U2 @ Akrotiri

[621andy]

After rushing over to Akrotiri to see the Arrers practising, I witnessed a Nimrod landing, followed 10 minutes later by a black U2...

Without endangering (inter-)national security, are the U2s regular visitors, or did I just get lucky to see one?

I did miss the Reds though, only managed to see 'em doing their stuff from a distance

Andy

[ZH875]

They quite ofte........Aaaaaggggghhhhh Black Omega Syndrome

[advocatusDIABOLI]

No, U2's NEVER visit Cyprus...... what you saw was a weather balloon. A very modern one, to be sure, but a Weather Balloon.

Advo

[senga]

SSSSSSSHHHHHHH!!!
it's top secret!!!

[splitbrain]

There was never one there during my tour.

Damned loud noise early in the morning though

[621andy]

Aaaah, so they're common as muck then wondered why no-one else looked interested Have to try and get a better pic next time then

Thanks for the link- interesting stuff!

[senga]

just remember..... I didn't tell you.... ok?












oooh look, there's someone at the do..........

[Wensleydale]

No U2 for a while until they replace the guitars that were auctioned last week.

[The Helpful Stacker]

Many a cracking night spent in the Triple A but as most have said, no U2's at all, what-so-ever, no-way-no-how, fly out of Akrotiri regularly.

Oh and getting a ride in the Impreza down the Akrotiri runway doesn't happen either.

[Bigt]

Seem to recall a `weather balloon` having a mishap on landing/taking off some years ago causing abit of damage to RAF property

[Wrathmonk]

Not only damage to property but also killed six people (weather balloon pilot, senior met officer and 4 locally employed civilians).

[DON T]

Believe the pilot was called Al Henderson, an American who had previously played rugby for Akrotiri Flamingos.

The day previous to the accident, the Daily Telegraph had printed an article saying that the British Government denied that a U2 was stationed at Akrotiri. Mind the one that took off in the morning wasn't usually the one that returned at night but my american mates on Olive Harvest would never back that up.

[ORAC]

Regular pilots at the time had just been cleared to go off SBA and had an accident, rolled car, killing one school teacher, and were in hospital.

Replacement pilot tried the spiral climb over quarters trick - hoofed it left on rotation and stalled/side slipped into the ground. Impacted beside the tower and two underwing tanks went on into the Ops block. Explosion took out the bottom of the tower and all comms, but the guys in local were OK.

IIRC someone (rock ape?) got a medal for fast thinking and driving a vehicle through the rear wall of the Ops block to let those trapped inside out.

The seat was left tarpaulined for a couple of days until they flew in a specialist to safe it.

Luckiest guys were a Vulcan crew who had also had a car crash the previous day. They were at TPMH, otherwise they would have been in Ops briefing.
.

[reynoldsno1]

There were never, ever, any U-2s at Akrotiri during the 70's either, and nor did one crash into the Ops building....

[wokkameister]

U2 at Akrotiri? Don't care for their music much

[Tandemrotor]

I'm sure you guys are absolutely correct, and no such Harvest of Olives ever operated there.

I just want to know who all the guys were that used to wear those T-shirts saying: "If we're not really here, then where the f@*k are we?"

[Zoom]

I never saw one at Akrotiri. But then, I have never been to Akrotiri.

[phil gollin]

I thought there were no U-2s around anymore, just TR-1s ??????

[Gainesy]

And the Lady's Mile Motor-Glider Club wasn't there in 1970 either, so that game of tactical baseball (down a tinny at each base) must have been a bad dream.

[Gaz ED]

It's a U2-S, I believe. At least it looked like one, when I was (!) sat in the passenger seat of a BMW chasing it down the runway!

That tubey food is gopping!