|
Day |
Month |
Year |
|
|
5 |
Mar |
1970 |
With so many taskings that day RAF Fairford was without
any C-130s on the ground for the first time. |
|
18 |
Jun |
1970 |
It was announced to the British press that BAC would
setup a Concorde development facility at RAF Fairford.
|
|
|
Sep |
1970 |
RAF C-130s from RAF Fairford took part in Operation
Shoveller to aid Jordan during a civil war.
|
| |
Nov |
1970 |
Plans were made to consolidate the RAF’s C-130 force by
moving the aircraft at Fairford to RAF Lyneham.
|
|
1 |
Feb |
1971 |
With 30 and 47 Sqns both having moved to nearby RAF
Lyneham, each with 10 C-130s, RAF Fairford became an Air
Support Command relief landing ground.
|
|
30 |
Apr |
1971 |
The HQ at RAF Fairford was finally disbanded.
|
|
1 |
May |
1971 |
RAF Fairford reverts to being a relief landing ground
for nearby RAF Brize Norton, as well as a satellite
station of it.
|
|
17 |
Dec |
1971 |
Concorde 01, the first pre-production aircraft made its
first flight from Filton to Fairford.
|
|
6 |
Jan |
1972 |
All three Concorde aircraft were together at Fairford
for the first time.
|
|
29 |
Apr |
1972 |
Gnat and Hunter aircraft from the Central Flying School
at RAF Valley deployed to RAF Fairford while their home
runway was re-surfaced until 19th June.
|
|
2 |
Jun |
1972 |
Concorde 002 left Fairford for a 45,000 mile global
sales tour.
|
|
28 |
Mar |
1973 |
Concorde 002 was damaged at Fairford after being crushed
against its hangar while being towed.
|
|
26 |
Jul |
1973 |
The first Vulcan from RAF Waddington arrived, XM600,
while their home runway was re-surfaced. The deployment
lasted until November.
|
|
13 |
Feb |
1974 |
Concorde 202 G-BBDG arrived from Filton on first flight.
|
|
|
Apr |
1974 |
A Hastings aircraft TG553 arrived which was later burnt
on the base fire dump.
|
| |
Jun |
1974 |
VC-10, Belfast and Britannia aircraft moved to RAF
Fairford from Brize Norton for 2 months while their home
runway was re-surfaced.
|
|
16 |
Jul |
1974 |
The first evacuation flights from occupied Cyprus arrive
back in the UK containing Britons.
|
|
26 |
Aug |
1974 |
Concorde 002 makes a heavy landing at Fairford meaning
it missed an appearance at the Farnborough air show.
|
|
23 |
Oct |
1974 |
England’s Princess Anne flew on Concorde around the Bay
of Biscay.
|
|
27 |
Feb |
1975 |
Concorde 204 G-BOAC arrived from Filton on its first
flight.
|
|
12 |
Mar |
1975 |
100 tons of ice were transported to Fairford to allow
Concorde to conduct a runway slush test.
|
|
19 |
Jun |
1975 |
British Airways start their Concorde flight training at
Fairford.
|
|
5 |
Nov |
1975 |
Concorde 206 G-BOAA arrived from Filton on its first
flight.
|
|
26 |
Nov |
1975 |
A NATO exercise, Advent Express, saw Allied Command
Europe (ACE) Mobile Force troops arriving in a variety
of aircraft including C-5s, C-130s and C-160s.
|
|
16 |
Jan |
1976 |
The government announced the closure of the Concorde
flight test center at Fairford.
|
|
4 |
Mar |
1976 |
Concorde 002 departed to Yeovilton, already having flown
836 hours in 438 flights.
|
|
18 |
May |
1976 |
Concorde 208 G-BOAB arrived from Filton on its first
flight.
|
|
23 |
Aug |
1976 |
The Concorde flight test centre will now close in
January not November it was announced.
|
|
25 |
Aug |
1976 |
Concorde 210 G-BOAD arrived from Filton on its first
flight.
|
|
7 |
Mar |
1977 |
Richard Noble tested the super car Thrust 1 on the
runway at RAF Fairford.
|
|
12 |
Apr |
1977 |
British Airways moved the flying part of their Concorde
pilot training programme from Brize Norton back to
Fairford after noise complaints.
|
|
28 |
Apr |
1977 |
Robert Horne with Ferrari set a land speed record along
Fairford’s runway.
|
|
15 |
Nov |
1977 |
Exercise Avon Express saw more ACE Mobile Force troops
arrive at Fairford in C-5s, C-130s and C-141s, and
German C-160s, Belgium C-130s, and Italian C-130s. The
exercise lasted until the 28th.
|
|
26 |
May |
1978 |
The government reject Greenham Common as a potential new
tanker base for safety reasons leaving Brize Norton and
Fairford as options.
|
| |
July |
1978 |
The Ministry of Defence announced that RAF Fairford
would be the new home for 15 USAF tanker aircraft.
|
|
7 |
Sep |
1978 |
The first two KC-135s arrived at Fairford as part of
Exercise Autumn Forge.
|
|
14 |
Sep |
1978 |
Five additional KC-135s arrived for Exercise Autumn
Forge and stay for 14 days.
|
|
11 |
Nov |
1978 |
The 11th Strategic Group were re-activated at Fairford.
|
|
1 |
Feb |
1979 |
The 7020th Air Base Group part of 3rd AF USAFE was
activated at RAF Fairford to provide a base from which
the 11th Strategic Group could keep KC-135s.
|
|
1 |
Apr |
1979 |
The 2160th Comms Sqn formed at RAF Fairford.
|
|
1 |
Jun |
1979 |
RAF Fairford was designated a primary USAFE
installation.
|
|
13 |
Sep |
1979 |
The first two KC-135s for the 11th Strategic Group
arrive at Fairford.
|
|
14 |
Sep |
1979 |
Three more KC-135s arrive for the 11th SG.
|
|
20 |
Sep |
1979 |
The station is transferred to the 3rd Air Force.
|
