Nostalgia Thread

[Aviador]

Discussions relating to the golden years of pre-commercial operations at DSA Finningley.

 

[Seasider]

Re: Nostagia Thread

Does nostalgia cover the time as RAF Finningley?

 

[Aviador]

Of course. That's what I was thinking anyway. Air Show memorabilia, RAF stuff and the rest.

 

[Seasider]

First visit in 1963 for the BofB display as an Air cadet. Many visits after that usually for the BofB display. Highlight for a teenage Air Cadet was to see how quickly we could evacuate the Vulcan cockpit simulator.

 

[monkeytennis]

Tons of memories but I always feel fuzzy inside when I think of the time I was in the last year of Auckley Junior School. The classroom looked out onto the field and anything unusual off or onto 20 was greeted by a shout of "what's that one then boys?" from the teacher, Mr Fowler.

I remember Doves, Viscounts and all sorts used to be in and out of Finningley. Highlights were getting into a near fight with a boy called Alexander over whether a visitor was a KC-135 or a KC-10 (I was right it was a 135!)

Biking down to crash gate 5 to go spotting was a regular activity too.

Airshow time we all used to go and wander around the apron on the Friday evening to catch an early look at the statics and the later arrivals. I nearly got run over by a Nimrod once when I wasn't looking where I was going!

And us kids all used to sit on the grass at the front of the Sgts Mess enclosure (well all of us whose dads were SGTs anyway) and wave at the pilots as they taxied past.

I think what really kills me is remembering the sheer variety of RAF aircraft on display back then (in the 80s and 90s) compared to now. We might have had Tornado, Harrier, Vulcan, Victor, Nimrod, Shackleton, BoB flight, various helicopters, Phantom, Jaguar, Hawk, VC-10, Hercules and of course my personal favourite the Lightning.

When I went to Waddo the other year nearly all of those are scrapped and we just seem to do everything as cheaply as possible. Some of the aircraft on display belonged to private contractors for goodness' sake!

Good times though and the Tornado visit the other day brought back some good memories.

 

[Pat]

My first and only visit to RAF FINNINGLEY was in my first 2 weeks of joining the RAF.I had to go and help set the seats out for the air display in 1974. I often went past the camp when tavelling by train from Lincoln to Doncaster whilst based at RAF scampton

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Vulcan bomber now on show at Robin Hood Airport

The last flying Vulcan bomber, XH558, will be on show for the public from a viewing gallery at Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield every day from today (Good Friday) and the May 2 between 11am – 4pm.

From the viewing gallery, visitors will be able to see the plane parked up, take photographs, try the flight simulator and visit the shop for lots of Vulcan memorabilia – with volunteers on hand to answer questions about the stunning aircraft.

It will be free to view the plane between 22nd April and 2nd May, with the only fee for parking at the airport. For the viewing gallery, visitors are asked to enter the main terminal building and follow the clearly marked out signs.

Source[/textarea]