Israeli F-15 jets make a star appearance at RAF Waddington's airshow 2001.

Expectations for the 2001 RAF airshow at RAF Waddington had been running high. By the time aircraft began their arrivals, the atmosphere amongst spotters and photographers alike had reached a frenzy of rumour. In fact, unlike today, this is a rumour that really has become folklore. 

This is how I remember people telling it. The then prime minister of Britain, Tony Blair, had been briefed that an Israeli Air Force detachment of F-15s, Boeing KC-707s and C-130 Hercules were airborne from Isreal and headed for the UK. In reply to his shocked response, he was informed they were participating in the RAF Waddington Airshow on Saturday, June 30th and Sunday, July 1st 2001.

Whether that is true or an old wife's tale, there is no disputing that they certainly did appear and what a great moment for all of us enthusiasts.

The RAF Waddington airshow team had once again pulled off a mega coup. Still, as time had proved, 2001 would have a mass of great military aircraft types that would produce USAF B-2Bs E-8A, Spanish Navy AV8s, Greek and French mirage 2000's P-3 Orions from Norway and the Netherlands and more and then more, a truly memorable moment in UK airshows.

It is all captured here on the Fuji Velvia slide film.

267 F-15I 'Ra'am' 69 Sqn Israeli Air Force.

267 F-15I 'Ra'am' 69 Sqn Israeli Air Force.

269 F-15I 'Ra'am' 69 Sqn Israeli Air Force.

244 F-15I 'Ra'am' 69 Sqn Israeli Air Force.

264/4X-JYH KC-707 'Re'em' 120 sqn Israeli Air Force.

314/4X-FBI C-130E 'Karnaf' 103/131 Sqn Israeli Air Force.

314/4X-FBI C-130E 'Karnaf' 103/131 Sqn Israeli Air Force.

275 KC-707 Re'em 120 sqn Israeli Air Force.

275 KC-707 Re'em 120 sqn Israeli Air Force.

EMB312F's 477/312-JU and 489/312-UH, AdlA.

WJ874 "VN799" Canberra T4 39 (1PRU) Sqn. RAF.

ZH554 Tornado F3 F30EU. RAF.

ZA595/V111 Tornado GR4 13Sqn. RAF.

46+44 Tornado ECR JBG32 "Tiger C/S" GAF.

3299 P-3C Orion 333Skv NorAF.

44+42 Tornado IDS AG-51 GAF.

304 P-3C Orion MARPAT RNAF.

86-0096/EL B-1B 37th BS, "37BS" USAF.

58-0040 KC-135E 150th ARS 'NJ' ANG.

201 Mirage 2000BG 331 MPK, HAF.

 "The beasts of Marsan"

663/330-AU Mirage 2000D leads 524/330-AZ Mirage 2000B Adl. 

663/330-AU Mirage 2000D prepares to depart home to Mont de Marsan in the Southwest of France.

524/330-AZ Mirage 2000B, both showing their Tiger sqn Marks.

J-020 and J-511 F-16AM 313Sqn RNAF prepare for departure.

FA-116 F-16A BAF 31Sqn special marks, 50 years of 31Sqn and a Tiger Sqn.

XS728/E Dominie T1 from 55 (R) Sqn. RAF.

3299 P-3C Orion from 333Skv NorAF.

3299 P-3C Orion from 333Skv NorAF.

44+42 and 44+20 Tornado IDS AG-51 GAF departing home to Schleswig-Jagel.

30 Falcon 50 SURMAR from 24F at Lorient/Lann-Bihoué.

30 Falcon 50 SURMAR from 24F at Lorient/Lann-Bihoué.

477/312-JU and 489/312-UH EMB312F from DV05.312 at Salon de Provence.

477/312-JU Embraer EMB312F Tucano AdlA.

J-5014 F-18C Flst II Swiss Air Force.

J-5024 F-18C Flst II Swiss Air Force.

