Thank you so much for sharing this video! We arrived to Upper Heyford in December 1979 when I was kid and I still live in Bicester to this day. My parents also settled in Bicester after my dad retired from the USAF in '91. In fact my parents and myself bought houses on the old Anglo estate. I married someone stationed at Heyford but he's since gone back to the USA after we split 15 years back. Although the base is not far I don't often drive through it any more. Once in a blue moon I'll go through to see the changes etc. Early on after the military left it went into great deterioration as the flora was overgrown and paint was peeling off of the buildings. Once they decided to reuse the land it got tidier but one could still make out where the various buildings use to be positioned, however I just went through it this evening and it's been so redeveloped that not much is left of the original base. It's sad to see it all gone now because it's a slice of my youth/my life that I can't revisit in a sense but I'm happy to see the space being used for homes. I noticed you were in the 79th, did you know a Whitescarver? I can't recall his first name or rank but I worked with his wife and she and I became pretty good friends while they were here. You may remember Barry the barber? He went over to Croughton once Heyford closed and eventually he retired a few years back. Don't know if you knew CMSgt Wenger? He was my dad. He passed away in Dec 2009. If you want any info about the area nowadays I'm happy to share. Just let me know. Have a fabulous day! Terri
I knew Barry as he was the only one I would let cut my hair 😀 We're planning a trip to UK next year to see my in-laws and roam my old stomping grounds. I did 16 years in UK between Bentwaters, UH, and Lakenheath. If they didn't close UH I probably would have retired there ... however being stationed at Lakenheath at the end of my career just ruined everything about being in the UK 😆
This is fab!! Really takes me back.... I can almost smell the JP8 and jet exhaust. I was ADDC dawg on 68-077 (go Gamblers!) from '91 to 94 and lived off base in Brackley. Yay for the grease monkey knuckledraggers!! Supreme time! Thanks for sharing.
Great video,as a teenager I used to sit in the sand dunes in Mablethorpe every weekday mornings in the summer and I’d watch the 20th TFW F-111E’s running along the beach towards Donna nook bombing range,always in twos,through my binoculars I could see UH on the tail,and the long black nose and great camouflage scheme,Great days and memories,I recently saw an aircrew interview with Jeff Glynn who was a F-111E pilot from Upper Heyford,great interview,and he answered my questions about his range visits to Donna nook.
This is the best video of daily life on the flight line. It's funny how it is still the same thing today. Newer launch trucks though. I grew up on Bentwaters/Woodbridge which they closed the same time period. I joined in 1994 and got stationed at Mildenhall. We had the same DAF launch trucks in this video. I'm a contractor now with a small ANG unit. I get to jump on the truck and just enjoy the ride, since I don't have to get off the truck and work now.
Great video I was there 89 to 93 68-007 was on the deploy in 90 when desert shield started and volunteered to stay and oriented the war guys mostly 79. Thanks for sharing great memories
I did a lot of work on the base during its decommissioning -loved seeing the little signs of the time you guys spent there, graffiti, all sorts of relics remain there’s a lot of ghosts left there
Didn’t think I would miss old 79th and the daily activities. Crew Dogs did a great job using technology. Greetings from an old specialist flight expediter.
Ah, 1993, when I was in my last year at school in Bicester and my life was soundtracked by the rumbling of the 'Varks and Ravens from UH (As well as Fox FM...!). My Dad worked there as a truck driver for the Transportation squadron and I would see the Hush House, among other landmarks from the bottom of the motor pool on my occasional visits. My Dad was transferred to Croughton later that year and worked there until early retirement in 2003. I myself did some work as a yard driver at UH between '04 and '06 when the flightline was filled with thousands of cars and vans in storage.
Them's the good old days. That was me and Mark Bergeron launching 076. Rod Hancock in the truck with Ward Brasseal. Must have been after 053, my original acft left. Tiger!! Tiger!!
