I was at Swinderby as permanent staff Jul 80-May 83. Noticed a picture of my old mate Paul Newman (1.03) enjoying a pint, he sadly passed away Jan 90 while working at RAF Bruggen. Seemed to recognise a few faces, thanks for posting this and bringing back many happy memories...

My era too. I joined Dec 79. Being in the cadets beforehand meant that I ended up wearing that blue uniform for 45 years. We were all so young then, just kids, now I’m nearly 63. Silly little things bring back the most memories, the room lockers and beds and those white over bed reading lights. Most of the places I served as a RADAR tech are gone now. Swinderby, Locking, Benbecula, Buchan, Neatishead, all gone. Best years of my life though and experiences the kids of today will never experience or understand, even those in the forces. I still have mates, real mates, I met up with from the very day in Dec 79 that I joined. I’ll have them until one of us dies. Until then we’ll always cover each others backs. Cheers

I joined in February 1976 and was in Cheshire block. No air experience flight due to u/s aircraft and no Vulcan flypast due to no availability. Served as Air Comms fitter until 1997 then rejoined in 2017 aged 59 as a VeRR at Lossiemouth until I reached 65 and final demob. Shaped my whole life for the better.

Joined 79, passed out 80 RAF Swinderby. Nobody today will ever feel or experience what we did in the day. Best years of my life.

This just reminded me of what being an airman was all about. God I loved it and now miss it 😢 what great fun an Great friends and great days. You can't take away my memories 😊 Joined 1ST April 75 12flt Cpl Smith😂

Basic swinderby Jan 1987. 15 flight. Fond memories of Sgt H. I remember during inspection of our rooms metal bin getting tipped upside down, no dirt came out. It was bashed on the table, no dirt. Bang bang bang, our cpl bashing this bin. A flake of green paint came out. We all got bollocked. Oh... The fun we had. It was snowing outside. During a room inspector, the Sgt decided to open a window next to my bed, he picked up my bed pack and the contents laying on top and threw it out the window (upstairs window). The sgt ordered me to retrieve my stuff from outside and then report directly to his office. It's was muddy and snowing outside. When I got to his office, he was frank with me and stated that my bed pack and uniform was good and that I hadn't done anything wrong. Infact he was pleased with me and he stated that for the last 5 weeks he was pleased with me, but he didn't want it to look to the rest of the intake that he was picking on the same old faces, so he picked on me, just random. He said that I was just to play along with him and I'll do fine. Oh... How we laughed. During our 3 day jolly outing (field exercise) to north luffenham, it was sooooo cold on the 1st night (-16), the exercise was called off. I do remember having to sleep with my rifle inside the issued artic sleeping bag. Aren't they so cosy. I've bought two of them since. I wasn't fond on the NBC classroom teaching. WOW, all I can say is I don't want to survive a nuclear war. Was posted for trade training movements school at Brize, lots of adventures, Brill staff at the school. Recruits were excellent friends. Posted to Stafford 16mu to work alongside 'grippers' /suppliers in the main DAC warehouse. Posted to Lyneham, worked on real planes with RAF movements SQN base team D shift and moonlighted with UKMAMS. Went to Akrotiri for a couple of months oct nov 1990. Posted to Riyadh Jan 1991 (op Granby) to kick a gate crasher out of Kuwait. Oct 92 sent to Ancona for 4 weeks to assist with sending relieve (UNHCR) goods to Bosnia (op Grapple). Left in May 1994. Some very good memories. I have never found an job in civvy street as well organised as the RAF, especially the movers. It's sad that swinderby is no more, neither is RAF stafford ( army now), and RAF Lyneham is no longer a main base /airfield. Now I know what it was like for the vets from Ww2 when their camps and bases started to close and be demolished after the war. Hello to anyone who has done time for our country in any capacity. Nice video. Well done

It is very pleasing that nearly 12 years after making this video that it is still getting comments and reviving some bitter/sweet memories for others to enjoy. In the words of Peter De Vries, "Nostalgia is not what it used to be"!

Loved it nothing left of Swinderby now. The older i get the more sentimental i am

Joined 88 -95 Trade training at Hereford the mess there was stonking with you chefs there.....respect brother nice look back.

Wasn't was so much simpler then. I even had the same Kate bush poster in my room. drove through the housing estate that was Swinderby a few months ago and could quite literally have cried. Must have been the hay fever I told my wife. Thanks for the film John.

I joined up in 73. Were we really that young. I was MT , but these could have been me,and my mates. The accommodation pictures brought back many happy memories. Thank you Dave Cooky Cook gear jammer, cabby.

Thanks for posting, joined Nov 83 Norwich CIO, went to Swinderby Jan 84, Sgt Adams and Cpl Fosbury Gibson Block, like others have said here a lot of these photos could have been of me my fellow recruits and different stations. Great times, sad to say a few have been posted to that station in the sky now, so I'm nearly 60 now sitting here with tears in me eyes lot of dust where I am, for those times past and how id love to go back n do it all again, the youth the innocents and the naivete, but without the arrogance of youth, which as we find out when we reach high altitudes in age, is wasted on the young. A very moving thought provoking post thank you, for a blast from the past and great times long since gone, sad to say like Swinderby and that place we all tried to stay awake in, the cinema! . The music was a great touch, ""Per Ardua Ad Astra"" .

