Greenham Common and Leuchars 1974

Just goes to prove that one should never rely on one’s memory Steve! :rolleyes:

A couple more for Firebird of ‘696 at each end of the display at Greenham. Time to check for those loose rivets?

Finally, I have no notes for this one, but I suspect its an 11 Squadron aeroplane, maybe departing at the end of a Finningley display??

I was at the Leuchars show in 1974 as ground crew for the Wittering Harriers. The Lightnings you mention in the background of the Hunter shot were not actually part of the stream take-off, they were the retired Leuchars Target Facilities Flight F.1As.

Nice pics of Greenham, I was there aged 5!:D especially remember the Connie and Stratocruiser
I think that was the year that I had a joy ride in the DC3…have to check my log book:)

Thank you for checking low ‘n’ slow, I know the feeling about records from then and now.

I have a bit of a soft spot for WR977 at Newark and I always try to go on board when the aircraft is open.

I have a couple of books about the aircraft, its service career, the move to Newark and its restoration.

Shackleton WR977 – Duty Carried Out 1957 – 1971 [ISBN 0 9500341 7 7]

Shackleton WR977 – Dedication To Duty [ISBN 0 9500341 4 2]

I think both are featured on the museum website.

http://www.newarkairmuseum.co.uk/prodpage.cfm?CategoryID=3029&CFID=16099283&CFTOKEN=63677370

Correct on both counts. 😎

A further dig into some notes from the time confirms it (I seem to have been more organised as a teenager than I am now!). Both Shackleton WR977 and the VC10 (XR808) were displayed at Finningley 21.9.1974.

For some reason that BoB display was the weekend after Leuchars – not that I was complaining! Happy days!

low ‘n’ slow

I have a quick question about the Shackleton MR.3 picture that is listed as WR997, are you sure it’s WR997 at Leuchars?

The penultimate batch of British MR.3s ran from WR970 to WR990 so could I suggest that the MR.3 coded Bravo in the picture is WR977, which is now displayed at Newark Air Museum?

Also if the date on the slide is 1974 then I believe that the aircraft pictured would have been located at RAF Finningley, because WR977 was retired there in 1971 and remained in South Yorkshire until disposed of in spring 1977 during the run up to the Silver Jubilee Review of the RAF.

http://www.newarkairmuseum.co.uk/aircraftlist.cfm

😮

First off, Greenham Common Air Tattoo……….

Great shot at the end of one of the legendary rivit popping aero’s by Flt.Lt. Pete Chapman in the white tailed 226 OCU Lightning F.3 XP696……:cool:

exhume and scan some nice old trannies…….

Not a very politically correct comment……:diablo: :diablo:

Now RAF Leuchars Battle of Britain display, September 1974.
(check out the Lightnings in the background, preparing for their ‘streamer’ take-off – no wonder I got hooked!:D