@@Rod-db8tt No we are full time motor homing now. We hang our hats in Jacksonville, Florida during the winter and travel during the summer. I keep track of Mark, Ward and Wilkie. Used to keep up with Mike Guy, but he went dark and I don't know what happened with him
@@bryanstewart6977 Alright my Tiger brother ... I'm going to retire in October but I'm still humping fighters as a civilian at 61 years old ... mentally I still love it, physically not so much 😊 Tiger Tiger ... Roar
@@Rod-db8tt after the AF I pumped gas on the red and whites at the Nev Test site. After two years of being away from home 5 days a week, I got a job as a ramp rat at Henderson Executive Airport. Spent 12 years there. My back finally said enough, so I retired and spent two years being a house hubby till Sue retired. Then we hit the road. You remember our son Ryan? He's a gunners mate in the navy taking care of the armory for Seal Team 4 in Norfolk.
Watching parts of this film and recognising where certain areas have been transformed under the new Heyford Park redevelopment. I could be mistaken but I believe the area around 9:30 is near to/is now the area next to a newly built supermarket and row of shops.
Spent hours as a kid looking out of my bedroom window waiting for the next pair of 111's to fly over my parents house in Bletchley MK in the 70's and 80's, always looked impressive especially against a grey cloudy day with those landing lights blazing, miss those days, what a shame the 'Ards' were retired too soon in my opinion, I guess they had their reasons.
I spent 4 years at upper heyford.my dad was on the flightline,missiles etc.of course,it was long ago during cold War scare.He always said,don't ask me whT.I do then I don't have to lie!
this is a great video. I was in the 55th when they closed 79th. I had orders for Nellis 561 FS WW where I was straight Engines no more Rivet Work force for engines. I remember when I went to Strike you were QA. Drove with you to area 51 to change an engine on a F15 E
@@Rod-db8tt Thanks for posting the video. What a great squadron ! Its funny that all three squadrons 55th 77th and 79th, ended up at Moody. F 16 Weasels
Thank you so much for sharing this video! We arrived to Upper Heyford in December 1979 when I was kid and I still live in Bicester to this day. My parents also settled in Bicester after my dad retired from the USAF in '91. In fact my parents and myself bought houses on the old Anglo estate. I married someone stationed at Heyford but he's since gone back to the USA after we split 15 years back.
Although the base is not far I don't often drive through it any more. Once in a blue moon I'll go through to see the changes etc. Early on after the military left it went into great deterioration as the flora was overgrown and paint was peeling off of the buildings. Once they decided to reuse the land it got tidier but one could still make out where the various buildings use to be positioned, however I just went through it this evening and it's been so redeveloped that not much is left of the original base. It's sad to see it all gone now because it's a slice of my youth/my life that I can't revisit in a sense but I'm happy to see the space being used for homes.
I noticed you were in the 79th, did you know a Whitescarver? I can't recall his first name or rank but I worked with his wife and she and I became pretty good friends while they were here. You may remember Barry the barber? He went over to Croughton once Heyford closed and eventually he retired a few years back. Don't know if you knew CMSgt Wenger? He was my dad. He passed away in Dec 2009.
If you want any info about the area nowadays I'm happy to share. Just let me know. Have a fabulous day! Terri
I knew Barry as he was the only one I would let cut my hair 😀
We're planning a trip to UK next year to see my in-laws and roam my old stomping grounds. I did 16 years in UK between Bentwaters, UH, and Lakenheath. If they didn't close UH I probably would have retired there ... however being stationed at Lakenheath at the end of my career just ruined everything about being in the UK 😆
This is fab!! Really takes me back.... I can almost smell the JP8 and jet exhaust. I was ADDC dawg on 68-077 (go Gamblers!) from '91 to 94 and lived off base in Brackley. Yay for the grease monkey knuckledraggers!! Supreme time! Thanks for sharing.
Great video,as a teenager I used to sit in the sand dunes in Mablethorpe every weekday mornings in the summer and I’d watch the 20th TFW F-111E’s running along the beach towards Donna nook bombing range,always in twos,through my binoculars I could see UH on the tail,and the long black nose and great camouflage scheme,Great days and memories,I recently saw an aircrew interview with Jeff Glynn who was a F-111E pilot from Upper Heyford,great interview,and he answered my questions about his range visits to Donna nook.
nothing more sad than a closed airbase, ghosts of the past, such a great looking aircraft the F111
This is the best video of daily life on the flight line. It's funny how it is still the same thing today. Newer launch trucks though. I grew up on Bentwaters/Woodbridge which they closed the same time period. I joined in 1994 and got stationed at Mildenhall. We had the same DAF launch trucks in this video. I'm a contractor now with a small ANG unit. I get to jump on the truck and just enjoy the ride, since I don't have to get off the truck and work now.
