RAF Lakenheath closed, F-15s deployed to RAF Honington 1995

 RAF Lakenheath had closed for runway works, with many of the based F-15s being transferred to RAF Honington.

By early July 1995, Britain was gripped by a heatwave, with temperatures sizzling, the grass burned brown by heat and drought, and hosepipes banned. The heat of May, followed by the return of the heatwave in July, turned East Anglia into a scene more reminiscent of central Europe.

Honington also offered a change of backdrop and the closeness of airfield activity, all gratifying, albeit that the F-15s had not been at RAF Lakenheath that long as to have become commonplace by 1995.

While scanning these slides, I found it incredible that I captured them twenty-four years ago!  

It could have been today at Lakenheath?

86-0171/LN and 86-0166/LN "48 OG" F-15Cs 493rd "Grim Reapers" line up on runway 27.

91-0327 F-15E 494th Squadron "Panthers" 48th Fighter Wing USAF.

Run and break.

91-0313/LN "3rd AF" and 91-0327/LN F-15E 494th "Panthers" Pairs landing runway 27.

86-0171/LN F-15C 493rd "Grim Reapers."

91-0313/LN "3rd AF" F-15E 494th "Panthers."

91-0303/LN F-15E 492nd "Bolars."

86-0182/LN F-15D 493rd "Grim Reapers"  aircraft W/O 8/10/14.

86-0154/LN F-15C 493rd "Grim Reapers."

86-0166/LN F-15C 493rd "Grim Reapers."

91-0602/LN F-15E 494th "Panthers."

91-0313/LN "3rd AF" F-15E 494th "Panthers."

86-0178/LN F-15C 493rd "Grim Reapers" approaches Runway 09.

86-0171/LN F-15C 493rd "Grim Reapers."

91-0332/LN F-15E 492nd "Bolars."

91-0604/LN F-15E 493rd "Panthers."

86-0182/LN F-15D 493rd "Grim Reapers" aircraft W/O 8/10/14.

91-0332/LN F-15E 492nd "Bolars."

91-0315/LN F-15E 494th "Panthers."

91-0604/LN F-15E 494th "Panthers."

86-0154/LN F-15C 493rd 'Grim Reapers."

All the aircraft here, except 86-0182 F-15C, were still active with the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath until 2022.

Happy Days!

A Tornado Mecca RAF Honington in the early Ninties.

In the early nineties, RAF Honington was a super base with many deployments, as I have previously published: Italian Tornados, Spanish F-4 Phantoms, French Air Force, and Lakenheath F-15s all deployed there.

During this time, it was also hugely busy, with its own 13 Squadron, 15Res, and 27 Squadrons all operating the Tornado, and below I have selected a day from its operations.

Many of the Tornados were still carrying equipment used during Desert Storm.

I hope you will enjoy a bustling past.

ZA563/TC Tornado GR.1 15 Res Sqn.

ZA554/TR Tornado GR.1 15 Res Sqn.

ZA606/F Tornado GR.1 15 Res Sqn.

ZA559/TB Tornado GR.1 15 Res Sqn.

ZA608/TK Tornado GR.1 15 Res Sqn.

ZA447/JH Tornado GR.1 27 Sqn.

ZA490/JM Tornado GR.1 27 Sqn.

ZA450/JC Tornado GR.1 27 Sqn.

ZA473/JJ Tornado GR.1 27 Sqn.

ZG750/Y Tornado GR.1A 13 Sqn.

ZA399/AJ-G Tornado GR.1 617 Sqn.

ZA613/N Tornado GR.1 617 Sqn.

ZA399/AJ-G and ZA556/AJ-C Tornado GR.1s 617 Sqn.

ZA563/TC and ZA608/TK Tornado GR.1 15 Res Sqn.

ZA563/TC Tornado GR.1 15 Res Sqn rolling.

ZA595/TV Tornado GR.1 15 Res Sqn.

ZA563/TC Tornado GR.1 15 Res Sqn prepares to land back at RAF Honington.

ZA367/AJ-Y Tornado GR.1 617 Sqn makes a practice arrestor landing.

ZD704 BAe125 CC3 visits Honington. The aircraft was W/O 23/04/2013 at RAF Manston.

Happy Days!

Invasione italiana di Tornado at RAF Honington July 1993

The first deployment of 12 Italian Air Force Tornado aircraft arrived on the twelfth of July 1993, 4 from 6 Stormo at Gedi and 8 from the 36 Stormo at Giola del Colle. They included aircraft from 156 Gruppo Autonomy.

I spent some time up there hoping to catch some of the action.

Sometimes, there is little to say about a great few days out. Obviously, they were more prolific in years gone by, and I came across these slides recently. They are all from slide film, 64 ASA Kodachrome and hopefully captured all the action of their visit to RAF Honington.

The ground crews ate and drank most evenings in the local public houses in Bury St Edmunds. The consensus regarding the food was that the lasagna was far from how Mama made it...   

MM7068/36-46 and MM55010/36-56, Itaf Tornados arriving from 36 Stormo at Giola del Colle.

MM55010/36-56, Tornado 36 Stormo Itaf.

MM7024/24, Tornado 36 Stormo Itaf.

MM7018/6-02, Tornado 6 Stormo Itaf from Brescia/Ghedi.

MM7033/6-03, Tornado 6 Stormo Itaf. 

MM7063/63, Tornado 36 Stormo Itaf.

MM55011/36-55, Tornado 36 Stormo Itaf. I believe this aircraft to be W/O 6-6-07.

MM55011/36-55, Tornado 36 Stormo Itaf.

MM7034/6-34, Tornado 6 Stormo Itaf.

MM7063/63, Tornado 36 Stormo Itaf.

MM7070/70, Tornado 36 Stormo Itaf.

MM7024/24, Tornado 36 Stormo Itaf.

MM5011/36-55, Tornado Itaf leads out a three-ship. 

MM7068/36-46, Tornado 36 Stormo Itaf.

MM7062/62, Tornado 36 Stormo Itaf.

MM7018/6-02 Tornado 6 Stormo Itaf from Gedi.

MM7029/6-25, Tornado 6 Stormo Itaf.

MM7068/36-46, Tornado 36 Stormo Itaf.

MM7055/55, this aircraft is not listed as part of the deployment. MM7066 70/36-30 below are visitors I was unaware of at the time.

MM7066/36-30, Tornado 36 Stormo, was presumed to be the only replacement aircraft, as MM7053/53 arrived on 19/7/1993. That may have been to replace MM7056/36-52, the single aircraft I appear not to have recorded.

I had better crack on and produce the photos of the RAF Tornados captured in the same period.

Happy Days!