RNAS Yeovilton International Air day July the 15th 1995.

Sadly, with the cancellation of the RNAS Yeovilton Airshow 2020, I decided to look back amongst my archives to reflect on what may have been the best show I have photographed in the more recent past. I go back a long way, Danish F-100s and more, all in Black and White and taken on a Kodak Brownie.

The trouble with life is you just become so old?

I decided on the airshow!

Twenty-five years ago! 1995, RNAS Yeovilton, and what a fabulous show it was, too, with flight lines of mixed aircraft types, squadrons, and units, many of which are decommissioned or scrapped today.
For all of us paying our £1 to stand in the field to the left of Pyle Lane, who will ever forget that Coningsby F.3 nearly took us with him? So tight was his launch he passed over the Fleet Air Arm church tower! That's like flying up Pyle Lane at no height on full re-heat! And the smell of JP-9, those were the days!  

ZE732/AS Tornado F.3 56 (R) Sqn RAF.

89+67 Sea King Mk. 41 MFG5.

Underneath in the downdraft, you can see the three 4 Gruppo SH-3D's MM5015N/6-13, MM5008N/6-06, and MM5016N/6-14, and Seaking HC.4 of 845Sqn RN.

XE601 Hunter FGA.9  A&AEE, from Boscombe Down.

VP955/G-DVON Devon C.2 ex 207Sqn. RAF.

The RNLAF 'Grasshoppers' with their Allouette helicopter team are seen behind.

ZE911/BE Tornado F.3 29Sqn RAF.

One of the two privately owned Sea Herons can be seen taxiing behind. Can I trust memory? Were n-34 and N-36 both on static display?

XX450/D Gazelle AH.1 3CBAS.

ZD608/717 Sea Harrier F/A2 899 Sqn RN.

ZE691/712 Sea Harrier F/A2 899 Sqn RN.

XX231 Hawk T.1 19Sqn RAF.

ZA314/F Sea King HC.4 845Sqn.

85-0155 RC-12K, 1st MIB, from the US Army.

77 EMB-121AN 11s FN.

38+18 F-4F JG-71 GAF.

45+41 Tornado IDS MFG1 GN.

ZD950 Tristar KC.1 216 Sqn RAF.

ZA143/D VC.10  K.2 101Sqn RAF.

252 CN-235-100MPA, 1Wing of the Irish Air Corps.

MT-14 CM-170R 33Sm BAF.

XX247/CM Hawl T.1A 100Sqn RAF.

R-01 AB.412SP SAR  RNLAF.

101 SA-321G  32F FN approaches for its landing at Yeovilton.

101 SA-321G  32F FN preparing to shut down.

ZD789/AM  Tornado GR.1 9Sqn RAF.

AT-03 Alpha Jet 9 Wing BAF.

It is seen in front of the two F. 3s from the RAF solo display team at RAF Conningsby and the pollution control DC-3C G-AMHJ from Coventry airport.

598/353 Su-27P TPS RusAF.

595 SU-27P and 158927/LF-927 P-3C VP16 USN can be seen beyond.

598/353 and 595 SU-27P TPS 

G-BVGH/VL-573 Hunter T.7 Ex XL573 of 230 Sqn and G-GAII/VL-861 Hunter GA.11 Ex XE685.

Side by side, Hunters!

ZE790/AO Tornado F.3 56 (R) SQN RAF.

ZE732/AS Tornado F.3 56 (R) SQN RAF.

The solo RAF  Tornado F.3.

What a display it was, too!

XZ107/H Jaguar GR.1A 41 Sqn RAF.

XX752/EQ Jaguar GR.1A 6 Sqn RAF.

45+41 Tornado IDS MFG1 GN departs RN Yeovilton.

MT14 CM-170R 33Sm BAF and MT36 head home.

ET-022 F-16B Esk726.

XX235 Hawk T.1 4FTS. RAF.

ZF124/24 (Junglie) Sea King HC.4 772Sqn, RN.

J-508 F-16A 312 Sqn RNLAF.

C-8 F27-300M 334Sqn RNLAF, gear up and display on.

Dassault MD.312 Flamant F-AZFX 282 316-KY is a true classic.

N167F/S-B6 P-51D Mustang ex 44-73877 from the Scandinavian Historic flight.

N167B/BC-602 A-26B Invader ex 43-4602 from the Scandinavian Historic flight.

XV252 Nimrod MR.2P RAF flying from and back to RAF Kinloss in Scotland.

As XV252 Departs for its home base at RAF Kinloss, I cannot help thinking of the song Lyric,
On our way home growing old?

What about that Commando assault.?

Look at the next post; I decided on 2016 as the year, with a transition mixture of Merlin's from the CHF  as all of the Sea King 'Jungelies' had been retired. 