Great video I was there 89 to 93 68-007 was on the deploy in 90 when desert shield started and volunteered to stay and oriented the war guys mostly 79. Thanks for sharing great memories
Hey, there’s the fuel shop where I started my career. Remember when the LOX bottle blew on The a/c in yellow1 tree? Bbb boom
I did a lot of work on the base during its decommissioning -loved seeing the little signs of the time you guys spent there, graffiti, all sorts of relics remain there’s a lot of ghosts left there
Didn’t think I would miss old 79th and the daily activities. Crew Dogs did a great job using technology. Greetings from an old specialist flight expediter.
Ah, 1993, when I was in my last year at school in Bicester and my life was soundtracked by the rumbling of the 'Varks and Ravens from UH (As well as Fox FM...!).
My Dad worked there as a truck driver for the Transportation squadron and I would see the Hush House, among other landmarks from the bottom of the motor pool on my occasional visits. My Dad was transferred to Croughton later that year and worked there until early retirement in 2003. I myself did some work as a yard driver at UH between '04 and '06 when the flightline was filled with thousands of cars and vans in storage.
I'll be going there in September to visit my son and daughter in law. They live by Croughton.
Them's the good old days. That was me and Mark Bergeron launching 076. Rod Hancock in the truck with Ward Brasseal. Must have been after 053, my original acft left. Tiger!! Tiger!!
Hey Brian, you still in LV? ... only person from UH I "used " to see on a regular basis was our expediter Danny Watson.
@@Rod-db8tt No we are full time motor homing now. We hang our hats in Jacksonville, Florida during the winter and travel during the summer. I keep track of Mark, Ward and Wilkie. Used to keep up with Mike Guy, but he went dark and I don't know what happened with him
@@bryanstewart6977 Alright my Tiger brother ... I'm going to retire in October but I'm still humping fighters as a civilian at 61 years old ... mentally I still love it, physically not so much 😊 Tiger Tiger ... Roar
@@Rod-db8tt after the AF I pumped gas on the red and whites at the Nev Test site. After two years of being away from home 5 days a week, I got a job as a ramp rat at Henderson Executive Airport. Spent 12 years there. My back finally said enough, so I retired and spent two years being a house hubby till Sue retired. Then we hit the road. You remember our son Ryan? He's a gunners mate in the navy taking care of the armory for Seal Team 4 in Norfolk.
I was there ‘82-83, Jet Engine Mechanic
I miss these screaming over the skies of Northamptonshire :-(
Watching parts of this film and recognising where certain areas have been transformed under the new Heyford Park redevelopment. I could be mistaken but I believe the area around 9:30 is near to/is now the area next to a newly built supermarket and row of shops.
Wow, thanks for the memories!
thanks for the memories
we worked on the m40 beside that airbase in 89.some noise off the planes taking off and landing.
Spent hours as a kid looking out of my bedroom window waiting for the next pair of 111's to fly over my parents house in Bletchley MK in the 70's and 80's, always looked impressive especially against a grey cloudy day with those landing lights blazing, miss those days, what a shame the 'Ards' were retired too soon in my opinion, I guess they had their reasons.
Left Upper Heyford right at a year before this. PCS to Loring another closing base in 94
Superb
This is great I am local but to young to be around then
I spent 4 years at upper heyford.my dad was on the flightline,missiles etc.of course,it was long ago during cold War scare.He always said,don't ask me whT.I do then I don't have to lie!
Recall Gulf War 1 the Ardvaarks coming over our house middle of the night… epic sound
If your wings don't sweep ... you ain't shit!
fo sho!
this is a great video. I was in the 55th when they closed 79th. I had orders for Nellis 561 FS WW where I was straight Engines no more Rivet Work force for engines. I remember when I went to Strike you were QA. Drove with you to area 51 to change an engine on a F15 E
@@F15Ejetmech HI fish, yes video beings back memories 😀
@@Rod-db8tt Thanks for posting the video. What a great squadron ! Its funny that all three squadrons 55th 77th and 79th, ended up at Moody. F 16 Weasels
Hi rod how r u
Miss this place, ruined now