I live locally so the Mildenhall air show was a must, every year, and the beefburgers were to die for - never bettered before or since. Forget your BigMac’s! How I wish the US authorities were able to run such a show now, but the world is a different place now, and it’s not to be. I feel honored to have been around to enjoy them.
I live a couple of miles from mildenhall. I remember the excitement of the week leading up to the airshows, the planes would start arriving on the Thursday. but Friday was practice day. I use to stay over my Nanna and grandads on the Friday night as I got a good view of the base from the bed room window. then Saturday and sunday we would park up down the road with a picnic, our airplane radio and camera and sit all day watching the display, one year my grandparents where having repairs done to the roof, me and grandad went and sat on top of the scaffold and watched from the roof. when my Nanna fount us, she nearly had kittens. so much enjoyment I had seeing all the different planes, displays and special time with my grandparents, so sad they are a thing of the pass and that the base will be gone in 5-10 years. although the Vulcan flow over last week on its way to mildenhall.
Great memories of a fantastic air show. the smell of the barbecues manned by the base staff, and going home with half my face red raw from looking up and getting sunburn or windburn as I was told. It was worth travelling from the north east for such a brilliant weekend. Sadly missed. Thanks for the video,
Went to the air museum at Duxford for an amazing air show. That was the first time I saw an SR-71 up close. Was listening to an SR-71 pilot talk about his days flying one. The I heard a British man say in the background (think to his child), "why would I want to hear an American speak about it". I thought to myself, well as far as I know it was only Americans that few this jet, so if your are interested in it, that is your best way to hear first hand experience.
Awesome! I just wanted to mention how at my nearest air&space museum, we have an SR-71 Blackbird. The most recent time I went there, when I was next to the Blackbird, I felt an aura of power and speed. (Despite it being on the ground for years!)
There's an aerospace museum near my house as well, and among other things, it has an SR-71 (actually the only SR-71C that ever existed) and F-117 sitting next to each other. It's incredible how freaking tall its rudders are
My first big airshow, and hooked me for life, the whole day was outstanding, SR71, F16, The French guys in the Alpha Jets who blew the Reds away, best moment for me was the Buccaneer, hav,nt seen one flying since, outstanding show
my dad would take me to these shows, he wanted to see the WW2 stuff, me? I was blown away by the jets, literally, the engines as they pulled the afterburners was incredible. But nothing beat the SR71 when it went full afterburners.
Fantastic airshows, now sadly very much a thing of the past. Over the years that we visited Mildenhall's Airfete, I think we must have witnessed just about all of the classic fast jets and bombers that now are only to be seen languishing in museums. Impossible to really point to a highlight given the quality of the shows, but one that does stick in my mind was the formation take off of half a dozen or so F104s - quite an experience for the senses!
kevin goodwin Yes Kevin the Mildenhall Airfete was a bit special with some superb displays by a variety of aircraft....sadly we will probably not see the likes of it again.....the highlight for me was always the SR71......Cheers Barry
When i remember the airshows at mildenhall the first memory I have is the smell of barbecue s cooking doughnuts and the smell of aviation fuel whenever I'm near a barbecue I have flash back s of these days :)
Excellent Footage, and very good filmed! What a great airshow the Air Fete was. Great to see (and hear) the incredible SR-71, and the majestic Avro Vulcan XH-558! It's so sad that the Vulcan will never fly again.:-(
Great day, I was there for this show. The Mildenhall Air Fete - I was always sad when the day was over, and always was already looking forward to the following years show - too bad they don't do it anymore.
I went to this, thank you so much for posting. The noise from the Vulcan was absolutely insane, thought my ears were bleeding. I was only 8 at the time. Wonderful experience, bit of a Cold War memory now!
We often went it for us was a family day and everyone was treated wonderfully by the Americans, Southend in Essex decided to have their gritty show the same weekend and living only 3 miles away , we still travelled to Suffolk to watch a proper display, Well done to the USAF
If only they could put on an airshows like these again, can you imagine the carbon footprint of this day? So sad that the Vulcan has had its final flight. Best of the Best. An age gone by now.
