'Unknown' aircraft at Akrotiri
RIot at RIAT
Never saw one on static at RIAT 2017....nor with pressure suit, helmet, gloves boots, ALsE on display 👽👽
Last edited by chopper2004; 9th Jan 2019 at 08:07. Reason: Photos
We were on the beach at the east end of the SBA near the harbour when one came in to land; far from being a VRT type (like us) who tried to stop us photographing it, the Deputy ACLO was running round shouting 'you can't take a picture of that'.
He also tried it when a decidedly non standard looking Nimrod came in to land later.
As for noise, they generally took off as we were walking across to the mess for brekky about 7am noisy buggers.
He also tried it when a decidedly non standard looking Nimrod came in to land later.
As for noise, they generally took off as we were walking across to the mess for brekky about 7am noisy buggers.
I didn't drink beer with the spaceman who didn't have anything to do with it whilst I wasn't there at any time during various Toom APC's in the early '80's. Something might have been at the far end of G dispersal but it was probably a bit of heat shimmy distorting the tacky ton Canberra target tug. Aircraft recognition was never my strong point.
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Never used to see one take off in the mornings making a huge noise with a steep take off climb when I was on the way to school, but hey I was only a kid so I have no idea what I didn't see back then.
Seems a lot has changed since 82 - no more swimming pool and the MQ we used to live in must have been flattened and replaced with a new one.
Seems a lot has changed since 82 - no more swimming pool and the MQ we used to live in must have been flattened and replaced with a new one.
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And while standing outside plant 42 in Palmdale in 1973 I never saw one take off and dropping the wingtip gear and climbing at a very steep angle with a lot of noise -before getting into a Rockwell Aerocommander as SLF with a corporate VP pilot named Hoover and just barely clearing the ridge with a nice house- between Palmdale and LAX while working on the first B-1 Bomber.
I was never almost deafened by a weather balloon on departure whilst I plugged in the Runway Caravan at AKT during an F4 APC. It was painfully loud at such close range!
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We were out there in 86 I think it was, and were told that if the aircraft that wasn't there wasn't towed past us on the taxiway we were to turn round with our backs to what wasn't there. I was also told off on day 1 of the detachment for getting lost looking for GEF and parking the landrover outside a hangar
medivac while I asked this bloke for directions.
The fact that half of the south of Cyprus could hear an aircraft that wasn't there not take off in the morning was not relevant...
The fact that half of the south of Cyprus could hear an aircraft that wasn't there not take off in the morning was not relevant...
Golden BB : RIot at RIAT 2017
Don't know how long it will be there but on www.zoom.earth/#34.587014,33.000716,19z,map is a 'strange' aircraft lined up on 28.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Nearly got killed in a car crash by the head of U2 operations in Cyprus back in 1977.
The detachment had had just been allowed to start going off the SBA and he came out to Cyprus on a visit and he, along with the detachment commander, came up to 280SU on a curtesy call as we provided their radar surveillance. The plan was to meet in the mess and go down to Kakpetria for a meze in their SUV. What we were unaware of was that they had been drinking all afternoon.
Halfway down the mountain the car left the road, rolled down a slope and ended up in a storm drain on its roof. Thankfully the water only half filled the interior and we were able to kick out the windscreen. In the car along with the two of them were me and, IIRC, HW.
Police attended, taken to hospital, lots of urgent telephone calls and both the Americans were off the island in 12 hours.
Shortly after the det had another crash off base which killed two female schoolteachers and injured two of their pilots. That left them so short they flew in another to maintain their flying schedule. He was the one who took out the ATC tower, Ops and Met office on his first take-off.
They got got barred from going base again after that.
The detachment had had just been allowed to start going off the SBA and he came out to Cyprus on a visit and he, along with the detachment commander, came up to 280SU on a curtesy call as we provided their radar surveillance. The plan was to meet in the mess and go down to Kakpetria for a meze in their SUV. What we were unaware of was that they had been drinking all afternoon.
