The 1990 Air Tournament International was themed as the " Battle of Britain 50th Anniversary" airshow and sponsored by Southern Television (TVS). It was held at RAF Boscombe Down on the weekend of June 9 and 10, 1990. The announcement created great excitement among aviation enthusiasts. It was still a time when no photography was allowed at Boscombe Down. The MOD police would make themselves known if you paid too much attention outside the perimeter fence, so being on the airfield was very exciting. For the 'Friends of the International Air Tattoo' (F.I.A.T), there would be a grandstand, and it was positioned very close to the active runway.
The show was, by any other name, an International Air Tattoo and was organised by the International Air Tattoo team. Sadly, the weather was terrible. The Friday practice had to be abandoned, and the Saturday show was murky and wet. It all proved frustrating for photography and the cameras, significantly changing film in the rain.
One of the 1990 great highlights had to be the pair of F-111s 'Aardvarks' from the Royal Australian Airforce's number one squadron, who performed their legendary "dump and burn"aerial demonstration, which basically means dumping fuel and igniting it, and hugely exciting to witness.
The United States Air Force again supported the show with many aircraft types. The four stateside Eglin-based 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing F-15s were a real highlight, along with two Pennsylvania ANG A-7 Corsairs, a KC-135 from the Ohio ANG and B-52s and B-1Bs from Strategic Air Command.
The Royal Jordanian Airforce pulled out all the stops, supporting the show with two Casa 101s from their 11squadron and two 26squadron Mirage F-1EJs, supported by a C-130 Hercules. It would be many years before the Royal Jordanian Air Force again appeared with fast jets at the International Air Tattoo.
The United States Coast Guard reinforced its presence with no less than three types, the star being an HU-25A Dassault Falcon. Once again, the HC-130H Hercules carried an HH-65A Aerosptiale Dauphin as its cargo, and all three were in the static display.
The scene below looks out across the Wiltshire countryside, with a couple of exciting military aircraft participating in this 1990 salute to fifty years of the Battle of Britain Anniversary at RAF Boscombe Down.
A8-142 F-111C RAAF and 59-2570B52G USAF.
A8-142 1sqn RAAF Taixs for runway 05 at Boscombe Down before its 'Dump and Burn' demonstration.
Status preserved at the main gate to RAAF Wagga.
RAAF F-111C A8-142 Torching the Wiltshire skies.
The Dump and Burn is performed by dumping fuel and igniting it with the afterburner. It is sometimes called a 'Zippo.' Looking at my photo, it seems like a bad way to light a cigarette!
85-0118/EG F-15C from the 60TFS 33TFW USAF makes a high-speed run and break with two Eglin-based F-15Cs and two F-15D's.
Status Active with the 131st FS and coded 'MA'.
86-0166/EG F-15C makes a welcome visit to Boscombe Down.
06-0116/EG F-15C taxiing for the static park.
Status Active with the 122nd FS and coded 'JZ'.
85-0134/EG F-15D 60TFS 33TFW USAF.
Status Active with the 131st FS coded 'MA'.
85-0132/EG F-15D nose up as it runs down runway 23.
Status Active with the 114th FS coded 'OR'.
Finally, the commander's aircraft, 85-0118/EG F-15D 'Gulf Spirit'.
Status active with the 131st FS.
ZD7421/CZ Tornado GR1 17Sqn RAF.
Status scrapped.
XV582/M F-4K Phantom FG1 111Sqn RAF.
Status preserved as 9066M at the South Wales Aviation Museum at St Athen.
XT895/CJ F-4M Phantom FGR Mk2 228 OCU RAF.
Status Scrapped.
ZA461/DK Tornado GR1 31Sqn RAF.
Status Scrapped.
ZD718/BH Tornado GR1 14Sqn RAF.
Status W/O 13 Janurary 1991.
ZE907 Tornado F3 229 OCU RAF.
Status Scrapped.
72-0255/PT Vought A-7D Corsair II 112TFG Penn ANG.
Status Scrapped at HVF West Tuson.
70-0987/PT Vought A-7D Corsair II 112TFG Penn ANG. It was also at Fairford IAT in 1989.
Status Scrapped the same as 255 above.
58-0008/OH KC-135R 145ARS Ohio ANG.
Status Stored 309th AMARG.
73-1583/SB EC-130R 145ARS USAF.
Status passed to 'DM' and then stored.
BD-04 Mirage 5BD Force Aerienne Belge.
XV293/293 C-130K Hercules C1 LTW RAF.
Status scrapped.
XX965 Jaguar GR1A 226 OCU RAF.
Status to RAF Cosford as an Instructional airframe.