"Stars of ROTA"

(VA.1B-26) 01-914 AV-8B Esc009 Spanish Navy.

(VA.1A-21) 01.909 AV-8B Esc009 Spanish Navy.

U.20-1/01-914 Ce550 Esc004 Spanish Navy. Support aircraft for the AV-8s.

95-0121/WR E-8C 16th ACCS USAF.

86-0096/EL B-1B 37th BS "37BS" USAF.

86-0096/EL B-1B lines up for departure.

86-0096/EL B-1B shaking the ground at RAF Waddington.

58-0040 KC-135E 150th ARS NJ ANG.

58-0040 KC-135E 150th ARS NJ ANG.

Another great show from the bygone days.

I hope you enjoyed the retreat down memory lane.

Hope it was of interest.

Happy days!

Exercise Cooperative Bear RAF St Mawgan 1998

Exercise Cooperative Bear 1998 featured significant para drops across the Salisbury plain, and many former Eastern block transport aircraft participated alongside their NATO partners. 

"Cooperative Bear 98." 

A NATO Medevac/humanitarian aid exercise, running from the 4th to the 13th of September 1998.

I must have been slow in going forward! First, I visited Salisbury Plain drop zones, then a trip to RAF Keevil, another drop zone. The result was nothing other than a Polish AN-26 at Keevil.

So, it's time for action. I departed for the exercise's main operating base at RAF St Mawgan.

Yes, it was a long drive, but it was rewarded with some great aircraft. The number one position had to go to the Latvian Air Force LET-410, but there were some lovely pickings enhanced by the Cornish clear light, as you can see below.

2506 An-26 call sign "Bear 0809B" with stunning grey, black, and white camouflage.

955 C-130H RNorAF from 355 Skvadron based at Oslo/Gardermoen Airport.

Red 145 Let 410T Latvian Air Force, from the 3rd Tranporta Eskadrilla based at Lielvarde.

1603 An-26 PolAF 13 plt from Krakow/Balice.

114/62-IJ CN-235 Escadron de Transport 01.062 "Varcors" from Creil airbase near Paris.

955 C-130H RnorAF landing back at RAF St Mawgan.

XV306/306 Hercules C.1 LTW/RAF Lyneham, callsign "Bear 0813."

U-03 Fokker 60U 334 Squadron RNLAF  based at Eindhoven.

U-03 Fokker 60U RNLAF.

84005/845 TP84 Hercules Swedish Air Force from F7 at Satenas airbase.

84005/845 TP84 Hercules Swedish Air Force.

114/62-IJ CN.235 French Air Force.

955 C-130H RNorAF Taxies.

G-FRAS Falcon 20C FR Aviation from Bournemouth/Hurn airport.

XV300/300 Lockheed Hercules C.1 from LTW/RAF Lyneham callsign "Bear 0814".

XV300/300 Lockheed Hercules C.1 RAF.

2409 An-26 CzechAF arrived from the 6 Základna Dopravniho Leteckva (6 ZDL) at Kbely.

6150 C130B Hercules Romanian Air Force serving with the 90ATB at Otopeni/Bucharest.

XV306/306 Hercules C.1 RAF landing back at RAF St Mawgan.

ZE396 BAe 125 CC3. RAF Landing from RAF Northolt. Today preserved at Landgoed Groot Bentveld.

145 L410T Latvian Air Force.

ZH658/106 Harrier T10 1 Squadron RAF.

ZD435/47 Harrier GR.9 1Squadron RAF from RAF Wittering.

XX205 Hawk T1A Royal Navy, low pass from RN Culdrose.

XZ585/A Sea King HAR3 departs on a local mission. Today, it is preserved at the RAF Museum at Hendon.

ZE369/S Sea King HAR3 RAF departing RAF St Mawgan on a training mission. 

Unfortunately, I did not get to photograph the participating Lithuanian Air Force An-26 as it had gone tech before my visit.

Happy Days!