International Air Tattoo 1981 (final batch added)

[Alpha Delta 210]

Inspired by @canberraman and his wonderfully evocative scans of aviation days gone by, I thought that I would have a go at scanning some prints that I recently uncovered.

 

As a callow aviation nut, my long-suffering late father took me to RAF Greenham Common several times for the International Air Tattoo. Dad was not particularly interested in aviation (or camping!), but he stumped up for Friends membership and a camp site somewhere near Greenham Common several times when I was in my teens. I recall that we took my best friend with us on at least one occasion. Dad was a professional photographer and very generously bought me a Praktica LTL3 to use at shows. Unfortunately, I don't recall the lens/es used.

 

 

I am a scanning novice, so following some very helpful guidance from @canberraman, I present some scans of the recently uncovered 35mm prints. I am definitely a proud Englishman, but for some reason there were only British military aircraft in the album!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In those days, I hadn't quite grasped how to use the exposure meter, and therefore some of the prints were overexposed and some were underexposed, but I seemed to select a reasonable shutter speed to show movement in the propellers! I decided not to edit them too much, so apart from a little cropping, and tweaking levels, they are pretty much as taken in 1981 (hairs and all!)

 

I hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane, and I can post some more (all British) participants if anyone is interested.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

 

 

 

 

[Parabat]

Nice pics, good blast from the past. Nice to see all the variation in types too.

[Paul J]

Nice pics considering the film quality of the time. Coincidentally, I have just been cleaning up my scanned in slides and the quality varies due to different slide films I used.  I will have to sort out my Greenham ones which I have tidied up, and post them here .

 

Thanks for showing yours.

[Alpha Delta 210]

Thanks very much gentlemen. I wish I knew where the rest of the prints (and the negatives) were!😁

[canberraman]

Wow!  An excellent and evocative set that more than lived up to expectations and brought back many happy memories. As you say there is a strong theme of the best of British and I particularly enjoyed seeing 'Winston' - the 1 TWU Meteor, the Lightnings and the Old Growler. Oh to have a time machine!

 

Keep searching for the rest of your IAT photos!  

 

Good scanning results BTW

 

Mark

[Alpha Delta 210]

39 minutes ago, canberraman said:

Wow!  An excellent and evocative set that more than lived up to expectations and brought back many happy memories. As you say there is a strong theme of the best of British and I particularly enjoyed seeing 'Winston' - the 1 TWU Meteor, the Lightnings and the Old Growler. Oh to have a time machine!

 

Keep searching for the rest of your IAT photos!  

 

Good scanning results BTW

 

Mark

Thanks for the kind words, Mark. I'm pleased that they brought back happy memories for you as well. As you say, "oh to have a time machine"!

 

Here is the final batch (unless I find the missing albums....)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking, and I hope that you enjoyed the trip down memory lane!

 

 

[Paul Bradley]

Very cool! I don't think I was at the 81 show, but by 83 I was at the same stage of 'development' as you were in 81 - my first 'real' camera, also a Praktica with, I think a 50-200mm zoom, with a wretched screw mount which made lens changing fraught...... Anyways, you have captured some nice shots there - I particularly like the Hunter cockpit shot with the Frecce(?) in the distance. 

Edited May 13, 2020 by Paul Bradley

[Swamp Donkey]

Lovely collection and such happy memories - I loved the shows at Greenham Common

 

May well invest in a scanner to digitise all my old prints...was just looking at a load of shots of TTTE Tornado’s at Cottesmore, seems like yesterday, not 1982!!

 

SD

[Alpha Delta 210]

On 5/13/2020 at 4:36 PM, Paul Bradley said:

Very cool! I don't think I was at the 81 show, but by 83 I was at the same stage of 'development' as you were in 81 - my first 'real' camera, also a Praktica with, I think a 50-200mm zoom, with a wretched screw mount which made lens changing fraught...... Anyways, you have captured some nice shots there - I particularly like the Hunter cockpit shot with the Frecce(?) in the distance. 

Thanks for the kind words Paul. I recall that the Praktica was a sturdy little thing and I was very proud of it! I don't remember the lens mount or the lenses that I used. Following your comment on the Hunter, I re-edited it and straightened its bit! I think you're right about the Frecce. They were always our favourite team!

