Grand Forks KC-135R inbound to Mildenhall on a saturday morning.

Another saturday morning and another KC-135R, this time a Air National Guard example from Alaska.

Aircraft shows interesting nose art in this close shot.

Following a few minutes behind the Alaskan KC-135R was this Ramstein C-21, calling 'Space 01'. I eventually found out that callsign is assigned to the general in command of Air Force Space Command.

A bright saturday morning and a ANG KC-135 coming off the other end.

Seemingly as regular as a airline, if nothing else turns up on a saturday, a McConnell KC-135R always comes into Mildenhall.

This was quite a suprise during a sunny saturday at Mildenhall today. A C-32B, calling 'Hertz 72' inbound on 11 for a very quick turnaround before departing less than a hour after arriving. Although you don't want to jump to conclusions (that can be left to the media), and after doing some research into the aircraft's history, you cannot help but wonder what this aircraft was doing.

The C-32B on final approach into Mildenhall. The only visible indication of ownership is the national flag on the rear fuselage, and the serial it displays; '24452', which is presumably meant to indicate the aircraft is listed as 02-4452, a completely out of sequence serial for a FY02 airframe. Two of these are apparently listed as being with the 227th Special Operations Flight at McGuire AFB, a unit subordinate to the ANG tanker wing based there. The flight's task is published as supporting US Foreign Emergency Support Teams (FEST) operating overseas. Both of the C-32Bs used to fly on civilian registrations for the DoD, which have since been cancelled. Photo's on the web show these aircraft at various european airports, and this one is quoted as having visited Mildenhall (no pics) once before. A interesting puzzle, but if they really intend on keeping a low profile, then coming into a UK airbase on a lovely saturday lunchtime was not the best thing to do - this aircraft has probably been photographed more times today than in it's entire prior existence!

There must be a rotation of Alaskan ANG KC-135Rs flying transport sorties across the pond at the moment, as this was the second I've seen in les than month. This one has the AAC style 'AK' codes on the fin.

Ramstein C-21s from the 76th Airlift Squadron are frequent visitors, flying VIPs around europe.

Unlike RC-135's and most of the KC-135's remaining in service, the USAF has not re-engined the E-3 fleet, even stranger when you conside the RAF and the French Air Force E-3s were delivered with CFM-56s. The old. smoky TF33s can be seen here as 'Shuck 85' arrives on 11 at Mildenhall.

Arriving late in the afternoon, the glossy light grey scheme in use on USAF E-3s reflects the light on the fuselage.

'Shuck 85' a few seconds from touchdown. The majority of the fleet is based at Tinker AFB, in Oklahoma.

I've often seen one of these parked on the RC-135 ramp at Mildenhall, but have been lucky enough to photograph one before. At last.

The Open Skies treaty allows for unhindered over flights of all signatories territory by other nations surveillance aircraft, providing the aircraft meet the treaty requirements. The USAF currently uses a pair of OC-135s for this duty.

Also very lucky to get such a gorgeous contrast, nice white upper works contrasting against the dark storms clouds that were ever present on this saturday.

One of several Travis C-17As deployed to Mildenhall at the moment arriving back after a sortie. This jet still carries the 'Lets Roll' artwork on the nose although as a 2006 Fiscal year jet it is relatively new.

With the temporary airbridge at Mildenhall in full swing, civil transports under contract are arriving daily from the US, while the deployed C-17s from Charleston and Travis are then tasked with transferring the cargo at this end of the airbridge. FedEx MD-11s are just one of the many types seen at Mildenhall in recent weeks.

One problem with using a powerful lens like the Canon 100-400 L is that you cannot zoom back when the subject comes in close. The kit lens in most recent Canon DSLRs is a cheap 18-55 EF lens, which for the rigours of aviation photography is not really up to the job, partially because of its slow focusing and it's annoying habit of 'hunting' at the wrong moment. I needed a better lens, espically as a lot of my photography is conducted on the well known 'mound' at the 29 approach end at Mildenhall, where heavies like the C-17 and even the KC-135 are too close to frame with a 100mm lens on a digital conversion. I have just acquired a 28-135 IS USM which plugs the gap perfectly and this C-17 was the first subject taken with it. The quality compares well with the other C-17 (Travis markings) shot on the 100-400 L lens from a nearby location a hour earlier.

One of a very few C-17s arriving at Mildenhall that I've managed to photograph. I tend to get them in the dark or something goes wrong with the exposure.

Charleston C-17A 03-3124 landing on runway 29 at Mildenhall. The 28-135mm lens allows you to follow a heavy all the way in from the mound at Mildenhall, something I could not do on a 100-400. The cloudscapes on this day made a wonderful backdrop, and most unusually did not get in the way at the wrong times.

I couldn't resist putting another one in of this Charleston C-17A arriving at Mildenhall on saturday afternoon. Cropped this as little as possible to show the storm clouds that day.

From Arizona to the UK, and arriving just as a heavy hailstorm passes overhead, this Arizona ANG KC-135R surely lands in different weather to what it left behind. A very lucky shot this, as the sun briefly appeared for just a few seconds at exactly the right time.

Grand Forks KC-135R's are common visitors when performing transport flights backing up the dedicated transport types.

Taken on a new short range lens, bought specifcally for close range work at Mildenhall, when the 100-400 would not give a wide enough angle for the above shot.

The first of two Ramstein C-21 Learjets to arrive at Mildenhall one saturday afternoon. The type photographs well at this angle.

Second Learjet a little while later.

USAF reserve C-130H arriving at Lakenheath on a saturday afternoon, which is quite unusual. The first standard US transport C-130 I have photographed for years as I always seem to miss them.

