International Air Tattoo 1983 at RAF Greenham Common

International Air Tattoo 1983 was the year of the Phantom, with an excellent turnout of thirty aircraft and many variants from the RAF, USAF and WGAF. 

Once again, aircraft from across the Globe filled the pans of RAF Greenham Common. Lockheed F-104 Starfighters were to be seen in superior numbers, always pleasing.

 The USAF sent an SR.71A. It was the only one I have photographed in the high visibility markings. The Royal Jordanian Airforce sent at least three Mirage F.1s, one into the static display and two for the flight line with one solo aircraft flying. 

Once again, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Aircraft Establishment turned out some interesting aircraft. They included their Bedford-based Vickers Viscount, the Bristol Brittania and newly captured Argentinian airforce Pucara up from its new home base at Boscombe Down. 

Sadly for Greenham Common, this would be its final International Air Tattoo. The following show in 1985 would transfer to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. 

64-17890 SR-71A USAF 9 SRW/DET-4 Taxis across Greenham Commons runway heading for the static park. Status today preserved Edwards AFB/NASA Dryden collection.

105 and 112 Mirage F.1EJs RJAF 1 SQN on the flight line on a very wet afternoon. Status stored in the desert Shaheed Mwaffaq.

108 Mirage F.1EJ RJAF 1 SQN proudly sits in the static park. Status stored in the desert at Shaheed Mwaffaq.

112 Mirage F.1EJ RJAF is departing for home on Monday morning.

XT661 Vickers Viscount from RAE Bedford taxing for take off. Status sadly scrapped.

XX367 Britannia 312F RAF A&AEE. Scrapped at Kinshasa (Zaire)

ZD485/15 Pucara RAF A&AEE. Status was captured on 14 Jun 1982 and evaluated by the A&AEE at RAF Boscombe Down, now stored at the RAF Museum Cosford.

XT597  Phantom FG.1 RAF A&AEE 25th Anniversary markings, being towed alongside the friends of International Air Tattoo enclosure with its elaborate security measures. Preserved at Bentwaters.

XV501/B Phantom FGR.2 RAF 23 Sqn. from RAF Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands. Sadly, W/O 02 Aug 1988.

XV501/B Phantom FGR.2 Whilst on the Falklands, the Phantoms were never used in aggression, but they did look like they meant business.

XV415/P Phantom FGR.2 92 SQN from RAF Germany at RAF Wildenrath. Preserved Boulmer, 9163M.

68-0480/RS F-4E USAF 86th TFW from Ramstein Germany. Greece dumped Tangara airbase. 

38+72 F-4F JG-74 WGAF. Transferred to TTC/20FS 72-1282/HO W/O 16 Oct 1998.

35+65 RF4E AkG-52 WGAF. Status to Turkey as 69-7512.

XT901/Y FGR.2 RAF 56 Sqn. No longer smiling but scrapped.

26+52 F-104G JbG-33 WGAF. Instructional airframe at Erding AFB

22+04 F-104G JbG-33 WGAF. To Turkey as 7074.

26+89 26+83 F-104Gs MFG-2 WGN Silver wings display duo. Status to Greece as 7435/FG435 and 7429, respectively.

FX-99 F-104G  10 Wing FAB. Status preserved at Markham Airport Toronto, Canada.

60 Super Etendard FN 11F. 50 of the same unit has departed for its display, chocks away. Status crashed on 07 Nov 1995.

108 Etendard 1VP 16F FN joins the Alize and Super Frelon of the French Navy in the static park. Status crashed on the 21 Nov 1983.

60 SA321G  Super Frelon 32F FN. Preserved at the Rochefort Naval Aviation Museum. 

56  BR 1050 Alize 4F FN departing for France on Monday of departures. Stored at Nimes Garon.

158566/LA-4 P-3C VP-5 USN. Status to Taiwan as 3302.

156863/AG-404 A-7E  VA-12 USN  USS Eisenhower. Status to the 309th AMARC scrapped.