 

On 5/13/2020 at 4:46 PM, Swamp Donkey said:

Lovely collection and such happy memories - I loved the shows at Greenham Common

 

May well invest in a scanner to digitise all my old prints...was just looking at a load of shots of TTTE Tornado’s at Cottesmore, seems like yesterday, not 1982!!

 

SD

Thanks SD, I'm pleased to have brought back good memories. I bought my Epson scanner when my wife found some photos and slides (in a shoe box, of course!) of family holidays from her childhood. I find the process quite time-consuming, and easier for prints than slides.

[Max Headroom]

That was a proper air show 🤓

 

Trevor

[Alpha Delta 210]

It sure was Trevor! 

 

Look at the participant list below. (Sorry for the formatting of the text!)

 

Static: A-10A 77-0213/WR 81st TFW, USAF Alouette III M-439 Esk 722 RDAF Alpha Jet E14/F-TERD 'Patrouille de France' Alpha Jet 40+81, 40+85 both JbG 43, WGAF Andover C1 XS646 RAE Andover E3 XS603 11 Sqn AS.350 Ecureuil G-PORR Atlantic 49 24F, FN Atlantic MM40111/41-73 41 Stormo, Italian AF Atlantic 61+01 MFG-3, WGN Auster AOP9 XP242 AAC Historic Flight B-52H 60-0057/5D-C 410th BW, USAF Basset CC1 XS770 ETPS Be 50 Twin Bonanza A-713 Swiss AF Be 90 King Air D-ILTO LuftHansa Beaver AL1 XV272 AAC Bell 206 G-BASE (28th only) BN.2A Islander JY-DCA ('Jordanian Falcons' support) BN.2A Defender G-BPBN Bolkow 207 HB-UXL Buccaneer S2B XN981 208 Sqn Bulldog T1 XX554/09 London UAS C-5A 69-0019 436th MAW, USAF C-9A 71-0879 435th TAW, USAF UC-12B 161322, USN (28th only) AC-130A 53-3129 711th SOES/AFRes, USAF C-130E A97-168 37 Sqn RAAF C-130E 1609 16 Sqn, RSAF C-130E 63-9816/PA 193rd ECS/PA ANG, USAF EC-130E 63-7773/PA 193rd ECS/PA ANG, USAF C-130H 345 3 Sqn RJAF C-130H 74-2069 463rd TAW, 79-0474 183rd TAS/MS ANG, USAF HC-130H 64-14853 305th ARRS/AFRes, 65-0974 102nd ARRS/NY ANG, USAF KC-130H TC-70 1 Sqn Argentinian AF HC-130N 69-5827 67th ARRS, USAF KC-135A 63-8003 410th BW, USAF C-141B 64-0651 437th MAW, USAF Canberra B6(mod) WH953 RAE Canberra PR7 WH775 13 Sqn Canberra B(I)8 WV787 A&AEE Cessna 441 G-AUTO AA Chipmunk T10 WP964, WZ847/F Comet 4AEW XV814 RAE Dakota C3 ZA947 RAE Devon C2 VP971 207 Sqn Dominie T1 XS737/K 6 FTS Evans VP1 G-BFJJ F-4D 66-8714/SP 23rd TFS/52nd TFW, USAF F-4E 71-0247/SP 480th TFS/52nd TFW, USAF F-4G 69-0255/SP 81st TFS/52nd TFW, USAF RF-4C 68-0564/AR 1st TRS/10th TRW, USAF RF-4E 35+12, 35+58 both AkG 51, WGAF F-5E 74-01563/63 527th TFTAS/10th TRW, USAF NF-5B K-4030 315 Sqn, KLu F-15C 79-0075/BT 53rd TFS/36th TFW, USAF F-16A J-232, KLu F-27M Troopship D.2-03 Esc 802 Spanish AF F-104G 20+01 JbG 31, WGAF CF-104G 104761 439 Sqn, CF (Tiger c/s) TF-104G RT-684 726 Sqn RDAF F-111E 68-0047/UH 77th TFS/20th TFW, 68-0055/UH 55th TFS/20th TFW, USAF Fairey Ultralight G-AOUJ Falcon 10MER No.143 SRL FN Gazelle AH1 XX444/K