crusader752's photostream  

Hello,

I've been interested in aircraft from an early age - particularly the low, fast and loud variety!

In my youth I joined the Air Cadets, spending time in '68 at RAF Coltishall where they flew the 'iconic' Lightning jet-interceptor. Then in 1969 we camped at the 'V' Bomber base at RAF Scampton where they flew the incredible Vulcan. 1970 found us at the ATC school at RAF Shawbury where, along with circuit 'bashing' De Havilland Vampires, they had mounds of Jet Provosts and other ex RAF aircraft all being scrapped at the MU also located there!

In my last year as a cadet we went to the Maintenance Unit (MU) at RAF Bicester with trips out to nearby RAF Brize Norton where we flew circuits in a huge Shorts Belfast. We also visited the USAF base at Upper Heyford, then flying three squadrons of the 'new' swing-wing F-111 fighter-bomber.

I joined the National Air Traffic Service working in the 'old' Control Tower at London's Heathrow Airport until moving into the aerial survey business a while later.

In those early days I never owned a decent camera to record any of the fabulous range of aircraft I came across but I'm playing catch-up now even though the variety is diminishing as I type!

These experiences and many others from that 'time of plenty' inspired my thirst for photographing all things related to aviation which continues to this day, though I have broadened my interests to the unusual or indeed any other subject matter that takes my eye, particularly in the natural world or sky scapes or the interaction of the two.

I will add more sets as I draw on my archive, or from new and appropriate images when they appear.

I hope you like what you see as I enjoyed taking them all.

My son Garry is also here on Flickr www.flickr.com/people/gazraa/
If you get the chance, please check his images out as he takes pictures I can only aspire to.

Thanks for looking,
Rob