Aug 74-Sep 75, while I was stationed on Okinawa with the U.S. Marine Corps. I watched the SR-71 take off and land a lot. We called it a "Habu" after a fast striking snake native to the island.
Thanks for posting. Remember camping above Whatstandwell in Derbyshire and was woken up one morning with Harriers skimming the countryside and up and over Crich tower. This was lat 1970's, at that time biked to Skeggy and saw a Vulcan land on what looked like a patch of grass somewhere near Newark or Lincoln. The Vulcan was amazing here.
I got to hear it break the sound barrier back in the late 80s at Edwards Air Force base. The SR-71 was one of the loudest planes I heard besides the F-4 Phantoms.
I lived there is early '80s, I think it was 86 or 86 we saw one of the blackbirds fly for show. Was absolutely the loudest plane I have ever heard. Was working the boy scout food tent, we all stopped to watch it.
Yea, I remember the airshows at RAF Mildenhall. I was station there from the late 80"s and early 90"s. that day all base personell had to work the airshow, from working the booths to picking up trash. Lucky me, I had weekend duty, which got you out of the working the airshow. On the duty, we made sure the planes on the other side of the flightline were okay. we did aircraft checks to make sure everything was okay. which took a couple of hours. then we sat at the "Christmas Tree" area on the mound and had a good view. Lot of use had our families with us and BBQ. since the airshow was going on. We could not do any work there. due to possiblilty of accident. Yea it was fun...
Hi Victor............sounds like you had a lot to do during the Air Fete but enjoyable at the same time......we used to love going to Mildenhall we all looked forward to in all year and it never dissapointed........some great aircraft and a terrific atmosphere.......burgers an bud, it dosen't get any better.........all of the service men and women and there families did such a fantastic job..........there will never be another event like it........I still watch the video's to remind myself of the great air fete...........cheers Barry
I was at Mildenhall and watched the Blackbird that year I have a feeling this was the year the P47 Thunderbolt broke a crank on take off? Thankfully she was landed safely. Those fantastic family run Barbeques dispensing Polish Sausage and Hamburgers and Bud! my mate Mark and I also bought those T-Shirts with the F111 and the large can of bud below and the text this Buds for you Gaddafi how VERY non PC!!!! I think and hope those shirts which we wore so proudly (At least ten people tried to buy mine from me in the year after the event) would drive the Snowflakes MAD with apoplexy nowadays! some of the happiest days of my life.
The Airshow was THE single most anticipated event every year of my childhood on par with Christmas. BTW did it seem like the chute may have failed to detach? Looked a bit odd hanging off the SR-71 while it was taxiing.
'85 onwards I attended Mildenhall, the smell of a barbi now brings happy flashbacks. I have lots of Kodachrome slides but no way to put them on here. The SR71 flamed out above me "BOOM BOOM" thought I was a goner.
Thanks RN.....some pretty high speed aircraft on display.....the F16 Fighting Falcon is an amazing aircraft.........thanks for watching...........Regards Barry
Now THAT'S how I remember the Vulcan being being flown, not nursed around the sky. Don't get me wrong it was always amazing seeing her flying in later years but it wasn't the same, and good god she was loud! I didn't know whether to hold my ears or try and stop my insides being shaken apart!
Thank Charlie, Yes the Vulcan used to display 'Full on' and you can understand why they were a little more 'Careful' with it when they got it back in the sky.But I have seen it many time back in the day when they really gave it the beans and did some terrific displays with it...........regards Barry
I remember seeing one at Southend air show. Came screaming in across the Thames at low altitude, flew along the pier, then full afterburners to climb up over the hill behind the pier. Was amazing to see and hear, although being a kid at the time the noise seemed earth shattering lol
The way it was found to be able to fly at low altitude, weaving through mountains using them to "hide" from radar, after being designed to fly in at high altitude, that was pretty amazing 👏
First time I show the mighty Sr. 71 display ,the only aircraft to outshine the Vulcan very sad both have gone maybe we mite see the sr72 In years to come 🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸
Today's UK airshows lack the excitement of those days. There are too many light aircraft, gliders and turboprop formation displays. Across 'the pond' the airshows are still exciting, with lots of afterburner action, dynamic flying acts and aircraft examples seldom seen in the UK. Look up Oshkosh Airshow on the Airshow Stuff channel.