AAC UH-1N 69-6607 67th ARRS, USAF H-34A B-4/OT-ZKD, FAB HH-53C 69-5796 67th ARRS, USAF Hawk T1 Replica XX162 (BAPC 152) Hawk T1 XX163 4 FTS, XX340/Z 2 TWU Hercules C3 XV290 47 Sqn/LTW HS 748 Coastguarder G-BDVH Hunter T7 XF321 RAE Hunter FGA9 XF435/52 79 Sqn/1 TWU Isaacs Fury 2 G-BEER Jaguar GR1 XX723/GG 54 Sqn Jet Provost T4 XP564/04 1 TWU Jet Provost T5 XW404/77 1 FTS Jetstream T1 XX500/H 6 FTS Jetstream T2 XX479/563-CU 750 Sqn Lightning F6 XR760 Lynx HAS2 XZ230/751-VL 815 Sqn Meteor T7 WA662 RAE Meteor F8 VZ467/01 Meteor NF11(mod) WD790 RAE Miles Gemini G-AKKB MS505 F+IS (G-BIRW) Nimrod MR1 XV252 201 Sqn/Kinloss MR Wing P-3A 150526/LW-6 VP-68, USN P-3C 161011/LK-1 VP-26, 161122/JA-7 VX-1, 161130/LD-2 VP-10, USN CP-140 140110 VP-405 CF Partenavia P68B G-BGEM, G-SPOT PA-23 (Vecta Geronimo) N4422P PA-28 Cherokee G-AYJP (Brize Flying Club) Phantom FGR2 XV407/O, XV469/I both 56 Sqn Prentice G-APPL S-3A 159768/701-AA VS-30, USN (Forrestal) S.61A U-280 Esk 722, RDAF SAAB A-35XD A-018 Esk 725, RDAF SAAB Sk-35XD AT-158 Esk 725, RDAF Scout AH1 XW280 AAC Sea Fury T20 VZ345 ETPS Sea Harrier FRS1 XZ451/100-VL 899 Sqn Sea King HAR3 ZA105 202 Sqn Sea King HC4 ZA297/VG-N 846 Sqn Sea King Mk 43 062 330 Sqn, R.Nor.AF Sea King Mk 48 RS-05 40 Sqn, FAB Sioux AH1 XT131/B AAC Historic Flight Skeeter AOP12 XL814 AAC Historic Flight Sopwith Camel replica B7270 (G-BFCZ) Super Etendard 37 14F, FN Super Frelon 122/D 32F, FN T-39A 62-4474 58th MAS, USAF CT-133 133393 1st CAG CF OV-10A 68-3790, 68-3805 both 601st TCW, USAF Victor K2 XL160 57 Sqn Vulcan SR2 XH560 27 Sqn Wessex HAR2 XR501 22 Sqn Wessex HU5 XT466/528-CU, XT471/524-CU both 771 Sqn Whirlwind HAR10 XP359 (8447M) RAFEF Yak 11 14 (G-KYAK) Flying/Flight Line: A-10A 77-0242/WR, 77-0272/WR, 78-0592/WR, 78-0593/WR all 81st TFW, USAF Alouette III A-281, A-350, A-351, A-398, A-499 all KLu 'The Grasshoppers' Alpha Jet E51/F-TERA, E53/F-TERC, E55/F-TERE, E56/F-TERF, E57/F-TERG, E58/F-TERH, E59/F-TERI, E61/F-TERJ, E63/F-TERL all 'Patrouille de France' BN2T Islander G-BIUJ Boeing Stearman G-THEA/33 CC-115 Buffalo 115463 424 Sqn CF MC-130E 40555 7th SOS, USAF CC-132 (DHC-7) 132001 CF Canberra PR7 WT538 13 Sqn Concorde G-BOAD (27), G-BOAC (28) Campbell Cricket G-AXVK Etendard IVP 108, 118 both 16F, FN F-5E 1151(80972), 1161(91691) both 11 Sqn, RJAF NF-5A K-3019 315 Sqn, K-3054, KLu F-8E 32, 40 both 12F, FN F-15C 79-0076/BT 53rd TFS/36th TFW, USAF F-16A 275, 283 both 332 Sqn, R.Nor.AF CF-104G 104749, 104756, 104822, 104826, 104827, 104862, CF F-27 Troopship C-7 334 Sqn, KLu Fiat G-91PAN MM6242/6, MM6243/1, MM6248/4, MM6249/2, MM6250/3, MM6251/7, MM6301/5, MM6310/9, MM6311/10, MM6314/8 all 'Frecce Tricolori' Firefly AS5 WB271/204-A RNHF Fokker DR1 replica 1425/17 (G-BEFR) Fokker D VII replica 4253/18 (G-BFPL) Fokker D VIII replica 157/18 (G-BHCA) Gazelle AH1 XW843, XW885/B ARWS Gazelle HT2 XW860/44, XW864/54, XW868/50, XW891/49, XW907/40 'Sharks' 705 Sqn Hawk T1 XX227/9, XX251/8, XX252/6, XX253/4, XX257/1, XX259/5, XX260/2, XX264/7, XX266/3, XX306/10 all 'Red Arrows' Hercules C1 XV179, XV211 (Falcons) both LTW Hunter F6A XF382/15, XG160/22 both 79 Sqn/1 TWU Hunter F58 J-4021, J-4022, J-4025, J-4028, J-4029, J-4030 all 'Patrouille Suisse' Hurricane IIc LF363/GN-F BoBMF Jaguar GR1 XX754/23, XX763/24 both 226 OCU Jet Provost T3A XM352/92, XM370/93 both 7 FTS Jetstream T2 XX480/565-CU 750 Sqn Lancaster B I PA474/AJ-G BoBMF Lightning F3 XP753, XR716/AS both 5 Sqn Lynx AH1 XZ174/B, XZ210/F both ARWS Meteor T7 WF791 'Vintage Pair' Mosquito T III RR299/HT-E (G-ASKH) British Aerospace MS 733 Alcyon 125 (Cambodian AF c/s) (G-SHOW) Nimrod MR1 XV226/26, XV245/45 (28th only) KMW Nimrod AEW3 XZ286/86 British Aerospace Noratlas 130/312-BP, FAF Pilatus PC-7 HB-HAO Pilatus Piper Aztec G-FOTO Pitts S-1S G-BBOH, G-BOOK Pitts S-2A G-ROLL, G-WREN Pitts S-2A JY-RJH, JY-RJJ, JY-RJK all 'Royal Jordanian Falcons' Puma HC1 XW207/CD, ZA934/CS, ZA936/CU SAAB 105OE 404/D, 414/D, 424/D, 427/G, 431/A, 434/D all 'Karo As' Austrian AF Sea Fury FB11 G-FURY Sea Fury FB11 TF956/123-T RNHF Sea Harrier FRS1 XZ452/101-VL, XZ453/105-VL both 899 Sqn Sea Hawk FGA6 WV908/188-A Culdrose Historic Flight Sea King HAS2A XV653/598-CU 706 Sqn Sea King HAR3 XZ585 202 Sqn Shackleton AEW2 WR965 8 Sqn SIAI SF260MB ST-07, ST-25, ST-35 all 'Swallows' FAB Slingsby T65 BGA 2622 'Nationglide' Sopwith Camel replica C1701 (G-AWYY) SPAD VII replica 3398/5 (G-BFYO) Spitfire IIa P7350/QV-B BoBMF Super Etendard 44 14F, FN Supermarine S5 replica N220/4 (G-BDFF) Swordfish LS326/5A RNHF Tornado F2 ZA267 British Aerospace Vulcan B2 XM602 101 Sqn Wessex HU5 XS498/WQ-VL 707 Sqn, XT471/524-CU 771 Sqn Balloons: Cameron N-77 G-BHNR, G-CCAR, G-LOAG Cameron Airship G-CULT Colt 31A G-BILX Colt 56 G-BIXW Colt 56SS G-BZBY (Buzby) Visitors: 23/6/81 Noratlas 79/64-IO, FAF 23/6/81 C-130H MM61997/46-11 26/6/81 AA-5 Traveler G-BAVS C-130H CH-05, FAB Devon C2 XA880 RAE Falcon 20 041, R.Nor.AF Hercules C1 XV184 LTW Piper Cherokee G-AYJR Viscount XT661 RAE 27/6/81 Andover CC2 XS794 Queen's Flight Beech 76 Duchess G-BGLD Cessna 172 G-BIHI Dove 8 G-ARHW Gazelle AH1 XZ349/M HS125-600B G-BARR Partenavia P68B G-BCNT Proctor 3 G-AOGE Piper Cherokee G-AYKV, G-KBPI Piper Navajo G-BFOM Wessex HCC4 XV732 Queen's Flight 28/6/81 Cessna 414 G-MCEO Dove 8 G-ARHW Gazelle AH1 XZ349/M Gazelle HT3 XZ935 32 Sqn Piper Cherokee G-KBPI Piper Seneca G-BHVO Wessex HCC4 XS733 Queen's Flight 29/6/81 C-130H CH-06, FAB C-130H MM61992/46-06, Italian AF Devon C2 XA880 RAE F-5B 595, R.Nor.AF RF-5A 108, R.Nor.AF Islander G-BESG Heliport Visitors: Bell 206 G-BGGX, G-ESAL, G-HBUS (all giving pleasure flights)