161440/AG-212  F-14A VF-142 USN  USS Eisenhower. Scrapped June 2008.

72-0175/PT A-7D  146 TFS Penn ANG USAF. 72-0194 was parked alongside in the static, their support tanker 59-1484 KC-135E Penn ANG was also in the static and an EC-130E 63-9817 193rd ECS Penn ANG USAF. Status of 72-0175 preserved at Tinker AFB, 72-0194 scrapped HVF West. The KC135E was transferred to the 309th AMARG again, and EC-130E was dumped at HVF West.

79-1713 KC10A 2 BW USAF arrives at Greenham, outshining all comers in its high-vis colours. Still active with the 60th AMW.

80-0544/HR F16A 50th TFW USAFE partnered by 80-0563 in the static, having transitioned from their F-4E Phantoms and making their first appearance with the F16A. They were the first USAF overseas unit to receive the F-16A. Status transferred to Jordan as 220.

69-6609 HH1N 67 ARRS USAF. Status is now an instructional airframe at Fort Eustis.

113/312-BM Nordatlas GI-312 FAF. Status to the civil register as HB-BPU

256/V  Atlantic  321SQN MLD, seen before its incident with the photo bus, which damaged a wingtip. 

I later read that the same bus driver was involved in a collision with a boat. Neither accident was of his making? 

Status was first transferred to France as 63 and then Pakistan as 94, preserved at the Karachi Air Force Museum.

XP753 Lightning F.3 LTF RAF.

 Status. Whilst being flown as above by Flt Lt Thompson on the 26 Aug 83, the aircraft stalled trying to avoid the clifftop near Scarborough where it was due to display, sadly claiming the life of its pilot.

99+35 Canberra WGAF GeoMilAmt. Preserved at Berlin/Gatow.

41+27 Alphajet JbG-43 WGAF. Transferred to Portugal as 15244.

40+67 Alphajet JbG-49 WGAF. Transferred to Portugal as 15222.

MM61961 PD.808 71 Gruppo AMI Taxis for take-off on departure day. Preserved at the Museo Storico del' Aeronautica Militare Italiana.

62-4462 T-39A 58 MAS USAF visiting the show. Now an Instructional airframe at Charleston.

XR443 Sea Heron C.1, RN Yeovilton station flight. Exported to the US civil register, serial unknown.

NZ7271 B.727 40 SQN RNZAF. Stored on New Zealand's South Island at Christchurch.

132001 CC132 412 SQN RCAF. Transferred to the civil register as C-GUSZ.




136232 and 136228 CH136 444SQN CF both in static.232 became N7237J while 228  past to Australia as VH-OSX.

J-252 F16A 322 SQN RNethAF 40th Anniversary SQN marks. 

Sadly, it suffered a mortal bird strike on 04 Oct 83, with the pilot's loss.

K-3021 and K-3026 both NF5A 314 SQN RNethAF. Transferred to Turkey as 70-3021.

XT459/D Wessex HU.5 845 SQN RN. W/O 07 Nov 1983.

XM597 Vulcan B.2 50SQN RAF. Preserved at the National Museum of Flight East Fortune airfield Lothian Scotland, it was a Falklands veteran.

Once again, a fantastic four days of pure military aviation joy and a nostalgic trip back in time reading this report.

Happy Days!  

International Air Tattoo 1981 at RAF Greenham Common.

What was different from the 1979 International Tattoo to the 1981 event? The central theme 1981 was Sea Search and Rescue and some more great aircraft.

 Indeed, the arrival of two Royal Jordanian Air Force F-5Es was exceptional. One of them also participated in the flying program.

Even better, the first U.K. visit of a B-52H and seen with individual D-Day marks.

 The A&AEE Sea Fury VZ345 Taxiing out on the Monday following the show was a great highlight. The Royal Aircraft Establishment contributed some other great aircraft to the International Tattoo of that year. Below, I have included that elusive Devon C2 and Comet 4 A.E.W. and, of course, the DC-3 Dakota that now flies with the BBMF back then in the Royal Aircraft Establishment colours.

