Heads up for the UK members

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

I was astonished by the amount of misinformation tbh. Revisionist history is always interesting though so it made for good reading. It's nice to look at the old threads sometimes.

a reply to: Wide-Eyes

I thought the same
On-topic, do you reckon when the new carriers are up and running with F35b's we'd be able to pull the Falklands off again?
We've got a fair presence there anyway but who knows, now it's soon to be oil rich, maybe Argentina would try it on again.
My gut instinct written on the back of a beer mat is we'd pull it off, again.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

No doubt. My mother grew up in the Falklands. It's more than just a dot of land in the Southern Atlantic. It's a matter of national pride. It's one of the few British territories that weren't conquered.

Nobody was interested in the islands until we took control of them.

One day just one day I'm gonna get the chance to visit a few bases. Marham is about 2 hour drive for me but I think I'm gonna be at work plus I might be missing out on RIAT this year this year for me has been a total pain in the backside

I love jets but give me a big ole supercharged merlin anyday. Which reminds me....i need to go visit Duxford. Btw both the f35 and 22 were at Duxford same day as RIAT 2 years ago and may be doing the same.


a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

a reply to: lakenheath24
I think the F-22 demo team have already confirmed they won't be attending this year. The USAF heritage flight HAS confirmed with an F-35 and P-51. Providing I can get my car insurance sorted out next month and RIAT tickets for Sunday are still a available by the 1st of June (pushing it) then I'll be going. RIAT on the Friday has a mass fly past of most of the RAF aircraft so I'll be guessing the British F-35s will be there. Other than that RIAT this year seems to be another good show I'll be gutted as hell if I miss it but at the moment I have other issues to sort out

You know Duxford only being up the road from me so to speak and my love for aviation since a kid I've never ever been to duxford. It's due a visit. If I miss RIAT then I might book some time off work later in the year and spend some time roaming around the air bases is SE England (lakenheath, mildenhall and Marham). Sad to say I didn't know Marham was quite close to me which is a bit embarrassing.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
Ha! Found it! It's a 42 pager so you'll be reading awhile, but it gets better as it goes. There was some good info in there, but a lot of stuff that was just flat funny.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Off topic sorry. Thanks for the link I'd never heard of the story about the possible sinking of HMS Invisible. I read I think up to page ten of that thread and it was quite a laugh. Using the conspiracy mind though it did give good for thought (albeit it briefly) but just the logical thinking of keeping the sinking secret and a replacement ship being swapped over was so funny

I like to visit the old ww2 bases. Went to Thorpe Abbots last year....the bl oody 100th. Gotta see them before thy sre all.gone!


a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

I always used to go to Biggin Hill air show. I remember seeing a post on some site or other about this bloke who was sat on the roof of his car just outside the perimeter fence (too tight to pay an entry fee) when a Phantom or something came screaming overhead at treetop height on afterburners.

He said: "It singed my hair, took the paint off the roof of my car and burst my eardrums - but it was worth it".

Before the days of health and safety.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Yeah, as loud as the F-35 or the F-22 are, they can't hold a candle to watching F-4 phantoms at early 90s airshows. Holy crap those J79s were ear-splitting. The F-14 wasn't quiet either.

a reply to: oldcarpy

Haha yes! Airshows were much better before H&S rules
Really low jets was my favourite, I miss that.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy


The old Lightning and Buccaneers were favourites of mine and the Vulcan of course was extremely loud. That used to rattle my kneecaps.

I seem to have a memory of an SR71 doing a low pass along the runway at Biggin but to be honest it was a long time ago and now I'm not sure if I imagined it or not.

a reply to: oldcarpy

Heads up if anyone wants a free airshow on 2nd/3rd June, Torbay Airshow is pretty decent, I went last year. Parking is a bitch but just go on any of the clifftops and it's all free over the sea in front of you.
Line up confirmed so far is at the link.

a reply to: Barnalby

We occasionally had to chain down a Viper and punch the burner. Jesus that was loud. You'd be surprised at how much simply rolling the windows up in the truck cuts down on noise when on the ramp. We'd be there with them up, ear protectors on, and still couldn't hold a conversation.

You near Lynmouth? Went there for a wedding kast year. BE U TA FUL! I nearly burned a clutch out in the rental car though...jeezus.
quick war story... i used to work on minuteman 2 icbm,s in Montana and we would regularly get buzzed in our maintenance trucks by b 1's from north dakota. A b1 in full burner 200 ft over your head will make your pooper pucker.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

a reply to: lakenheath24

Haha I know what you mean about the road down to Lynmouth, it's a fair way away from me but I know it well, crap 'beach' though, just stone reefs really.

A b1 in full burner 200 ft over your head would be awesome! 'Pooper pucker' lol

a reply to: lakenheath24

Pfft. You should try being at the far end of the runway, right where the nose lifted, MAYBE 100 feet off the runway, for a four ship MITO.

BWAHAHA. I love me some war stories. And some oneupmanship!

i have been to a footshot at Vandenburg for a MM2 launch.



a reply to: Zaphod58

a reply to: lakenheath24

Oneupmanship is what makes war stories go around.

Haven't made a missile launch but I've had a hung Harpoon pointed at my head.

Indeed....and why i love em so much.
There were so many ww2 vets around when i got to the uk in 1996. I have been to so many lockins at the pub and heard so many stories. Sadly nearly all the old guys and gals are gone now.




a reply to: Zaphod58