Final Departure - RAF Upper Heyford, England

Last Flight; all 4 Squadrons together. Submitted by Randy 'Great Randino' Stieb, 20 EMS Phase / 42 ECS Phase / 55 FS Phase, Oct 1990 - Nov 1993.

Last Flight; all 4 Squadrons together.
"Here is a picture I was told was the last time all 4 squadrons flew together prior to the 42nd inactivation."

Submitted by Randy "Gr8 Randino" Stieb, 20 EMS Phase / 42 ECS Phase / 55 FS Phase, Oct 1990 - Nov 1993.

"The last three F-111's at Heyford".
Submitted by Mike Kaplan, 520th Aircraft Generation Squadron, 55th AMU, Jan 1986 - Jan 1988, and 55th Fighter Squadron Flight Control and Instrument Systems Specialist, Aug 1990 - Jan 1994.

"My name is Wayne Dodson. I was stationed at RAF Upper Heyford from 17 Jan '91 until closure, then got conned into helping stand-up the 620th SPS at RAF Croughton in Jun '94, but that's another story. I'm writing to comment on the pictures of the last three F-111Es pictured in "Final Departure". I was a SSgt assigned to the 20th SPS when I was approached by personnel from the 55th FS. Apparently somebody in the unit "ratted" me out about having some talent with a pencil. I was asked if I would be willing to do some "Nose Art" for them on one of their planes. In the course of my career I was always doodling, drawing cartoons, and illustrations on cricket bats for departing personnel, among other projects, so I jumped at the chance to get my hands on a plane. I asked them what it was they were looking for, to which they replied, it was up to me. My first thought was, of course, a scantily clad female, but I knew that "Heartbreaker" would be in the line-up and I didn't want to impinge upon "her" day. After a bit of thought, I remembered a 55th FS log book I was fortunate enough to have read back in '92. My OPs officer, Capt Sager, had "ratted" (that happened alot) me out to Mrs Schwalier, wife of Brigadier General Terryl J. "Terry" Schwalier, then Colonel Schwalier, commander of the 20th FW. She had commissioned me to come up with some back drops for the band for the "Wing Fling". A '40s style hangar dance attended by General McPeak. Anyway, she had lent me a log book that contained pilot reports from missions flown out of Kings Cliffe during WWII. I hit on the idea of trying to pay homage to the squadron and its illustrious history while based in the UK. The picture on the nose of 68-061 shows a pair of dice with 5 pips showing on each die, bouncing from Kings Cliffe to RAF Upper Heyford and then up and away. The white banner contains a P-38, one of the aircraft flown by the 55th in WWII with unit signature yellow spinners before the "Last Roll of the Dice", fading into a departing F-111. Myself and a fellow cop named SrA Kenneth Osborne spent the Thanksgiving holiday in a cold hangar rushing to get it finished."

"Last Roll one...in progress. We were in a hangar next door to MOC and right outside the old alert area. The building number eludes me, but it was COLD." *laughing*

"Last Roll two...a little further along."

"Last Roll three...That's SrA Ken Osborne on the left and Me on the right in the hat. Not looking my best." *L*

"Here are a few from the day they left. Last roll pose...Col. Nolte was kind enough to pose for me in this one. Some gee whiz trivia: His boy worked for my wife at the NCO club for a while. She was head of the waite-staff and he was one of the waiters."

"Last roll pre-flight...Col Nolte going through final checks before lighting the fires."

"Last roll taxi...this one was kinda obvious." *laughing*

"Just a shot of "Last Roll of the Dice" as she climbs away."

From "USAF Yearbook 1994". Article by Lindsay Peacock.

"... a photo of the last 111 taking off from Heyford. It was framed and given to me as a going away plaque."
Submitted by Scott Cresswell, 20th Supply Squadron, Feb 1992 - Jul 1994.

Americans to fly home after 43 years
May 13, 1993
Submitted by Jonathan (last name witheld by request).

July 9, 1993
Submitted by Rick Dunwell, WCIN, 20th AGS, 77th AMU (FS) 1991 - 1993.

F-111E comes to roost at UK Museum
Oct. 21, 1993
Submitted by Mike Kaplan, 520th Aircraft Generation Squadron, 55th AMU, Jan 1986 - Jan 1988, and 55th Fighter Squadron Flight Control and Instrument Systems Specialist, Aug 1990 - Jan 1994.

Farewll to arms
Dec. 9, 1993
Submitted by Jonathan (last name witheld by request).

A collage of photos taken in August 2001, from Mike Kaplan, 520th Aircraft Generation Squadron, 55th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, Jan 1986 - Jan 1988, 55th Fighter Squadron Flight Control and Instrument Systems Specialist Aug 1990 - Jan 1994.

"Notes & Quotes"
"Hi
I was looking at the photos of the last f111. My husband Tsgt Thomas A Bennett otherwise know as TX worked and still does in Air Traffic. He was working in the control tower and cleared the last F-111 for take off."
Louisa Bennett

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This page was last updated on 6 January 2008.