British Aerospace displayed their Nimrod AEW3 and Tornado F.2. and European Atlantics were plentiful.

 The U.S. again contributed heavily to the central theme with various HC-130Ns, P-3s, and an S-3A Viking from the U.S.N. Carrier Forrestal.

A footnote: the I.A.T. airshow was only held every two years back in the early days.

VZ345 Seafury T-20 A&AEE, departing the 1981 I.A.T. on departures Monday. Fate:- stored at Duxford for the Imperial War Museum.

VZ467/01 Meteor F8 RAF. To civil register as G-METE.

XA880 Devon C2 RAE. To civil as G-BVXR.

WA662 Meteor T7 R.A.E. Fate:- Doncaster Aeroventure.

104761 CF-104G 439SQN RCAF (Tiger colour scheme). Perhaps one of the most iconic F-104s to grace European skies. Passed to Turkey as 62-761.

XZ452/101-VL Sea Harrier FRS1. W/O 06 May 1982.

XR716/AS Lightning 5SQN R.A.F. Fate:- Scrapped.

XV814/814 Comet 4AEW R.A.E. departing back to R.A.E. Farnborough. Fate:- Scrapped.

D.2-03 F-27MAR Esc.802 SpAF. What a star aircraft for 1981. Stored at Cuatro Vientos and for sale.

1161 F-5E 11SQN RJAF. Status:- withdrawn from use.

69-0255 F-4G SP 81st TFS/10th TRW USAF. Status:- to a QF-4G of the82 ATRS and written off 30 March 2004.

XL160 Victor K2 57SQN R.A.F. I nearly forgot how good they looked in these colours. Taxiing into the static park on the Friday arrivals. 

Fate scrapped.

A-018 Saab A-35XD Esr722. Fate:- Scrapped.

161122/JA-7 VX-1 P3C USN. Still active as a P3 SPA VPU-2.

140110 CP-140 VP-405 RCAF. Active, although not in this pleasing scheme.

1609 C-130E 16SQN RSAF. To Turkey as 68-1609. Note that full gloss finish.

60-0057/5D-C B-52H 410th BW USAF is the first H model to visit the U.K. It is currently with the 93rd BS AFRC.

Here's a better view of the 5D-C D-Day markings. Also, look at the Friends of International enclosure, which has folding wooden chairs. There were also speakers set high on posts and a barbed-wire fence. Indeed, there was no grandstand!

74-01563/63 527th TFTAS/10th TFW USAF. To the U.S.N. as 741563.

61+01 BR1150 Atlantic MFG-3 WGN. Fate instructional airframe, the fuselage only is visible at Nordholz as 61+21.

49 BR1150 Atlantic 24F FN. Stored at Nimes Garons.

MM40111/41-73, 41 Stormo ItAF. Fate:- Hangared at Cagliari-Elmas, Sardinia, withdrawn from use.

35+12 RF-4E AKG51 WGAF. To Turkey as 69-7459.

ZA947 DC-3 Dakota 111 RAE. Today, it flies with the BBMF at R.A.F. Coningsby.

MM61992 46-06 C-130H ItAF arrives on Monday, 29 June. Transferred to Brazil as FAB2479.

63-9816/PA C-130E 193rd ECS/PA ANG, USAF. Fate:- scrapped.

122/D 32F  FN SA321G Super Frelon. It was withdrawn from use and stored at Lanvéoc-Poulmi. On 25 July 1979, it visited the Culdrose air day.

63-7773/PA EC130E 193rd ECS/PA ANG, USAF. Preserved at Fort Indiantown, it carries the 193rd's markings ' Let's roll.'

XZ286/86 Nimrod AEW3 British Aerospace. It was seen carrying out its display, which included touch and goes, but it was not based at Greenham Common during the show.

ST-25 Siai 260MB of the Belgian Air Force 'Swallows' display team.

RT-684 TF-104G 726 SQN RDAF. Delivered to Taiwan as 4153.

TC-70 KC-130H 1SQN  Argentinian air force. Active.

