A ground party with a similar car was detached daily to RAE Bedford who had an agreement with Alconbury to be their 'COB' or' Combined Operating Base' but I didn't say that 'cos in never happened.
Come to think of it, didn't the first U2 to land in the UK land at Bedford?

They used their Mustang or whatever to do chippy runs at Sculthorpe. Didnt half growl and grumble as it went along.

One of the best trips you can get, at Akr it was in a BMW M5, a bit of a rush entering the runway at 110 mph with the guy who is driving (pilot) using one hand to steer and one hand to use the radio, fastest Automatic I have ever been in.

They don't do irony do they?

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....33f0b7a107.jpg

Jerry Garcia can't see anything either. Of course that's Jerry Garcia, not me.

One of the AFTAC guys with whom we worked at Patrick AFB was an ex-U-2 pilot and still had strong connections with the resident Det at Patrick. So a chum and I were invited to look around the jet in the hangar. The next day we were invited back at dawn to watch the pre-flight prep for the pilot, then out to watch the crew-in and taxi out from the mobile chase car driven by our ex-U-2 pilot host.

Crew-in was very quick; as soon as the pilot was happy with the jet we watched for a light on the corner of the hangar to show green, then off we went following the jet.

On reaching the RW, we did a quick last chance FOD check in the chase car, then came back and turned round to sit just off the wing where the pilot could see us. A thumbs-up from the chase driver, the U-2 went to max chat and we set off down the RW to see it airborne. Then we picked up the pogos and drove back to the Det before going for breakfast with our host and his wife.

An excellent visit!

I wondered that after I'd written it -- presumably it did low approaches to go-rounds. I wasn't on the A53 between Shrewsbury and Tern Hill at the time and didn't see it twice.

Reference Post No54

I remember the incident on 7 Dec 1977, and the award of the QGM to Bernie Limb. Found this description on the internet. I believe that Bernie was the driver of the Landrover..

The U2 was taking off on a routine reconnaissance over the Sinai Desert when it stalled on take off, crashing into the station operations complex, spreading debris and burning fuel everywhere. Some people were trapped in what remained of the building(s). Amongst those trapped in the building was Flt Lt BJM Limb and two of his staff. Unable to release them, or escape himself, he instructed rescuers to gain access through the walls of the building. (This probably resulting in one of the stories posted about a Landrover trying to knock down a door because it was locked.) For his bravery Flt Lt Limb was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal.

Er - puhleese!
Genuine question.

Why is everyone writing all these bizarre negatives?
Is this some in-joke/tradition I've not come across? (That was a real negative, btw)

I seen 'em do rollers with these tired ol' eyes. (At the very same aerodrome in Cyprus that they were never at.) I also had the honour to be downtown at the same time that the Swedish Netball Team were out having a few beverages... Happy Days.

The interesting fact about 'those flights' was that you could never be sure that the one that took off from there was the one that landed some time later ;P

If you don't know then you don't 'need' to know.
Like the rest of us don't know who you are because your profile tells us nothing.

I didn't see this either and remarked to Mrs wub that if flying the U2 did that to the pilot, it was a wonder there were any volunteers. This prompted the airman manning the stand to remark "Uh, sir, there is actually no one in the suit"

I didn't see this aircraft at Akrotiri because I was never there. If I were, I'd have known better than to ask what it wasn't.

As I was never there, I didn't have a great time diving from an RPL belonging to 10 Port Sqn RCT (whoever they were), either.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....8299ade60d.jpg

I'm not surprised you didn't see anything with those goggles on...

Those 2 manning the stand look as if they're really enjoying British Summer weather...

Kaitakbowler's Google piccy stirs some ancient memories! The grey roofed hut towards the top left was my Ops Room work place from 71-74. The parking area and sheds around the non-existent aircraft are additions since then ... had they existed previously we would not have been able to see a lone 'Red' transit below hangar height from the other side during their work-up 'bomb-burst'! The afore-mentioned hut was a handy viewing spot for such activity as, for instance, the 'will it, won't it' departures of the Victor B1s making their close-up inspections of Ladies Mile!! 1563 Flt when I arrived, 84 Sqn (for my second time) when I left - are the 'scorpions still smelly' there?

Bizarre negative posts are actually quite common here you know.:E

Because if we told you we would have to invoke the 'terminate with predjudice ' rule - be happy !