The last few years at Southend would have Eurofighters, Tornados, and few years before them, Jaguars and f4's flying high speed runs parralel to the shore. Used to love the sheer noise and speed as a kid. Theyd have Tornados and Jaguars along the sea-front placed where the parking is now and could cue up as kids and sit in the cockpits being shown by pilots what each bit was. Used to love it
Hi Woody yes Video has come a long way since I filmed the Mildenhall Air fete back in 1988.........30 years ago on my Betamax video......wish we had HD back then.........Cheers Barry
I live locally so the Mildenhall air show was a must, every year, and the beefburgers were to die for - never bettered before or since. Forget your BigMac’s! How I wish the US authorities were able to run such a show now, but the world is a different place now, and it’s not to be. I feel honored to have been around to enjoy them.
The world certainly is a different place
I live a couple of miles from mildenhall. I remember the excitement of the week leading up to the airshows, the planes would start arriving on the Thursday. but Friday was practice day. I use to stay over my Nanna and grandads on the Friday night as I got a good view of the base from the bed room window. then Saturday and sunday we would park up down the road with a picnic, our airplane radio and camera and sit all day watching the display, one year my grandparents where having repairs done to the roof, me and grandad went and sat on top of the scaffold and watched from the roof. when my Nanna fount us, she nearly had kittens. so much enjoyment I had seeing all the different planes, displays and special time with my grandparents, so sad they are a thing of the pass and that the base will be gone in 5-10 years. although the Vulcan flow over last week on its way to mildenhall.
I was at that air show. It was a fun time!!!
Wow how awesome!!
Great memories of a fantastic air show. the smell of the barbecues manned by the base staff, and going home with half my face red raw from looking up and getting sunburn or windburn as I was told. It was worth travelling from the north east for such a brilliant weekend. Sadly missed. Thanks for the video,
The Vulcan tore the sky apart. You could feel it in your chest
Went to the air museum at Duxford for an amazing air show. That was the first time I saw an SR-71 up close. Was listening to an SR-71 pilot talk about his days flying one. The I heard a British man say in the background (think to his child), "why would I want to hear an American speak about it".
I thought to myself, well as far as I know it was only Americans that few this jet, so if your are interested in it, that is your best way to hear first hand experience.
Awesome! I just wanted to mention how at my nearest air&space museum, we have an SR-71 Blackbird. The most recent time I went there, when I was next to the Blackbird, I felt an aura of power and speed. (Despite it being on the ground for years!)
There's an aerospace museum near my house as well, and among other things, it has an SR-71 (actually the only SR-71C that ever existed) and F-117 sitting next to each other. It's incredible how freaking tall its rudders are
In Richmond?
@@miminewman9495 Near DC
My first big airshow, and hooked me for life, the whole day was outstanding, SR71, F16, The French guys in the Alpha Jets who blew the Reds away, best moment for me was the Buccaneer, hav,nt seen one flying since, outstanding show
That max climb from the Vulcan... HOLY COW!
An airshow with a Vulcan AND an SR-71? What a sight that must’ve been in person.
It was trust me hardly missed a show
My parents took my brother and me to Mildenhall air show quite a few times as kids in the late 80s
It certainly was,great show,sadly missed
I was there that day. The blackbird did a high speed pass on reheat, the diamonds were very visible in the flame. Vulcan did a great display also.
my dad would take me to these shows, he wanted to see the WW2 stuff, me? I was blown away by the jets, literally, the engines as they pulled the afterburners was incredible. But nothing beat the SR71 when it went full afterburners.