Another rare combination is a RAF C-130 landing at Mildenhall on a bank holiday monday. The aircraft made several paradrops over the disused Scunthorpe airfield.

10 Louisiana Air National Guard F-15A/C's arrived at Lakenheath for a short overnight stay before departing to Hungary for a exercise.

Unusually, no two seat B or D models were amongst the Eagles, which consisted of five of each A and later C variants.

The C models were former Kadena based 18th Wing jets from Okinawa.

Not suprisingly, the sun was mostly absent from the early evening arrival on runway 06 at Lakenheath.

Being a Air National Guard unit, the 122nd Fighter Squadron carry more flamboyant markings than the regular USAF.

Three external tanks and a training AIM-9X round were the standard fit. This jet also shows tail markings for the 159th Operations Group.

Predictably, the sun started to appear as the last jet landed!

A single KC-135R was the only arrival on a quiet thursday afternoon.

This airframe shows tail markings for the recently defunct 19th Air Refuelling Group and has been reassigned elsewhere.

Another quiet day with just another single KC-135R, this time from one of the usual units seen at Mildenhall.

The black tail strip shows Fairchild.

494 FS jet with the brake out just over the fence at Lakenheath. Not very often recently have we had a sky like that.

Another dirty looking 494th FS jet.

A gentle bank onto runway 24 at Lakenheath for this 492nd FS F-15E after returning from a quick local sortie.

This late production two-seat F-15E is on the break overhead Lakenheath. The 48th Fighter Wing operates three squadron's (two E's and a C/D sqn). Ironically, the day this was taken, the local press led with a story speculating they might finally be on the move away from the UK.

Another E model on the turn. The 48th only generally flies a few sorties on a friday morning, and this was one of eight out early today taking advantage of the unusually good weather. I was hoping speculation that the ANG F-15s currently in europe were dropping in this morning enroute home was accurate. Unfortunately not.

No tanks on this 492nd F-15E landing at Lakenheath.

Quite harsh lighting at this time of the year.

A little better at this angle.

The best shot yet I've got of a HH-60 from the 56th RQS at Lakenheath.

Having spent some time during the last two years trying to catch a good, bright shot of one of these monsters returning Apache's to Wattisham airfield, it was a welcome suprise to see this beastie arrive at RAF Lakenheath. Several An-124 flights have been seen into the USAF base next door at Mildenhall but haven't heard of one into Lakenheath for a very long time. The pic shows the Volga-Dnepr An-124 just hoping over the main road (which must have caused a few suprises) onto 24 at Lakenheath.

Lakenheath based 494th FS F-15E overshooting after returning to the airfield on a hot monday morning. Aircraft had not departed that morning and was fitted with several baggage pods so I assume he'd been overseas for the weekend

While waiting for the Turkish flight to arrive a couple of the 100th ARW's tankers were bashing the circuit.

'Quid' 51 and 52 were the two KC-135R's in the circuit while waiting. With the loss of the AMC transit facilities in the near future, Mildenhall will become even more of a backwater than it already is!

The first of six TuAF F-16C/Ds arriving at RAF Mildenhall late on the 4th August. This was the only D model.

F-16D landing with airbrakes out.

The detachment was returning to Turkey from the US after attending the latest Red Flag exercise at Nellis AFB in Nevada. They had passed through Mildenhall on a sunday a few weeks ago while outbound.

All the jets looked like they came from the same unit and carried a Wolf's (?) head on the fin. Suprisingly, being block 40's, they were not fitted with any type of targeting pod.

Quite amazingly, after a cloudy afternoon the clouds parted for a few minutes just as these arrived, giving some good light on all besides one aircraft. Very unusual at the moment!

The splash of colour sets them apart from USAF F-16s.

Wing tanks seemed to be the standard fit for the long distance ferry flight.

Accompanying the F-16s were three KC-135R's. Unfortunately, only one made it in before it clouded over again. It's nice to see large tail insignia on these after watching countless USAF tankers going down this approach.

It's not often that two old 707's turn up at Mildenhall. Infact nowadays is rare to see two aircraft arrive within a couple of hours at all! This NATO 707 bashed the Mildenhall circuit today a few hours after a Israeli 707 arrived for a stop - which I missed...

'Nato 25' adding power on the overshoot from runway 29 at Mildenhall. The NATO E-3/707 fleet can often be seen training at UK airfields, and often stay in the circuit for several hours.

Also flying the circuit with the NATO 707 was the resident 100th Air Refuelling Wing's marked KC-135R. 58-0100 shows it's tail markings here on the 29 approach.

Quite rare to have three aircraft in the radar pattern at Mildenhall simultaneously. This MC-130P from the 67th SOS was the third.

Nice backdrop as the old 707 overflys Mildenhall.

The 707 was from the NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force at Geilenkirchen, one of three used alongside the E-3 fleet for training and transport duties. They are painted and marked in exactly the same scheme.

It was too good to last, and after moving the few miles to Lakenheath, and with the 48th Fighter Wing in full swing, the cloud rolled in during the late afternoon. 493rd FS F-15D catching the last of the light.

Shot just over Mildenhall inbetween showers, this E-3 followed the pattern of visual and radar approachs to the field over several hours.

Finals for runway 29 at Mildenhall.

Following the NATO 707 in at Mildenhall 48 hours ago for circuits was the more familiar sight of one of the E-3A's operated from the same base.

Whenever I've seen NATO aircraft in the circuit at various airfields, they always seem to throw the aircraft around far more than any other heavy driver. Here the NATO E-3 is climbing out of Mildenhall.