Another very enjoyable day today, with mainly sunny skies, and temperature at 25C.
After saying goodbye to the owners of the campsite at Scole, and hinting at returning yet again next year, I packed up the 'Tin Tent' and set off from Norfolk, re-fueling in Diss, before enjoying a very pleasant drive through Thetford forest, with little traffic, back over the border into Suffolk.
I arrived at the viewing area at the north east corner of RAF Lakenheath (home of the USAF 4th Fighter Wing), close to the runway threshold, at around 13.00 hrs, just as a pair of F-15s were recovering from a sortie.
I wasn't quite quick enough getting the Nikons ready, but managed to snatch a very blurred shot of the second aircraft, coming over the fence for landing.
The viewing area car park and approach road were almost full, with cars, vans and motorbikes, and there was quite a lot of activity, with four pairs of F-15s launching in the short time I was there, and I took a few photos with the 300mm lens, which look reasonable on the camera monitor screen, despite focusing through the chain-link fence - I'll edit and post these when I get home.
After about an hour, I the drove the ten miles to the campsite on the threshold of Mildenhall's runway, and what a place to camp !
It's a small, fairly basic but very tidy site, with only 18 pitches for tents, motorhomes or caravans, and popular with aviation enthusiasts (naturally), and there are about 12 to 14 people here, including some from France and Holland, all for the same reason I'm here.
My pitch is right next to the fence, and the purpose-built viewing platform, which gives a clear view right across the airfield, with it's varied USAF types, including Hercules, KC tankers, AWACS and Ospreys, and there is plenty of activity.
As I parked, an Osprey growled overhead, and shortly afterwards, a Herc did some 'circuits and bumps', with a KC tanker taking off next, and there's been lots happening all afternoon and into the evening.
Again, the main shots from today (and whatever I get tomorrow) will be sorted and posted when I get home, but meanwhile, the pics below should give some idea of what it's like here, all of these being from the little Fuji compact camera.
All being well, I should get some more decent pics tomorrow, and it's possible that the wind direction will have changed, meaning that aircraft will be on finals right over the edge of the campsite, instead of climbing out after take off and it's forecast for clear skies and sun all day !
It's a wonderfully warm, still night, and I'm now going to settle down with a book, and wait for the next roar of engines, as something big and noisy climbs out overhead the 'Tin Tent'.
Pic 1. The Osprey climbing out as I arrived.
Pic 2. My pitch on the site, with the viewing platform in the background.
Pic 3. Priorities - table, cameras and a bottle of Vino Roughino !
Pic 4. My pitch, looking down from the viewing platform.
Pic 5. General view of the airfield, looking ENE, from the viewing platform.
Pic 6. Hercules taking off.
Pic 7. Another Herc overhead.
Pic 8. Ospreys outbound to the west.
Pic 9. Dusk departure for another Herc.
Pic 10. Sun staring to set.