mass at Mildenhall 100 ARS - KC-135A/R

We visited Mildenhall in June this year, a month after the Air Fete. This was our second visit
in two years, and once again we were guests of the base unit the 100 ARS, who showed us
around various areas of the base, and then took us out to the aircraft parking area on the far
side of the base.

Sadly, like so often in this country, the day was cold wet and windy. We spent an afternoon crawling all over KC 135R and spent time watching the arrivals and departures. While navigating the peri track in our coach we came head to head with a Pope AFB C-130. Needless to say who gave way, but only after exchanging friendly waves with the crew!

Several notable visitors were present on the day of our visit, including a white ‘KC-135’ which was pointed out by
one of our guides, a KC crewman. We quickly pointed out that this was an E-6, which is also based around the hugely
successful B707/KC135 fuselage. Unconvinced, we had to point out the US Navy legend on the fuselage before our
embarrassed guide accepted defeat!

Mildenhall is currently undergoing improvements to hard standings, the runway and taxiways and buildings. With the
closure of one of the big German transport bases, more space was needed for C-5s. As a result of this closure,
Frankfurt is having aluminium planking laid for extra parking spaces, as the concrete areas are insufficient to meet
the demands being placed upon the base with the huge amount of aircraft flying supplies into the theatre.

Mildenhall is also the based home of 7th, 21st and 67th Special Ops Squadrons of the 352nd Special Ops Group
with their MC-130s and MH-53s, several of which have recently been replaced with new MC-53Ps.

Sadly, this years' Air Fete has been cancelled as a knock on to the offensive situation in the Mid East. 

With the planned runway resurfacing work planned for next year, Air Fete 2004 was a non starter anyway, roll on 2005!  sigh.

But how many of us can forget the sight and sounds of the SR-71 blasting off into the Suffolk sky? We live in hope
that one day the Mildenhall skies may once again be graced by that fabulous black bird. If you haven't read it already,
get a copy of SR-71 Revealed - The Inside Story, by Col Richard H Graham USAF (Ret), who served as an SR-71
Pilot and 9th SRW Commander, published by Motor Books. The ISBN is 0-7603-0122-0.

18/05/03