 

 

[franky boy]

Great photos and thanks for sharing. 

 

Im always a little jealous of you guys who were old enough to attend air shows in the 70’s and 80’s when all of the classic Cold War stuff was still about. And that Meteor in the top post. I remember my dad taking me to Mildenhall in the late 80’s as an 8 or 9 year old and remember being petrified by the noise of some the jet engines. 

 

By the time time I was old enough to attend air shows as a teenager in the 90’s there was still some cool stuff about but times had moved on. 

 

Thanks again

 

James 

[Alpha Delta 210]

I'm really pleased that you enjoyed them James. The variety of types and the number of shows certainly made the 1980s a great time for the aviation enthusiast. 

[Harry Lime]

A superb selection of images across the two posts. Thanks very much for sharing!

 

Mark.

[Alpha Delta 210]

Thanks for the kind words, Mark. I only wish I knew where the rest of the prints were hiding!

[bentwaters81tfw]

A great show, shame the weather wasn't kinder. I have some shots somewhere too.

[Latinbear]

Ah, happy days! Thanks for posting these. 

[Alpha Delta 210]

3 minutes ago, bentwaters81tfw said:

A great show, shame the weather wasn't kinder. I have some shots somewhere too.

I'm not sure if it was this show, but I have vague memories of Dad and I spending a lot of time under a tartan travel blanket (possibly with a Murray Mint) at one of the IATs!

 

3 minutes ago, Latinbear said:

Ah, happy days! Thanks for posting these. 

Pleased you enjoyed them!

[Max Headroom]

Halcyon days.

 

Without wishing to hijack your thread, here’s a handful from my visits (iPhone shots of photos) 

 

 

 

Trevor 

 

rats - are they blurred for you?

[Alpha Delta 210]

I'm afraid they are!

3 minutes ago, Max Headroom said:

Halcyon days.

 

Without wishing to hijack your thread, here’s a handful from my visits (iPhone shots of photos) 

 

 

Trevor 

 

rats - are they blurred for you?

 

[Max Headroom]

Let’s try again then. Thankfully forwarding images from Photobucket to Flickr is relatively painless.

 

 

 

 

 

and here’s a bonus for the inconvenience 

 

 

Trevor

 

 

 

 

[Paul Bradley]

That would be the 1983 show, I believe, Trevor.

 

Inspired by this thread and others, I've posted some of my shots from 1983's RIAT in a  new thread. 

Edited May 13, 2020 by Paul Bradley

[Max Headroom]

43 minutes ago, Paul Bradley said:

That would be the 1983 show, I believe, Trevor.

 

Inspired by this thread and others, I've posted some of my shots from 1983's RIAT in a  new thread. 

And I’ve done one for the Hercs of 79!

 

Ah, nostalgia!

 

Trevor

[Swamp Donkey]

Alpha Delta 210 has inspired me to order a photo scanner....need to dig the prints out now! I worked at Greenham one year (Phantoms?) on the Celsia models stand, did several trips to London in the Luton collecting the newly issued Matchbox Victors - sold like hot cakes! I was just happy to spend 4 or 5 days on the airfield

 

SD

[Mr T]

Thanks very much for the photos, I cannot remember whether I went or not and will gave to find my slides. I was a month into nurse training at the the time at the ripe old age of 27 and so may not have gone that year. I well remember the Practica LTL, I had one with the standard 55mm lens and a 300 mm and they were pigs to change.