Fantastic airshows, now sadly very much a thing of the past. Over the years that we visited Mildenhall's Airfete, I think we must have witnessed just about all of the classic fast jets and bombers that now are only to be seen languishing in museums. Impossible to really point to a highlight given the quality of the shows, but one that does stick in my mind was the formation take off of half a dozen or so F104s - quite an experience for the senses!
kevin goodwin Yes Kevin the Mildenhall Airfete was a bit special with some superb displays by a variety of aircraft....sadly we will probably not see the likes of it again.....the highlight for me was always the SR71......Cheers Barry
When i remember the airshows at mildenhall the first memory I have is the smell of barbecue s cooking doughnuts and the smell of aviation fuel whenever I'm near a barbecue I have flash back s of these days :)
Excellent Footage, and very good filmed! What a great airshow the Air Fete was. Great to see (and hear) the incredible SR-71, and the majestic Avro Vulcan XH-558! It's so sad that the Vulcan will never fly again.:-(
Thanks Knight......the Mildenhall Air Fete was always the best show of the year........Cheers Barry
That is the most stunning aircraft I've ever seen in my life
RIP headphone users..
Great comment!.......cheers Barry
Ha! No Kidding!!!
huh?
Yep
What? WHAT? SPEAK UP, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!
Great day, I was there for this show. The Mildenhall Air Fete - I was always sad when the day was over, and always was already looking forward to the following years show - too bad they don't do it anymore.
Yes agreed, it would be nice to have something at Mildenhall again......cheers Barry
lunarmodule5 t
i recently found duplicate posters from each of the Air Fete I attended from 85-89. WOW
I went to this, thank you so much for posting. The noise from the Vulcan was absolutely insane, thought my ears were bleeding. I was only 8 at the time. Wonderful experience, bit of a Cold War memory now!
We often went it for us was a family day and everyone was treated wonderfully by the Americans, Southend in Essex decided to have their gritty show the same weekend and living only 3 miles away , we still travelled to Suffolk to watch a proper display, Well done to the USAF
Home sweet home - thank you for posting more Air Fete vids!!
If only they could put on an airshows like these again, can you imagine the carbon footprint of this day? So sad that the Vulcan has had its final flight. Best of the Best. An age gone by now.
Aug 74-Sep 75, while I was stationed on Okinawa with the U.S. Marine Corps. I watched the SR-71 take off and land a lot. We called it a "Habu" after a fast striking snake native to the island.
@Mel Hawk yes it was a beautiful machine. It was amazing how fast the Habu (SR-71) was after taking off. Semper Fi
Thanks for posting. Remember camping above Whatstandwell in Derbyshire and was woken up one morning with Harriers skimming the countryside and up and over Crich tower. This was lat 1970's, at that time biked to Skeggy and saw a Vulcan land on what looked like a patch of grass somewhere near Newark or Lincoln. The Vulcan was amazing here.
hearing one in real life now would be a dream
I got to hear it break the sound barrier back in the late 80s at Edwards Air Force base. The SR-71 was one of the loudest planes I heard besides the F-4 Phantoms.
I was there! I served at Mildenhall's sister base RAF Lakenheath. Thank you for uploading this!
Glad you enjoyed the footage Red Cloud and that it brought back good memories........Regards Barry
Damn that looks like it was an amazing air show,!!!!
Thanks for sharing. Superb 😀
Those are classic Planes, great.
Some great airshows back in the day, the SR71 was always the highlight of the Mildenhall Air Fete
@@BarryPrice1959 sad they flight not anymore
that was a awesome airshow still got static photos of the aircraft including a Blackbird i took & the programme
Great footage of a great show! I was there, somewhere in the crowd.....
Nice video, I was stationed at Mildenhall (fire fighter ) air fete 1980 - 1982 good memories.
I remember this like it was yesterday. I was 8 years old seeing the sr-71 I was hooked. Mildenhall air fete fond memories.
I was there in the 80s and if I remember rightly the sr71 made me cry it was so loud 😂
I saw the blackbird fly at nellis afb. Once. It was awesome. My friend said take it in you’ll never see this again
I remember going in 97 or 88 it was so hot the runway was melting. Good memory's.
From a time when airshows were still awaesome
I lived there is early '80s, I think it was 86 or 86 we saw one of the blackbirds fly for show. Was absolutely the loudest plane I have ever heard. Was working the boy scout food tent, we all stopped to watch it.
