Hi from Colchester

[TankBuster]

Hi,

I have been interested in the RFI ever since my parents told me about it back in the mid 80's when I was much younger, right at that very moment we were having a family picnic in the forest .
I have read books and articles on the RFI & seen the TV programmes etc and I really do find the reported events very interesting. I visited the forest again in March 09 & went to some of the areas in the forest where the RFI occured. I found it to be very scenic but rather eerie and very silent, almost muffled in a way but maybe thats the effect of the pine trees being in such close proximity?
I only found out about the RFI conference on the 23rd of Dec, by which time it was too late for me to get a ticket otherwise I'd have been there.

I have an interest in Cold War military aircraft, particularly RAF & USAF types, especially the A-10 aircraft. Of particular interest to me is the history of the 81st TFW & the twin bases during the 1980's era and right up until when the bases closed in 1993.
I can remember standing near the East gate of Woodbridge during the operational days trying to get a good view of the A-10s on the EOR (End of Runway) checkpoint at the end of runway 27. Oh & I love the whine of the A-10s engines!


TankBuster

[Daniel]

Hello Tankbuster,

I loved the engine sounds of the A-10 too. At the time I lived there as a child (1991-1993) the A-10s were only located at Bentwaters. I remember going to the edge of the school on Woodbridge and feeling how eerie the runway felt without any activity.

Welcome,

Daniel

[TankBuster]

Hi Daniel,

The A-10s were based at both Bentwaters & Woodbridge with all squadrons being under the command of the 81st TFW.

Woodbridge housed the A-10s of the 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron & the 91st Tactical Fighter Squadron.

The C-130 Hercules aircraft & MH-53 helicopters of the 67th ARRS (later changed to the 67th SOS & 21st SOS) were also based at Woodbridge, but under the command of the 39th Special Operations Wing. All of the above squadrons had left Woodbridge during 1992.

Bentwaters housed the A-10s of the 92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, 509th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 510th Tactical Fighter Squadron & the 511th Tactical Fighter Squadron (the 509th & 511th TFS's transferred to RAF Alconbury during 1988 & Bentwaters then gained the F-16s of the 527th Aggressor Squadron during the same year, from Alconbury).

The 527th AS left Bentwaters in 1990, the 510th TFS left Bentwaters in 1992 leaving just the 92nd TFS which left in 1993.

The last two A-10s of the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing flew out of Bentwaters on the 23rd March 1993, bound for Spangdahlem Air Force Base in Germany. These aircraft being flown out by the base commander & deputy base commander.



Hope this is of interest to you & more info is available here...
http://www.bentwaters-as.org.uk/index.html


TankBuster