FighterControl

Back when smoking was de rigeur even the aircraft smoked due to the thirsty engines developed in the 50s and 60s. The B-52a and B-66s were particularly dirty as were the F-104 and F-4 with their General Electric J-79 engines. However the Rolls Royce engined UK F-4s were nt much cleaner as illustrated below. Other notable British smokers were the Lightning, VC-10 and Vulcan and even Concorde smoked when its engines were fired up. One of the smokiest take-offs ever seen was by B-52 'Swashbuckler' @ the '88 Air Fete which was only beaten by a 3 Vulcan Scramble. These days it's rare to see a jet smoking at an air show, unless there's a MiG-29 in the programme!

F-111 - Ch. Fenton '8- by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Linton - Tornado GR1s 617 Sqn. '91 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Phantom F-4K J 111 Sqn. Ch. Fenton circa '84 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Phantom FGR.2s - Linton circa '91 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Battle of Britain 50 Ann flypast - Abingdon '90 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Ch.Fenton - Lightning tailchase summer '83 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Buccaneer -208 Sqn display ship departing Ch Fenton '91 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

VC-10 10 Sqn - Nicolson Event (1) by Michael Britton, on Flickr

EC-135 Mildenhall circa '80 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

CAF Cf-104s - Mildenhall '82 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

RF-4C - Ch. Fenton '82 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Elvington - Luftwaffe F-4Fs '96 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Concorde - RIAT circa '98 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

MiG29 - PAF Leuchars 06 (3) by Michael Britton, on Flickr

RB-66 take -off - Alconbury by Michael Britton, on Flickr

B52 take - off - Air Fete '88 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Finningley '81 - Vulcan scramble by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Thanks for sharing these with us, forgotten how smoky some types were. I was at Finningley in 1981 and sure it was a quartet of Vulcans that scrambled at the show.

Y're quite right. I found it impossible to get more than 3 in the frame at any time. The fourth will have been just getting airborne and the leader is already breaking away. Same with the Lightnings. They were the last 3 of 4 - the leader having just departed vertically over my head!

Interesting shots Michael

I think your EC-135 is a RC-135U with the old 'Towel Rail' fitment

You don't see that much in these days of higher efficiency engines (Unfortunately) but always loved smokey shots like yours. Just never took many!!

My smokiest shot is, unfortunately, a Modern Air CV990 so OT here but I'll just add the link without the image https://flic.kr/p/ee7D7S

So just a couple (I don't have 'smoke' as a tag so finding them ain't easy!)

XV108 Vickers VC10 C.1K msn 838 Y 101Sq by eLaReF, on Flickr

MM6776 Lockheed F-104S Starfighter msn 1076 9-46 9 Stormo by eLaReF, on Flickr

Liking the typically dirty F-104. Did nt realise the updated S version was still so bad. Everyone else please post yr own dirty pics (no not that kind - aircraft only) and see if we can make a smokers thread.

Surely someone has a photo or two of the KC-135As departing the hall using water injection!!
Seem to remember vast numbers doing this returning the F-111F's to the states, or are the grey cells at fault??

STARIL wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 08, 2024 10:17 pm

Surely someone has a photo or two of the KC-135As departing the hall using water injection!!

Grey cells not at fault STARIL - they did - have some more but not processed yet
KC-135A - 61-0266 - 97th BW, Blytheville AFB by Darren Currie, on Flickr

Fairford too...........
KC-135A - 62-3565 - 305th ARW, Grissom AFB by Darren Currie, on Flickr

KC-135A - 61-0267 - 97th BW - 11th Strategic Group, RAF Fairford by Darren Currie, on Flickr

KC-135A 'GLOB' - 62-3560 - 509th BW - TDY 11th Strategic Group by Darren Currie, on Flickr

B-52s as well
B-52G - 59-2602 - 416 BW, Griffiss AFB by Darren Currie, on Flickr

B-52G - 59-2602 - 416th BW, Griffiss AFB by Darren Currie, on Flickr

The epitome of Fairford - 'KAGO' Flight by Darren Currie, on Flickr

Knife04. Love 1 and 4. Case of better than vaping

A few smokers from the past.

I think the smokiest aircraft in UK skies at the moment apart from the visiting B-52s is the civilian AN-12 operated by Cavok.

C-135F French AF St Mawgan June 1985 by Andy Bird, on Flickr

BoB Flypast RAF Sept 1990 Abingdon by Andy Bird, on Flickr

C-130 RAF x 15 1987 Fairford by Andy Bird, on Flickr

Thanks for the contributions guys. Well impressed and I think Darren's pic of the B-52s departing Fairford is the smokiest yet!

STARIL wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 09, 2024 10:44 pm

Knife04. Love 1 and 4. Case of better than vaping

Another from Mildenhall 1991
KC-135A - 58-0042 - 380th ARS, Plattsburgh AFB by Darren Currie, on Flickr

A pair of smoking whales at Point Mugu :

Excellent latest additions to the thread. There's no wonder USAF re-engined the KC-135s back in the '90s and thanks for those rare Whale pics Retro. Funny nose on that 2nd one, obs some type of radar?

Fantastic.
The B-66 and A-3 shots are a bit different!

Thanks for posting,
Regards,
Ferrari