Brings back some memories...
That is a beast of an aircraft
I was there, car alarms going off when the big bird went up. Epic days out
Yea, I remember the airshows at RAF Mildenhall. I was station there from the late 80"s and early 90"s. that day all base personell had to work the airshow, from working the booths to picking up trash. Lucky me, I had weekend duty, which got you out of the working the airshow. On the duty, we made sure the planes on the other side of the flightline were okay. we did aircraft checks to make sure everything was okay. which took a couple of hours. then we sat at the "Christmas Tree" area on the mound and had a good view. Lot of use had our families with us and BBQ. since the airshow was going on. We could not do any work there. due to possiblilty of accident. Yea it was fun...
Hi Victor............sounds like you had a lot to do during the Air Fete but enjoyable at the same time......we used to love going to Mildenhall we all looked forward to in all year and it never dissapointed........some great aircraft and a terrific atmosphere.......burgers an bud, it dosen't get any better.........all of the service men and women and there families did such a fantastic job..........there will never be another event like it........I still watch the video's to remind myself of the great air fete...........cheers Barry
I was there, it was an amazing show 👍
THE USAF! THE one, the only, the greatest air plane ever built, THE SR-71.
I was there. Had cycled across from home. But that year actually went in instead of watching from outside the fence!
Two lovely planes I seek. The Vulcan and The Blackbird. And I found them!
The days of great airshows!..
I was at Mildenhall and watched the Blackbird that year I have a feeling this was the year the P47 Thunderbolt broke a crank on take off? Thankfully she was landed safely. Those fantastic family run Barbeques dispensing Polish Sausage and Hamburgers and Bud! my mate Mark and I also bought those T-Shirts with the F111 and the large can of bud below and the text this Buds for you Gaddafi how VERY non PC!!!! I think and hope those shirts which we wore so proudly (At least ten people tried to buy mine from me in the year after the event) would drive the Snowflakes MAD with apoplexy nowadays! some of the happiest days of my life.
The Airshow was THE single most anticipated event every year of my childhood on par with Christmas. BTW did it seem like the chute may have failed to detach? Looked a bit odd hanging off the SR-71 while it was taxiing.
I'd give anything to have been able to go to that air show. Was born in 89 😢
'85 onwards I attended Mildenhall, the smell of a barbi now brings happy flashbacks. I have lots of Kodachrome slides but no way to put them on here. The SR71 flamed out above me "BOOM BOOM" thought I was a goner.
awesome. lucky to see the sr71
Yes I was lucky enough to see the awesome SR71 display a couple of times at Mildehall.........an amazing aircraft......regards Barry
I used to love Mildenhall Air Show.
Yep so did I........cheers Barry
My God, I came here for the Blackbird but that F-16... there are no words, it's just incredible
Thanks RN.....some pretty high speed aircraft on display.....the F16 Fighting Falcon is an amazing aircraft.........thanks for watching...........Regards Barry
Nothing like seeing a Blackbird, but that Vulcan was pretty damn cool too!
Phantastisch
The hell in the Air
Sr71 blackbirt
Hey at 2:45 that's the British Vulcan...awe so awesome!
Awesome at 7:00 doing the Converse logo!
I miss seeing Tornadoes doing low-flying practice around here. They were amazing machines.
Awesome
THE SR-71 WAS AHEAD OF IT'S TIME,JUST AN AWESOME AIRCRAFT.
Sure was an amazing aircraft Keith.....regards Barry
Yessir. Way way ahead of its time: almost impossible to believe initial drafts of it were in 1959!
I was there happy days. So so mist 😅😅😊
It must be so loud and amazing
Yes Josh the SR71 was just an amazing aircraft to see at the Mildenhall Airshow........Regards Barry
Now THAT'S how I remember the Vulcan being being flown, not nursed around the sky. Don't get me wrong it was always amazing seeing her flying in later years but it wasn't the same, and good god she was loud! I didn't know whether to hold my ears or try and stop my insides being shaken apart!
