End of the RAF!!!!!!

[Lucas1860]

Have a listen to the BBC broadcast on the RAF, makes me sick.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00td8zs

[Xplumberlives]

He's only broadcasting what many people must be thinking!!

When I joined in 1983 the RAF had over 100000, when I left in 2005 it had shrunk to approximately 46000 and now it is about to go below 40000!

[Mayfly]

Haven't listened to it yet but the RAF is far below the numbers that served on the 'V' Force alone in the 60's and has been for a number of years.

[RLN]

It's like any other occupation - more and more reliance is put upon technology, hence the number of staff is reduced and a lot of ancillary work is put out to tender so the number of those directly employed is greatly reduced.

[Fifties Fanatic]

It pains me to say it, but it is inevitable that the RAF's golden days are history and it's future very uncertain. I was fortunate to grow up during the golden years of the fifties and sixties when you could hardly fail to see a military aircraft virtually anywhere in the country most days on an exercise or manoeuvres of some sort. Happy days.

[Thumper]

Growing up living next door to RAF Coningsby from 1980 - 1994 it was a hive of military activity. I'm surprised that my first word wasn't Tornado

[Fifties Fanatic]

Mmmm - sounds good - and your second word might have been reheat!

[Thumper]

hahahahaha nope my second word was probably Phantom

You might enjoy this FF, I posted it a while back on here, 1983 at Coningsby; Phantoms, Tornado's, A10, Jet Provost, Drakens, F-16, OV-10 and even an F-111

http://www.iconicaircraft.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1851&start=0&hilit=1983+coningsby

[Fifties Fanatic]

hahahahaha nope my second word was probably Phantom

You might enjoy this FF, I posted it a while back on here, 1983 at Coningsby; Phantoms, Tornado's, A10, Jet Provost, Drakens, F-16, OV-10 and even an F-111

http://www.iconicaircraft.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1851&start=0&hilit=1983+coningsby

Fantastic footage, Thumpy. Gosh that is all so nostalgic and reminiscent of Alconbury before the F5s and TR1s arrived - I used to take my son there very frequently. It's easy to forget that the F4 was a real brute - dirty and loud. The Drakens were Danish I presume. Clearly your Dad knew he had an aerobesotted daughter early on! Thanks for sharing.

I meant to add that the out of focus barbed wire in the foreground gives a great "cold war" atmosphere to the footage.

[Thumper]

Thanks FF.

Oh yes my Dad was very happy that his daughter was not a fluffy pink girl

I have to say out of all the planes I used to see at Coningsby the A-10 was one of my favourites. I wasn't that keen on the Phantoms as they had a habit of doing missed approaches and they hurt my little eardrums at that age

[Fifties Fanatic]

With hindsight they were just hardening up the eardrums for later life. I agree with you about the "Warthog". Business used to take me over to the east coast in those days and often found myself on the "ranges" for an hour and the sight and sound of an A10 with that ghettoblaster of a canon was incredible. I think the A10 jockeys were quite envied by the fast jet boys, not that they'd admit it.

[Thumper]

Going to RIAT last year was excellent as it's the first time I have seen a Warthog in years!! They are gorgeous aircraft, so interesting and different.

My eardrums are very tough now, can cope with Merlin engine starts at Duxford, Harriers hovering above my head and just about coped with a head skimming pass by the Sabre last year. And of course the 105db carbon exhaust on my motorbike

[Fifties Fanatic]

Of course - I had forgotten about the BIKE.......