I joined in 84. I didn't have a camera and so don't have images in this way. This is though so authentic. The images could have been my and my mates. Everything about this is thought provoking and the memories flood back.

Joined up Nov 21st 1977 and straight to Swinderby, what a welcome! I left the RAF in Dec 11th 1985 and regretted my decision ever since, I was offered the extension of service that I'd asked for (from 9yrs to 15) plus my stripes and a juicy posting to Germany But turned it all down all for a girl that I never married and never saw again. What a ****ing waste of a career! Still, they were great times and I will never regret joining up in the first place!

76 to 88. This video hits you in the chest after all these years. Fantastic tribute to a time you never forget.

The best thing I ever did ( except getting married) was joining the RAF. 1973 to 1988 great friends and memories.

Thank you. We had the best times x

Had some great times and met some fantastic guys and girls. Did 16 years, came out on 96 , options for change, glad I left.

I'm in tears! This must have been my era in the RAF. Such a touching and what must be personal reminiscences of your time in the RAF. Thank you!

What a blast from the past!! Swinderby 84 then Halton, Kinloss and Valley. Did some HGV driving a few years later, drove past Swinderby on the way to Lincoln and saw it being knocked down-I had tears in my eyes!! Great times. Thanks for posting.

i was in the RAF from 1985 to 1997. Great times, great mates. Served at Valley, Cranwell, Leeming, basic at swinderby and trade trng at st athan....it all seems like yesterday but also another lifetime ago.

Cracking insight of a RAF lost in time. Mar 80-Oct 2008 for me. Different RAF in the early days, I'm glad to say. Worked hard and played hard.

Brought back memories I joined in 80 as a technician Swinderby, Halton & posted to Chivenor. Finished at Lynham 97

Wow, this sent shivers down my spine. I don’t know anybody here but it’s as if I knew everybody. Barber’s Adagio is possibly my favourite piece of classical music, so that helps. Thank you and “carpe diem!”

Went through Swinderby in 1980 and was posted to RAF Wattisham,Suffolk..Good times and fond memories as a man 18 year old ..Friday nights downtown Ipswich on the piss!!😂😆😂🇬🇧🇺🇸..Per Ardua Ad Astra..Thx for posting

I miss those days so much.

Loved this. Was time for bed but watched it all to the end instead. My era too. Sadly very few photographs of my time taken or of any quality. Any one of us could have been in those pictures. Loads of emotion captured. Cracking.

Joined in 1980 to 1998 , totally nostalgic watching this. How good life was and to experience what we did. We had the best years . Not all of us had cameras then , so good to see.

Oct 65 - Dec 03. It was my life. I am no longer in it but it is still in me. Like everything else there were bad times as well as good, but under similar circumstances I would do it again. It would take too long to list everything !

Brought up as an RAF child, remember many bases/married quarters. Older brother joined in 81, remember going to Swinderby to watch him pass out. He went to Cosford as a techie during his initial training. I always wanted to join the RAF but joined the RN in 83. Your video brought back memories of Forces life and making life long friends. Loved watching it, very moving.

Wow. Brought back memories of my time. 80 to 92. I didn't know anyone in the photos yet, they all seemed so familiar. Along with a few commenter here I also don't have a lot of photos of my time in either. Life was so much simpler then and I miss it. Thanks for the post BTW.

Do you know, I had to watch this twice. I never served in the RAF........I failed OASC twice. I did serve in the TA though......some parallels there. I have the fondest memories of being a weekend warrior back in the early '80's. Ex Lionheart Spearpoint made me grow as a young man. Life turned out well for me after a career in the Fire Service......not my first choice but a good move nonetheless.......but this is so bitter sweet. It's the young hopeful faces. I hope life was kind to each and every one of them.

Wow...Great pictures and moving sound..I was at Swinderby 88 number 5 flt then to Hereford for supply training, then sunny Cosford...Good Times 👍

Served in the RAF '72 to '81. Looking back they were some of the happiest days of my life. It was a different world back then.

Fond memories of SwinderButlins in 80 and these barrack block shots bring back many memories. Thanks

I was at Swinderby in 1978 as a new recruit and god does this bring back many memories. My life strted here in the RAF and then i went to RAF Cosford for Weopon mech training amw course cant remember the course number the on to Lossiemouth god what a shit hole lol. Then to RAF Gibraltar . Great to see this stuff . A CPL monagan was ther at that time a total terror but funny . We all should arrage a get togeather for that year before its to late .

Joined in 1957, out in 1971, so much to enjoy. First aqualung diving in Canada, Goose Air Base, skidooing and salmon fishing. Dive expeditions to Gibraltar and Libya before Gaddafi, Go Karting on airfield at week ends. It's what you make of it.