WD955/EM English Electric Canberra T17A 60Sqn.
Status stored at Bodo in Norway.
ZD376/F BAe Harrier GR7 233 OCU RAF.
Status MCAS Cherry Point Naval Air Depot.
83-0077 KC-10 Extender 68ARW USAF.
Status stored 309th AMARG.
60-0014 'Global Reach & Power' B-52H Stratofortress 7BW.
Arriving at Boscombe Down on the Thursday before the weekend show.
Status stored 309th AMARG.
70-0447 Lockheed C-5A 'Galaxy' 436AW USAF arriving at Boscombe Down.
70-0447 Lockheed C-5A 'Galaxy' 436AW USAF.
ZA718 Boeing Vertol Chinook DTEO arrives at Boscombe following a mission.
70-0447 Lockheed C-5A 'Galaxy' 436AW USAF.
It was later passed to the 68th AS 433rd AW AFRC.
Status stored 309th AMARG.
XX342/2 Hawk T1 ETPS escorts a Czechoslovakian Air Force Aero Vodochy L-39 186 in a first visit from the Air arm and what would lead to a near invasion of aircraft from them at the 1991 IAT at RAF Fairford.
186 Aero Vodochy L-39 Czechoslovakian Air Force.
MM54498/61-44 leads MM54459/61-13 Aeromacchi MB.339A 61BA AMI.
E.25-07/08/13/14/22/25/and 26 CASA 101 Aviojets ALA79 EdA.
71 Embraer MB-121 Xingu Marine 2S.
Active with 28F.
21 Breguet BR1150 Atlantic Marine 24F
Active as an ATL2 with 21F.
61+20 Breguet BR1150 Atlantic Marinefleiger.
Status was preserved at Soesterburg Museum in all MLD colours and registered as 250.
Preserved at the City of Norwich Museum.
2119 Dassault Falcon HU-25A 'Guardian'.
Staus Wfu at Miami.
1720 HC-130H US Coast Guard with 6509 HH-65A Aerospatiale Dauphin still inside while 61-0307 KC-135R 19ARW taixing into the static park Royal Jordanian Air Force Mirage F-1EJs 104 and 107.
1155 C-101.CC Aviojet 11Sqn Royal Jordanian Air Force.
Status Preserved at Kerak.
1156 C-101.CC Aviojet 11Sqn Royal Jordanian Air Force.
Status Wfu.
507/2-FD Mirage 2000B EC.2 Adla.
Status Instructional airframe at Chateauxroux.
XL161 Victor 55 Sqn RAF.
Status scrapped.
61-2667 KC-135W Stratotanker 380BW.
It was later a 'Constant Phoneix' with 45RS/OF.
Status stored at 309th AMARG.
A20-103 Boeing 707 368c RAAF and NZ7271 Boeing 727 022c from Lands Down Under.
6502 CASA C-212 100 502 Esq FAP.
Status active as 16502.
5519 Vought A-7P Corsair II 302 Esq FAP
Status it became 15519.
2608 Northrop T-38A 'Talon'
Status Stored Hanger 13 at Alverca north of Lisbon.
35+02 and 35+72 RF-4E Phantom II WGAF.
Status 02 transferred to Greece as 7449 and 72 to Greece as 7519.
D-FEHD Messerschmitt (Nord)? Bf.109G-10.
G-CTIX PT462 VS. 361 Spitfire HF MK.1XE.
86-0111 B1A 'Lancer' 46BS/319BW USAF.
Status Active.
86-0111 B1A 'Lancer' 46BS/319BW USAF.
Status Active.
59-2570 Boeing B-52G 2BW 'Old Baldy'
Displaying a fast power pass down the runway.
Status scrapped.
59-2570 Boeing B-52G 2BW 'Old Baldy'
Then a low pass!
59-2570 Boeing B-52G 2BW 'Old Baldy'
Awesome. What a display in awful weather. We will never see a display of the likes again!
188767 and 188754 CF-118As scrambled takeoff. Also present were 188744 CF-118A and 188918 and 926 CF-188Bs from 439/421 and 409 Squadrons RCAF.
Status: all aircraft are still active.
ZE838Panavia F3 Tornado 25Sqn RAF.
Status: Scrapped.
63-7869 EC-130H 193SOS Pennsylvania ANG.
Status: Scrapped.
204 Dassault Mirage 2000BG 332 Mira Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia.
Status: W/O 2011 Fuselage is visible at Tanagra Air Base.
70-2396/LN F-111F Departing RAF Boscombe Down behind the second Australian Air Force A8144 F-111C Aardvark is being towed to the flight line.
Well, it is one of the UK's best airshows despite the awful weather.
Happy Days!
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