KC-10 early UK visits

[sdad]

Seeing that an FY79 tanker is currently at Mildenhall made me wonder about when they were first seen.

When was it shown at Farnborough/Paris/Hannover?

Which early shows - Greenham, Mildenhall etc?

I am sure I have one picture in white top scheme but haven't yet found anything in my logs.

Thanks.

[Nighthawke]

My first sighting was Mildenhall show 1983 with 79-1713 on static - white/blue of course before the horrible dark scheme appeared.

[Mustang531]

Farnborough show 1982, 79-0433, in the 'proper' scheme.

[DickFlute]

Hi sdad

The June 1981 edition of British Aviation Review alludes to what appears to have been the first visit of a KC-10A to the UK in May of that year, i.e.

---------
WITTERING The 125thTFS/Oklahoma ANG deployed 8 A-7D's from Tulsa to here on 30.5 for two weeks under "Coronet Canvas", serials 96218, 96221, 00976, 01028, 01031, 01037, 01039, 10297 all coded 'OK' with red fin-stripes (the old 'TL' fincode was replaced by 'OK' earlier this year). The deployment was supported by Maine ANG KC-135A 71450 (Bango-Mildenhall) and 2ndBW KC-10A 90434 (Tulsa-Wittering;), the latter also acting as Command Post for the mission. The Extender moved to Mildenhall that evening prior to its appearance at the Paris Salon.
--------

In the following month's issue it had this to say about its Mildenhall visit...

-------------
The 2ndBW KC-10A visited to evaluate suitability of operations from Mildenhall. The aircraft arrived following the deployment of Oklahoma ANG A-7D's to Wittering and left on 2.6 for
Le Bourget for the Paris Air Show (bearing Paris code 100 on the nose).
------------

For what it's worth, the first KC-10A I saw at a UK airshow was 79-0433 which was in the static at Mildenhall Open House on 30th May 1982.

Best wishes

[sdad]

Brilliant - and very quick - answers, thank you all. I've got plenty to work on now.

[KevinJ]

And of course there was Eldorado Canyon in 1986 when there were 15 KC-10s parked up in early April, that was a sight!

[sdad]

From Googling, you must mean the Operation to bomb Libya and I'm guessing you mean at the Hall. I wasn't spotting then.

From all the above, I did Paris 81 but didn't log it or get a photo but I certainly have some good shots from Farnborough 82. A striking comparison of 79-0433 to the all grey when it visited on 23/2/22 but at least it parked on Folly.

[sschofield]

From Googling, you must mean the Operation to bomb Libya and I'm guessing you mean at the Hall. I wasn't spotting then.

From all the above, I did Paris 81 but didn't log it or get a photo but I certainly have some good shots from Farnborough 82. A striking comparison of 79-0433 to the all grey when it visited on 23/2/22 but at least it parked on Folly.

Yes, correct. Operation El Dorado (2 words) Canyon featured 24 "LN"-coded F-111Fs and 5 "UH"-coded EF-111As, plus US Navy assets operating off carriers in the Med. One F-111F was lost on the operation with both crew killed. There were 15 KC-10As supporting out of Mildenhall plus I suspect a lot else enroute too

[Alf]

From Googling, you must mean the Operation to bomb Libya and I'm guessing you mean at the Hall. I wasn't spotting then.

From all the above, I did Paris 81 but didn't log it or get a photo but I certainly have some good shots from Farnborough 82. A striking comparison of 79-0433 to the all grey when it visited on 23/2/22 but at least it parked on Folly.

Yes, correct. Operation El Dorado (2 words) Canyon featured 24 "LN"-coded F-111Fs and 5 "UH"-coded EF-111As, plus US Navy assets operating off carriers in the Med. One F-111F was lost on the operation with both crew killed. There were 15 KC-10As supporting out of Mildenhall plus I suspect a lot else enroute too

Also KC-10s operated from Fairford. I think one LN F-111 diverted into France after the raid (Istres?).

[H.A.Bucken]

Can't remember which thread it was or even if it was on this Forum, I think the divert was to Rota.
Roger

[sschofield]

Can't remember which thread it was or even if it was on this Forum, I think the divert was to Rota.
Roger

https://www.afhistory.af.mil/FAQs/Fact- ... do-canyon/

Yep, Rota indeed

[Orville]

Just thought this might be interesting from my logs

Mildenhall 13.April.1986

84-0190 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48229-399 United States Air Force
79-1712 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48204-361 United States Air Force
82-0191 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48213-383 United States Air Force
79-1710 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48202-359 United States Air Force
83-0077 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48218-388 United States Air Force
83-0082 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48223-393 United States Air Force
86-0027 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48240-411 United States Air Force
83-0079 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48220-390 United States Air Force
79-1950 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48210-378 United States Air Force
85-0030 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48235-405 United States Air Force
83-0075 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48216-386 United States Air Force
84-0191 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48230-400 United States Air Force
85-0031 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48236-406 United States Air Force
85-0029 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48234-404 United States Air Force
85-0027 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48232-402 United States Air Force

Fairford 20.April.1986

79-0434 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48201-333 United States Air Force
83-0076 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48217-387 United States Air Force
79-1950 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48210-378 United States Air Force
79-1713 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48205-363 United States Air Force
79-1949 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48209-377 United States Air Force
84-0186 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48225-395 United States Air Force
82-0193 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48215-385 United States Air Force
83-0080 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48221-391 United States Air Force
83-0078 Douglas KC.10A Extender 48219-389 United States Air Force

[sdad]

And I thought eight arriving overnight a couple of years ago was special!

[sschofield]

And I thought eight arriving overnight a couple of years ago was special!

It was! 1986 was just "specialer"!

[Yammer]

re the first KC-10 to visit the UK ( at Wittering ) my scribbled notes refer to "Test Team SAC" operating this sortie ( to Wittering - Mildenhall - Paris )

[Andy Marden]

Operation El Dorado Canyon in April 1986 of course.

[luxto]

I was at Wittering to see the arrival of Coronet Canvas and noted the KC-10 arriving at 1945 local and managed to blag a tour inside it at Mildenhall shortly before it went to Paris. I was also at Mildenhall on Tuesday the 15th of April'86 to see the El Dorado participants return. Lakenheath was on Rwy06 so the F-111's over flew the West end of the 'Hall. Of the 15 KC-10's, 11 flew the mission, 8 of which supported the F-111F's and 3 supported Det.4, which flew both of its SR-71's on post attack reconnaissance. The 9th SRW also launched 4 KC-135Q's for the SR's as well.