122/D Super Frelon 32F F.N. in the static park.

79-0076/B.T. 53rd TFS/36th TFW USAF on the flight line.

20+01 F-104G JBG 31 WGAF. Transferred to Turkey in 2001.

1161 F-5E 11SQN RJAF. Fate:- Wfu.

1151 F-5E 11SQN RJAF. Fate:- Wfu.

CF-104G's of the Canadian armed forces.

Four display aircraft and two spares are CF-104 Gs 104756, 827, 826, 862, 822, and 749 RCAF from their European base at Solingen in West Germany.

Canada flew three aircraft types in the 1981 flying program. Seen here is CC-132 132001, which was sold and given civil registration C-GJSZ.

115463 424SQN RCAF CC115 Buffalo, displaying its short landing capability. It was sold in South Africa on the civilian register as ZS-SRA.

77-0242/WR A-10A 81st TFW USAF. Five aircraft participated, one static with green camouflage and another four for flying, including 242. This aircraft passed to Alconbury (A.R.) and was scrapped on 28 January 2016.

XM352/92 Jet Provest T3A 7 FTS RAF. Now civil as N35378.

69-5796 HH-53C 67th ARRS USAF. Passed to the 309th AMARG.

TC-70 KC-130H 1SQN Argentinian A.F.

35+58 RF-4E AKG-51 WGAF. Passed to Turkey as 69-7505.

'Karo As' Austrian air force with their SAAB 1050E aircraft. They are 427/G, 434/D, 4312/A, 424/D, 404/D and 414/D.

U-280 SP-61A Esk 722 RDAF. To Carson helicopters as N10051.

40 and 32 12F FN F-8 Crusaders, on the flight line and flying both days.

53-3129 AC-130A 711th SOES/AFRES USAF. Fate:- Preserved at Eglin A.F.B. as 'First Leader'

64-14853 HC-130H 305th ARRS/AFRES USAF. Fate:- Stored 309th AMARG.

65-0974 HC-130H ARRS/NY ANG USAF. Today, it is still active as an HC-130P.

69-5827 HC-130N 67th ARRS USAF. Fate:- Stored with the 309th AMARG.

66-8714/SP F-4D 23rd TFS/52nd TFW. Fate:- Stored at N.A.S. Fort Worth.

68-3805 OV-10A 601st TCW USAF. To Venezuela as 2865.

115463 CC115 RCAF.

159768/701-AA VS-30 S-3A USN USS Forrestal W/O.

K-3019 NF-5A 315SQN RNethAF. Fate:- To Turkey as 3019.

Fiat G-91PAN 'Frecce Tricolori' ItAF is making its last visit to the International Air Tattoo with the G-91.

63-8003 KC-135A 410th BW USAF, now an R model with the NJ A.N.G., taxis into the static park. Note those irritating speakers right in front of the friend's enclosure. Still, everybody looked happy, even if the weather felt more like Winter. The RAE DC-3 ZA947 is waiting to cross. Happy Days.

062 Seaking MK43 330SQN RNorAF. Still active.

118 Etentard 1VP 6F FN. Fate:- Scrapped.

161130/LD-2 VP-10 P-3C USN. Status, stored 309th AMARG.

161011/LK-1 VP-26 P-3C USN. Status scrapped.

ZA267 Tornado F2 British Aerospace. Status to Syerston as an Instructional airframe.

MM6251/7 Fiat G-91PAN making its last visit to an International Air Tattoo.

M-439 SE3160 Alouette 111 ESK722 RDAF. Status to civil register as HB-XOF. Behind the tail rotor can be seen the Belgian Naval H-34A B-4/OT-ZKD.

40+81 Alpha Jet JBG43 WGAF.To the civil register as N81XA.

At the show's close, it was apparent that the newer aircraft were becoming superior to older types, and a considerable change was coming.
Reflecting on that change, one now looks back with fond memories and wishes to re-visit all those ageing slides or photographs for some rich diversity.

I'm still searching through the past!

Happy Days!