My pleasure! I implied this further down below but I had forgotten I had this footage until I was searching for some other footage and came across this.
Fantastic Video! I really miss the Mildenhall airshow what a great day out it was. They dont do airshows like this one anymore :o( Not sure what day this was in 1987 I suspect it's the Saturday ? I was there on the sunday aged just 11yrs and my 1st ever airshow. Thanks for posting this Video.
My TDY group was at Mildenhall around this time(late 80's),and we were allowed
to tour the hanger,and see the bird close up.I had the best camera,so I was allowed to take close up pics,but strangely,the autofocus on my camera would'nt work very well,so many pics came out slightly blurred!I attribute this to the special "paint" on the bird.I remember all the "spies" camping out at the end of the runway,outside the fence,to take pics,and record it's coming and going!
I was here, one of the best displays of any aircraft I've ever seen. I saw the Space Shuttle at Cape Canaveral a couple of years ago. It was dull compared to the Habu.
Anyone remember what year it was when the Bird got too close to the crowd line so the pilot plied on a massive amount of G's while lighting the burners but nothing happened...then when the G's came off the fuel ignited into 2 massive fireballs?
Thanks for posting this brilliant bit of film. I was there too, about a couple of hundred yards to your left, and have a whole collection of b/w photos of the display. An absolutely awesome aircraft, saw it at all the UK displays and watching this still makes the hairs prickle on my neck. The commentator was Roger Hoefling, a regular for years at Old Warden who really knew his stuff. Thanks for bringing back great memories..not least of which involve Burgers and Bud.
I was there! The SR-71 was based out of Mildenhall and I got to play in the hanger it was in as friends parents worked for Dept 4 which i believe was a civilian section of engineers employed to keep it running.. a sad day indeed when they retired this plane..
Yeah, I agree it was indeed a sad day. Many of my friends in the Air Force believed it was not a good idea for the AF to retire the plane. I know NASA still uses the plane at Edwards AFB though for high altitude research.
My favorite aircraft of all time, that bird had a lot of power! Saw one take off from Carswell AFB (Fort Worth, Tx) once, still remember that high, screaming moan! The sound of freedom, captured beautifully, 5/5 stars!
If only we could turn the clock back! - stunning stuff, the like of which we will never see again, both in terms of brute force and a pilot who knows how to show his aircraft off to the best.
Thank you. Yeah, I liked the commentator too. I only wish I had been better positioned near a speaker to where he would be more easily heard. He certainly knows his stuff!
Ah that brings back so many good memories. I've been searching for Airfete SR-71 footage for years! Unfortunately I was only 8 years old for my first Airfete in 1984, and I was 10 or 11 when I saw one fly last... Thanks for posting it here for us all to enjoy.
I had actually forgotten I even had the footage till I made contact with a gentleman in England who is a military aircraft enthusiast and is rather keen on the SR in particular. Frankly, I'm rather surprised the footage is still watchable given that it's over 20 years old! I'm currently working on re-rendering this video with some video stabilisation software to make it more watchable. Stay tuned!
I think there are a great many people who miss the old Airfetes of the mid eighties. Some of the best variety of combat aircraft especially when compared to these days. I think its great footage without being edited purely because it has that raw feel about it as if the person viewing it is actually there! It seems so long ago, but thanks to you and youtube we can all relive it again : )
My pleasure! I implied this further down below but I had forgotten I had this footage until I was searching for some other footage and came across this.
seeled558 3 months ago
Fantastic Video! I really miss the Mildenhall airshow what a great day out it was. They dont do airshows like this one anymore :o( Not sure what day this was in 1987 I suspect it's the Saturday ? I was there on the sunday aged just 11yrs and my 1st ever airshow. Thanks for posting this Video.
debbaz7476 5 months ago
My TDY group was at Mildenhall around this time(late 80's),and we were allowed
to tour the hanger,and see the bird close up.I had the best camera,so I was allowed to take close up pics,but strangely,the autofocus on my camera would'nt work very well,so many pics came out slightly blurred!I attribute this to the special "paint" on the bird.I remember all the "spies" camping out at the end of the runway,outside the fence,to take pics,and record it's coming and going!
Skwerrlly 6 months ago
We were at this air show too. We left England in July 1987
renee29404 8 months ago
I was here, one of the best displays of any aircraft I've ever seen. I saw the Space Shuttle at Cape Canaveral a couple of years ago. It was dull compared to the Habu.
KrisRamJ 9 months ago
The fireball year was 1986, there is a great video of it posted by skyflash1 under SR71 Blackbird USAF..worth a look.
slicer819 1 year ago
Anyone remember what year it was when the Bird got too close to the crowd line so the pilot plied on a massive amount of G's while lighting the burners but nothing happened...then when the G's came off the fuel ignited into 2 massive fireballs?
UKVoodooUK 1 year ago
Thanks for posting this brilliant bit of film. I was there too, about a couple of hundred yards to your left, and have a whole collection of b/w photos of the display. An absolutely awesome aircraft, saw it at all the UK displays and watching this still makes the hairs prickle on my neck. The commentator was Roger Hoefling, a regular for years at Old Warden who really knew his stuff. Thanks for bringing back great memories..not least of which involve Burgers and Bud.
slicer819 1 year ago
I was there! The SR-71 was based out of Mildenhall and I got to play in the hanger it was in as friends parents worked for Dept 4 which i believe was a civilian section of engineers employed to keep it running.. a sad day indeed when they retired this plane..
Gotbc 2 years ago
Yeah, I agree it was indeed a sad day. Many of my friends in the Air Force believed it was not a good idea for the AF to retire the plane. I know NASA still uses the plane at Edwards AFB though for high altitude research.
seeled558 2 years ago
i was at this show i was only 13 y/o but one i have never forgotton esp the smell of the burger stands!
zog4 2 years ago
My favorite aircraft of all time, that bird had a lot of power! Saw one take off from Carswell AFB (Fort Worth, Tx) once, still remember that high, screaming moan! The sound of freedom, captured beautifully, 5/5 stars!
stormspinner1 2 years ago
Thanks! I'm just glad I found the raw footage I had!
seeled558 2 years ago
If only we could turn the clock back! - stunning stuff, the like of which we will never see again, both in terms of brute force and a pilot who knows how to show his aircraft off to the best.
rich3783 2 years ago
great vid. memories of the best ever airshows. air fete will never be beaten. superb commentator too, think he does leuchers airshows now
michaelbyrne 3 years ago
Thank you. Yeah, I liked the commentator too. I only wish I had been better positioned near a speaker to where he would be more easily heard. He certainly knows his stuff!
seeled558 3 years ago
Ah that brings back so many good memories. I've been searching for Airfete SR-71 footage for years! Unfortunately I was only 8 years old for my first Airfete in 1984, and I was 10 or 11 when I saw one fly last... Thanks for posting it here for us all to enjoy.
giantscale 3 years ago
I had actually forgotten I even had the footage till I made contact with a gentleman in England who is a military aircraft enthusiast and is rather keen on the SR in particular. Frankly, I'm rather surprised the footage is still watchable given that it's over 20 years old! I'm currently working on re-rendering this video with some video stabilisation software to make it more watchable. Stay tuned!
seeled558 3 years ago
I think there are a great many people who miss the old Airfetes of the mid eighties. Some of the best variety of combat aircraft especially when compared to these days. I think its great footage without being edited purely because it has that raw feel about it as if the person viewing it is actually there! It seems so long ago, but thanks to you and youtube we can all relive it again : )
giantscale 3 years ago
Nice One Frank,What an awesome Aircraft,great video.
jakeof 3 years ago