Message posted by Richard on March 11, 2000 at 07:48:03 EST:
Andre, I have no idea if Spitalgate is still open, if it WAS a gliding centre then sure enough it probably STILL is. As for Manston...it was used up until last year for RAF Firefighting training. It used to be a USAFE Bomber base. The ONLY surviving USAFE Bases in the UK that fly actively are RAF Lakenheath with the 48th FW operating the F-15E Eagle in the 493rd FW, 494tf FW and the F-15C/D in the 494th FW. Alconbury has now re-opened after it shut in 1996 to U-2R/ TR-1A operations, which moved to RAF Fairford for 6 months and where one U-2R Crashed and killed the pilot. They then moved to Istres la tube AB in southern France. RAF Fairford is thye other USAFE Major Base in the UK being the main global power and Deployment base for B1Bs, B52Hs and B2As. Apart from those still open.... Wethersfield is shut Fylingdales is still open but the famous golfballs have been torn down and replaced by a GIANTly massive Phased Array sythentic aperture type Radar system and is the Primary Gatherer for Space Junk tracking over 15,000 peices an hour apparently. It is also used for tracking unwelcome visitors and also Launch of ICBMS still. BRUGGEN now operates the tornado Gr4 however most of its aircraft spend most of their time flying over here in the UK due to restrcitions and new laws on low level flying in Germany restrciting them to 1000ft which is useless. They are moving to Marham soon. Oh also, RAF welford, a massive underground TUNNEL system that Does extend for MILES and links several bases is now reopened after lying dormant for so many years. The tunnels here are absolutely huge....extremely high and were also built for Nuclear war which is why they are linked to so many bases in wiltshire and oxfordshire/gloucestershire so the personell could escape underground. I bet now, we will hear stories of aliens being inside.. i could go on and on, but i wont. As for Al and Andre, where are you living now? Rich
RAF Mildenhall is the European Tanker Task force base which operates KC-135Rs from the 100ARW. Aswell as those, RC-135s from Offutt are on TDY all year round and is the Gateway to Europe seeing many Transports each day.
Two SR-71s used to be based there...what an awesome site that was!
RAF Fairford which holds the worlds largest military airshow the Royal International air Tattoo is ceasing operations in May for an extensive overhaul.
Its the only NATO airbase to be given a major major upgrade program paid for by the MoD, DoD and NATO.
It is rumoured that, since Rhein Main airbase at Frankfurt is closing soon, Fairford is to be the JSTARS and TACAMO main operating Base together with Bombers as usual.
The runway is said to be extending from 10000 - 12,000 possibly and taxi-ways are all being rebuilt, new buildings, new comms annexes and so on. Its a 2 year program!
Its also rumoured that the U2R and Tr1 may be coming back to UKOL Alconbury or Fairford...they havent decided yet.
Upper Heyford , a very large airbase has turned into a Ford Company Car parking area.
Chicksands has had its elephant cage removed and turned into CIA/MI6 operations.
RAF Molesworth is operating under the USAFE 9RW being a european downlink centre for U-2S and Satellite live feed data.
The infamous RAF Greenham Common Missile Base was broken up, and the contret used in a nother infamous road program for hardcore...
Sculthorpe is still being used but as a target area.
St Mawgan is still being used by the USNAVY
Machrihanish is shut to all military flying now but has since turned into a civil airport. So no more AURORA or Black Programs going on anymore.
the NAVY SEALS have disbanded Machrihanish now.
It is now under the control of GCHQ with USA assistance as it is part of NORAD.
It has inside it one of the largest USAF depositories of Weapons including Nuclear and was reopened for Operations in Allied Force for the Buffs and bones.
This tunnel compex i can safely say does exist but ....PLEASE READ THIS UFO FANATICS...there are NO ALIENS inside! its a massive Weapons base thats all.
oh well.....some people are just stupid.
In Reply to: Re: Bentwaters & Woodbridge posted by Andre' M. Dall'au on March 11, 2000 at 06:57:17 EST:
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