Thank Charlie, Yes the Vulcan used to display 'Full on' and you can understand why they were a little more 'Careful' with it when they got it back in the sky.But I have seen it many time back in the day when they really gave it the beans and did some terrific displays with it...........regards Barry
I remember seeing one at Southend air show. Came screaming in across the Thames at low altitude, flew along the pier, then full afterburners to climb up over the hill behind the pier. Was amazing to see and hear, although being a kid at the time the noise seemed earth shattering lol
I think I was at this air show. Mildenhall was so good back then, airshows are a bit rubbish nowadays.
That engine sound at 5:22 - 5:30 is orgasmic!!
It occured to me that the noise generated by just one Blackbird appears to be approximately that made by all of the Red Arrows! 9 vs 1 !!
Ahhhhh this is what I want to hear
That Vulcan is a monster
The way it was found to be able to fly at low altitude, weaving through mountains using them to "hide" from radar, after being designed to fly in at high altitude, that was pretty amazing 👏
I was there at that airshow, last time the Vulcan was to fly before it's retirement. Thank you!!
I can't believe in tiny little Vulcan cockpit there are 4 people
in there plus room for one more to sit on the floor
I was there!
Coolest plane of all time.
Gorgeous airplane, like a sky Ferrari.
I was stationed at RAF Mildenhall.
When the Blackbirds came to town windows shattered.
Sure was an amazing aircraft Paul....glad I was able to witness it in flight.........Cheers Barry
A Vulcan, AND an Sr-71.....Red Arrows have gotta be thinking, "We're following that?"
20th Century video quality but a spectacular footage nonetheless .
Many fond mmories
Cheers bob...yes it was a great show at Mildenhall......nothing compares these days........Cheers Barry
Ah the F-16 was fairly new at the time and they were demonstrating it to its maximum.
cool to see the vulcan up there as 1 of the british planes.
First time I show the mighty Sr. 71 display ,the only aircraft to outshine the Vulcan very sad both have gone maybe we mite see the sr72
In years to come 🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸
sweet O.O
Oh you lucky people!!!
I was there , somewhere?
Today's UK airshows lack the excitement of those days. There are too many light aircraft, gliders and turboprop formation displays. Across 'the pond' the airshows are still exciting, with lots of afterburner action, dynamic flying acts and aircraft examples seldom seen in the UK. Look up Oshkosh Airshow on the Airshow Stuff channel.
The last few years at Southend would have Eurofighters, Tornados, and few years before them, Jaguars and f4's flying high speed runs parralel to the shore. Used to love the sheer noise and speed as a kid. Theyd have Tornados and Jaguars along the sea-front placed where the parking is now and could cue up as kids and sit in the cockpits being shown by pilots what each bit was. Used to love it
as a lad I think i might have been there! I was prob 16 so yer
nice to see the Vulcan, the 1 that pulverised the agentinians! ha
I was there.
I would have loved to have been there
used, in shape
Pure planegasm🤣✈🔝
Went there twice in the 80's. No one does Airshows, Burgers and ice cold Bud like the Yanks.
That's what a Jets supposed to sound like
5:35 help my ears are getting raped 😂😂😂
Pretty sure I was there.
Does anybody here know the story of that sr71 blackbird mildenhall pass?
The SR71 Blackbird is the baddest machine in the solar system. The Martians have nothing like it...……...
srfh2 sometimes I wonder if Martians created it!
Used to watch Habu at Kadena AB. On a side note, we've all become spoiled by the quality of digital recordings. These old VHS tapes just suck!
Yea buy all those typhoons
LOL, after watching this, HD has really spoiled us. Back then that was awesome video. Even our cellphones have better video now. Spoiled
Hi Woody yes Video has come a long way since I filmed the Mildenhall Air fete back in 1988.........30 years ago on my Betamax video......wish we had HD back then.........Cheers Barry
Just a couple
What’s shown at 3:40?
Its the Avro Vulcan, a cold war Nuclear Bomber.
@@BarryPrice1959 Thank you!
WTF is this at 5:41, SR-71 cockpit view?
Who said your wings lose lift if they are at too steep of an angle ? The slow pass fly by proves that theory wrong !! LOL