It was a great surprise when I found out that RAF Lakenheath would be closing its runway for a few weeks and detaching some of its F-15 Eagles to nearby RAF Mildenhall.  Partially because it would mean not having to rush between two bases if two separate arrivals were taking place, and the different background scenery.  So a fantastic two days in July were spent at the Suffolk base, RAF Mildenhall. 

Arriving on Monday morning to a clear blue sky with very few clouds I was all set for a fantastic day in John's field.  And about 9 o'clock in the morning the sound of numerous F-15 engines being started up started the day, half an hour later, eight F-15E Strike Eagles, one F-15C Eagle and one F-15D dual seat Eagle took off and a few kept it nice and low by the field!  That could be because they were performing dry take-offs to keep noise down.

 

Then whilst the Eagles were all returning a heavy transiting tanker called up which ended up to be a KC-135 from Fairchild AFB's 92 ARW.

 

Next up, however, was my favourite of the day.  RC-135s from Offutt AFB are often hosted at RAF Mildenhall for TDY (Temporary Duty), and it so happened that one was there whilst I was.  Operated by 95th Reconnaissance Squadron of 55 Operations Group, as 'Hawg 95' and training future RAF crews, the RC-135V was a very welcome visitor!

 

From then on it was a couple of hours snooze time before finally the silence was broken by 4 F-15Es and a F-15C and F-15D, others were waiting in the last chance but didn't seem to want to go off.  The light by now was fantastic and they kept it low once more allowing for some rather nice shots!

 

 

And then it was time for another transiting visitor, this time a C-17A from McChord AFB, although heat haze tried its best to ruin the shots.

 

Then the F-15s caused a nuisance, as did the gathering clouds.  The RC-135 called up to undertake a few touch and go circuits, but because of the F-15s requiring rigging/de-rigging of the cable it was told to wait.  So it did, he was told they would be back in about 10/15 minutes.  30 minutes passed and he was still waiting, so he had the cable de-rigged for about 10 minutes, did a touch and go and then landed.  The pilots did not sound happy on the radio, and neither was I!  But the one touch and go we got was superb.

 

After a based 100ARW KC-135 departed on a sortie, and the F-15s landed we called it a day.

 

The next day we got up, and the weather wasn't quite as nice!  So we went to the mound to get shots of them on last chance and taxi-ing out.  Not long after arriving we noticed an Illinois KC-135 with a lovely tailband had arrived, along with a Maxwell C-130H.  Soon after we reached the mound 8 F-15Es taxied out and launched, again all were dry.

 

Then a based MC-130 landed, taxied back down and took off again before performing a couple of circuits before coming to a full stop and going back to its hardstand.  Then shortly after a KC-135 from Tennessee Air National Guard arrived, a very smart tailband!

 

 

Then they changed runways and the F-15Es began to return, so no shots of them.  However, the C-17 from McChord then departed before we moved round to John's field just as two based KC-135 and the Fairchild AFB KC-135 went out to refuel something.

The final movements were 5 F-15Es going out for a mission before me and my Dad left to head to RIAT.

And that was that.  I will be splitting the RIAT into three sections:  arrivals, show days and then a small departures blog.

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