted up car park but then a guy turned up and asked if anything unusual had come in. Nope nothing in the last hour but in the space of half hour, the place went mad to the point that the local plod took over traffic control on the A15
Then the hangar doors opened and there it was, complete with the usual circus as it took of to the west form teh A15 threshold givinga perfect view
There must have been a few snaps taken that day. I gather the fog prevented it landing at Alconbury over night so it dropped in to Waddo for some B and B
No one about at the old pre tarted up car park but then a guy turned up and asked if anything unusual had come in. Nope nothing in the last hour but in the space of half hour, the place went mad to the point that the local plod took over traffic control on the A15
Then the hangar doors opened and there it was, complete with the usual circus as it took of to the west form teh A15 threshold givinga perfect viewThere must have been a few snaps taken that day. I gather the fog prevented it landing at Alconbury over night so it dropped in to Waddo for some B and B
Spacemen....
Ancient, The lad was not suffering from Keo/sours etc...just the Tric fumes coming from the QRF cleaning "safety tin" Tric being used to clean the SE section floors in prep for another VIP visit I expect..........
Happy days!!
Bet my "Oldman" trumps your "Ancient"....
Happy days!!
Bet my "Oldman" trumps your "Ancient"....
As an aside.....
Whilst on exercise `somewhere` with the Jags in the 80s we were invited to view the local threat museum one `down` day. There had been rumours of complete eastern bloc airframes to see. We were so dissapointed seeing only 40s technology soviet radar and AAA, plus a couple of WWII tanks, that we asked the very smart and heavily armed security trooper where all the `jets` were.... His polite reply was along the lines of "Sir - there are no aircraft here, SIR!" This was shortly followed by a crisp salute and the words "But......If you take the second door on the right on your way out, you will see....erm...no jets" We then spent several happy hours clambering over ....erm...nothing...All very interesting.
Stuffing tubes near your Johnson just to go flying is no way of life - I thought RAF pee bags and goon bag tubes were bad enough until I saw what this lot had to contend with!
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I certainly did not see a black glider like thing outside the 51 sqn hangar at Wyton in the early 1990's one night. I didnt see a bloke in a space suit emerge from it either. Never asked and still cant figure out why it was there as Alconbury was just down the road. Sorry about this entire post, it was just a very vivid dream, im not feeling very well and im lying my pants off too.
Last edited by Bicster; 6th Dec 2011 at 13:35.
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Whilst nowhere near a fair way south of a certain Mediterranean island and certainly not waiting around 40000' for an unknown contact to descend to our level ('cos we certainly couldn't go where he was) and, of course, this was not 1991 with 'stuff' going on down the road, I happened to get a speck of dust on my F95 camera. Luckily that's all it proved to be and was definitely not a 'special flight' returning to a certain Mediterranean island 