Halfway down the mountain the car left the road, rolled down a slope and ended up in a storm drain on its roof. Thankfully the water only half filled the interior and we were able to kick out the windscreen. In the car along with the two of them were me and, IIRC, HW.
Police attended, taken to hospital, lots of urgent telephone calls and both the Americans were off the island in 12 hours.
Shortly after the det had another crash off base which killed two female schoolteachers and injured two of their pilots. That left them so short they flew in another to maintain their flying schedule. He was the one who took out the ATC tower, Ops and Met office on his first take-off.
They got got barred from going base again after that.
Thread Starter
It was most embarassing when one arrived at Farnborough for the static display. The SBAC supplied groundcrew insisted on ignoring the USAF ground party and handling it their way not allowing it to taxy off the runway once the outriggers were fitted and consequently it blocked the runway for about 15 -20 minutes while they tried the manhandle it with the pilot still on board.
The Group Captain (COEF Farnborough) naturally blamed us (ATC) for the delay (nothing to do with us chief) as he was waiting along with other members of the Flying Control Committee to 'vet' the displays of several other aircraft.
Last edited by chevvron; 9th Jan 2019 at 19:30.
The US taxpayer certainly got their money's worth from that particular example.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
This one perhaps?
- 68-10329 art.#051
- Originally built as a U-2R, first flew as N803X on 28 Aug 1967
- Also flown by ROCAF, ROCAF code: #3925
- First aircraft to fly with Superpods
- Transferred to 9 SRW, 1981
- Reconfigured as U-2S, May 1995
An Army Helicopter Flight School roommate from back in 1968 wound up being the Squadron Commander of 99 Squadron after he shifted over to the Air Force.....he was bound for higher places than just a Chinook seat.
He is an excellent pilot who went through Chinook Conversion training with me and travelled to Vietnam to the same Battalion where we were assigned to different Chinook units.
He shifted to the Air Force in 1974 and retired upon which he went to work for American Airlines as a Pilot.
Along the way he became an author.
https://web.ipmsusa3.org/content/sha...-u-2-spy-plane
He is an excellent pilot who went through Chinook Conversion training with me and travelled to Vietnam to the same Battalion where we were assigned to different Chinook units.
He shifted to the Air Force in 1974 and retired upon which he went to work for American Airlines as a Pilot.
Along the way he became an author.
https://web.ipmsusa3.org/content/sha...-u-2-spy-plane
Last edited by SASless; 9th Jan 2019 at 21:01.
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Way back in 1980 World in Action (I think) were filming an interview with some talking head at Mildenhall. Said head was denying that any alleged spy planes were operating in the Uk when a certain black glider drifted in over the hedge and waiting cameras. and it made inclusion in that weeks programme as well. Allegedly it was a weather diversion from Beale AFB, they said.....
PS:
I made the last bit up...…….!
PS:
I made the last bit up...…….!
Gnome de PPRuNe
I wasn't at Air Fete 80 at Mildenhall and I didn't get a glimpse of a section of black fuselage through a briefly opened hangar side door... I haven't just looked at my old mil spotter's log (can't bear to throw 'em out, after nearly 30 years, God only knows why) and it wasn't 68-10339.
I did however see and hear one take off from Patrick AFB - the log I didn't look at tells me it was 68-10329, the history of which ORAC has kindly detailed above. I recall the climb as quite steep and I was surprised by the noise. Mind you, I think I had seen the TR-1 flying at a show or two by then. The departure was just before the the first post-Challenger Shuttle Launch so possibly connected?
I did however see and hear one take off from Patrick AFB - the log I didn't look at tells me it was 68-10329, the history of which ORAC has kindly detailed above. I recall the climb as quite steep and I was surprised by the noise. Mind you, I think I had seen the TR-1 flying at a show or two by then. The departure was just before the the first post-Challenger Shuttle Launch so possibly connected?
