WB-57 at Mildenhall

[Tweek]

Just the one from this evening... didn't get much of it, unfortunately. I shall blame trees and fences for that!

[MWISimmer]

Great catch Tweek  8-)

[Hagar]

Very nice. How did you manage to get that without being shot?

[Iwannabeapilot]

Very interesting aircraft. Does it visit every year now?

[Tweek]

Very nice. How did you manage to get that without being shot?

Because we're in Britain, not Libya.

Very interesting aircraft. Does it visit every year now?

Not sure how often it visits, and for exactly what reasons, but it's been to MHZ a few times now, so I wouldn't be surprised if it turned up again.

[Hagar]

Very nice. How did you manage to get that without being shot?

Because we're in Britain, not Libya.

I thought Mildenhall is a USAF base. A little piece of America in England. I'm not convinced they're as friendly towards spotters as the RAF.

[Iwannabeapilot]

Not sure how often it visits, and for exactly what reasons, but it's been to MHZ a few times now, so I wouldn't be surprised if it turned up again.

It's used by NASA for collecting 'cosmic dust' samples for analysis.  :) I miss the Air Fetes at Mildenhall.  :'(

[Tweek]

Very nice. How did you manage to get that without being shot?

Because we're in Britain, not Libya.

I thought Mildenhall is a USAF base. A little piece of America.

Well we were shooting (pardon the blatent pun) from a bigger piece of England.

Besides, its flight to Mildenhall was no secret, so there wasn't anything to cover up. If they don't want it photographed, they should send it at night (not that that deters some people!).

It's used by NASA for collecting 'cosmic dust' samples for analysis.  :)

Yeah, I just mean I don't know the exact reasons for it to come to Mildenhall.

[Hagar]

Well we were shooting (pardon the blatent pun) from a bigger piece of England.

Besides, its flight to Mildenhall was no secret, so there wasn't anything to cover up. If they don't want it photographed, they should send it at night (not that that deters some people!).

That wouldn't stop you from being arrested at gunpoint if they wished to do so. Those US guards don't mess around. What I'm trying to say is that I'm surprised you were allowed so close to the runway of an operational USAF base. Never mind Libya, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't allow it in America. In fact I dont think they allow it at civil airports in this country like Heathrow & Gatwick.

[C]

Very nice. How did you manage to get that without being shot?

Because we're in Britain, not Libya.

I thought Mildenhall is a USAF base. A little piece of America in England. I'm not convinced they're as friendly towards spotters as the RAF.

I think people make more of a fuss about Lakenheath...

Nice shot. If anyone had any sense, the MoD would buy a few of those from Davis Monthan...

[Anark]

Very nice catch.
I'd like so see a B-57.
Or in fact any Canberra fly seeing as every airshow that I go to that has a Canberra listed to fly, it never shows.
Oh well.  ::)

[C]

Or in fact any Canberra fly seeing as every airshow that I go to that has a Canberra listed to fly, it never shows.
Oh well.  ::)

AFAIK, the T4 is not near airworthyness soon, and Canberra engines aren't easy to come by after one of WK163's decided to eat a compressor blade a month or two back.

As for Mildenhall, you can get quite close to either end without going near MoD land looking at the overhead.

[Tweek]

Well we were shooting (pardon the blatent pun) from a bigger piece of England.

Besides, its flight to Mildenhall was no secret, so there wasn't anything to cover up. If they don't want it photographed, they should send it at night (not that that deters some people!).

That wouldn't stop you from being arrested at gunpoint if they wished to do so. Those US guards don't mess around. What I'm trying to say is that I'm surprised you were allowed so close to the runway of an operational USAF base. Never mind Libya, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't allow it in America. In fact I dont think they allow it at civil airports in this country like Heathrow & Gatwick.

Believe me, only the most stringent of guards (and I'm pretty sure it varies from person to person) will ask you to move along at either Mildenhall or Lakenheath. In fact, I was told by one person that a security guard came over to their group, lit up a cigarette and started a conversation (this was earlier on in the day, before the B-57 came in)!

I'm sure it's different in the States, but over here, they do have a more relaxed approach to spotters and photographers. You'll see plenty of people frequenting the fences of MHZ and LN on a daily basis, so I guess they've just come to accept it.

[MWISimmer]

In fact I dont think they allow it at civil airports in this country like Heathrow & Gatwick.

I'd have to disagree with you on that one Doug. The last time I went to Heathrow I had no problems at all, I was at the western end of 09L (I was even illegally parked on the grass verge  :-[) and whilst photographing aircraft had a couple of police cars go by, all without incident.

[a1]

Nice shot.