Well, that's what happened Twenty-Five years ago; roll on 2021?

Rock and Roll, those were great times?

Happy Days.

Koksijde Air Show 1993

Last but not least, we rolled into Koksijde with its bars and restaurants, all selling Moule and Frites with any variation of sauce and beers with Alcohol levels "staggeringly" high. We quickly found the Duvel (Devil) at a whopping nine per cent.

Some time ago, while having a beer with a great Dutch guy, Fred, we talked about the Koksijde airshow. He said it marked the start of the European summer holidays, the first weekend in July or thereabouts. I agree with him, as every trip I made there had the feeling of people having a great time, and the weather was so relaxing and enjoyable.
   

My favourite position for photography was on that little lane called the "Burgweg", great for taxiing shots and landings and take-offs on runway 29 and Corn Crakes in the Nettles with their frog-like call.

The Koksijde airshow is a whole weekend event. Hence, the  80th anniversary of the Koninklijke Luchtmacht at Eindhoven airbase across the border in the Netherlands actually clashed with the Saturday at Koksijde, so after leaving Eindhoven, we drove to Koksijde for the Saturday evening party.
We had a great day at the Sunday airshow, seeing many friends and the Monday departures.

 Because of the proximity, both airbases shared some display aircraft. 

Let's move on to the photos (all on Fuji Velvia slide film).

A-7P was assigned to 302/304 Attack Squadrons of the PoAF at Monte Real in the Centro Region of Portugal, or 137 kilometres North of Lisbon.

5536 A-7P prepares for take-off for Monte Real airbase 

5534 A-7P lines up for take-off alongside 5536.

E25 7-PK Jaguar E EC2/7 FAF.

E22 7-PI Jaguar E EC2/7 FAF.

E15 7-PF Jaguar E EC2/7 FAF, landing back at Koksijde.

43+73 Tornado MFG-1 GN

43+73 Tornado MFG-1 GN, burners on.

At the end of its display 43+73, Tornado made a low approach to runway 11 before landing back on 29.

9013 SU-25K 30 BILP Special colours CzechAF.

9207 MiG29A 11 SLP CzechAF prepares for its demonstration. 

9207 MiG-29A 11SLP CzechAF.

Koksijde was just incredible. A 300mm lens gave you a full frame on the runway.

5414 and 9207 MiG29A's 11 SLP prepare to depart from Koksijde.

0004 L-39MS 2 LETKA CzechAF.

1407 TU-134AK CzechAF prepares to leave Koksijde airbase ahead of the Czech fast jets.  

4011 and 0103 Mil 24D's 51VRP CzechAF.

0103 Mil 24D 51 VRP CzechAF.

CH-05 C-130H 21 Sm BAF.

FA-10 and FA-53 349 Sm BAF.

Taken over the fence close to Langeleedstraat.

37+34 F-4F JBG35 GAF.

Again taken close to  Langeleedstraat.

37+34 F-4F JBG35 GAF. Preparing to enter runway 29.

37+34 F-4F JBG35 lands back at Koksijde.

37+44 F-4F JBG35 taxis from its weekend static appearance.

37+34 F-4F departs for home.

511 2-FH Mirage 2000B EC2/2 FAF.

BR13 Mirage 5BR 42 Sm BAF.

BR23 Mirage 5BR 42 Sm BAF.

BR22 Mirage 5BR 42 Sm BAF.

BR14 Mirage 5BR 42Sm BAF.

This had to be one of the best viewings of this iconic aircraft; I visited Bierset airbase for their demise, but sadly, on that latter occasion, the weather disappointed.

Mission on before returning to their home base.

16+25 HFB.320ECM JBG32 GAF.

16+25 HFB.320ECM JBG32 GAF, departing on Monday morning.

XV260 Nimrod MR.2P (CXX) 120 Sqn Special marks RAF, departing Koksijde airbase for RAF Kinloss Scotland.

What an iconic-looking aircraft.

XX230 Hawk T.1A 92 Sqn RA is seen departing for home. 

XX281/O Hawk T.1A RAF.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

J-193 and J-624 F-16As 311Sqn of the RNlAF in their 1993 unique colours of the F-16 solo demonstration team.

FA-10 and FA-53 F-16As 349Sm BAF both participating as the BAF F-16 solo display
 team.

E.25-28 79-28/12 CASA 101 Ala 79 AME.

Britain's Red Arrows with their Hawk T.1 jets taxiing for their display slot.

XV197/197 Hercules C1K LTW RAF prepares for departure.

VP981 Devon C.2 BoB Flight departing for RAF Conningsby.

MT-14 here and MT-30 CM.170R's 33Sm Special colours BAF, denoting their display status.

AT-19 and AT-33 Alpha Jet A's 9 Wing carried special marks for the 1993 display season.  

Happy days!