Wonderful, simply wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing with us all. A very different world we live in today. Thank you again for shining some light on a few distant memories of my own.

Watching this bought the memories flooding back, my time was the seventies (73 /80)..Just the pics of your bunk,,look much the same as mine in the 70s... Most of the time it was a right laugh.. regards

Amazing . I went through Swindeby in 86 and then to Halton. Some of the images here are much like my own collection of pics from that period. Great days. I wish I could go back.

I’m ex Army and loved the video, served in the 70’s and 80’s and this reminded me so much of my days, except we couldn’t get away with hair that long. 😁

When the Guys with the moustaches always got the best birds !

I was at Swinderby and Hereford in the summer of 75' Loved it !

From Stuart Mellin 1978 Swinderby and Hereford 17 years old the best time EVER great post mate👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧

seeing this clip has brought back some fond memories of the past iwas at swinderby from june 13th to july25th 1979

Classic pics. Reminded me so much of my 18yrs in the mob as well. Similar years id imagine. Great stuff mate … thanks for your service.

Did you ever keep in touch with any of them? We had a freedom back then that the kids of today could only dream of. Simple, but very happy times. Some of those photos really resonate with me for some reason. Very bitter sweet and very moving.

Joined up July 1964 first flights at swinderby still clearing up from flying Training school. Only allowed out in uniform to Lincoln. Then onto St A then for Tech Training then Valley Changing Lyneham. Great time.

I agree with Rowland…… I served from Febuary 1968 till Febuary 1977….. but surely RAF Hereford should be RAF Credenhill…… best years of my life….. thank you

Watched this without reading any description and was surprised to see little pokes to the memory (Swinderby - obvs) and then the Wattisham colours before me on the screen. I was stationed there '81 - 85. Brought back some memories - Cheers!

81-03. Yup memories! Lifes never the same. O well onwards and upwards. Glad you posted it. Atb

Wow! That brought some powerful memories and emotions flooding back. Now I have the wisdom I wish I had when I also had youth. I would do things so differently if I had a second chance at it. I have few, if any photographs of my time. Shame.

Great film, brought floods of memories. Captured the moments just right.. RAF Swinderby 1979. Thanks, I enjoyed it.

That was great. Brings it all back. Swinderby from July 84. Then St Athan for trade training. Ist posting was Wattisham. Good old 80s. Not a PC or mobile in sight.

my era what a great film thank you young man feel young again

82 to 97 ( out on redundancy). After training went to Portreath for three years then two tours on 10Sqn VC10s. Great times.

Impressive collection, I served 79-2008. A great piss up tbh. Your pictures captures it all great.

Swinderby 1978 .... loved it. Thank you for uploading!

1960 Cosford Boy Entrant. First posting was Swinderby, then Gan, followed by Thorney Island, Steamer Point, long detachment to Majunga back to UK and Odiham, then like so many gave away my career over a bit of skirt that didn't last 5 minutes. That's life. 😢

Yep me too! Funny what a tune and a few photo’s will do! 1982! Fuck it! Thanks for posting.🍺🇬🇧👍🏼

6 weeks at that holiday Camp called Swinderby, Then off to Catterick to be properly Beasted, Per Ardua

Great video, brought back memories. I started at Swinderby December 72, then trade training at Cosford.

Nice to see. I was there in late 1976 and these photo's look like Luxury compared to my time. We were 20 beds to a room. All we were given was a Wooly Pully for the first week. Hated that first run around the airfield.

Wow, it takes me back. I started at Swinderby in March 1980 and left Jan 92. I didn't recognise anyone but everything else so familiar.. Dave "Spike" Howard

84-90... Swinderby, Hereford, Connigsby, Lyneham.... spot on

Joined 1977, Served at Swinderby=gone Halton=half its original size Locking=gone Bruggen=gone Wildenrath=gone Bracht=gone Abingdon=Army Finningley=gone Odiham=half airforce/army So very very sad.

All the hi jinx...play fighting in the barrack block, shaving cream, for the use of haha 😆, motorbikes, not that I had one, stereos car conversions...bloody hell check out that Rad Chevett...it was bad enough hav8mg to drive one of those lime green Chevettes that MT had millions of that when you got your FMT600 you had to drive ... happy memories ... I just wish I’d had more confidence in my youth I would have loved to have given a young WRAF one in the WAFFY block...sigh...

Great video....Emotional.....and it doesn`t matter what trade of the raf you were in....the "barrack block" type piccies are always the same ....Mine are all similar..Great stuff..

I joined the RAF in 1983, can totally relate to this vid.xx

If only we had iPhones in the early 80s, xx

I was there in 1964 left the airforce in 1974 good days so many friends where are they now ? only in touch with a few.

Great pictures,and great music!halcyon times for the raf!

I can relate to so much of this...thanks

Mirrored my time in the mid 1970s in the DAT Catering Squadron. Time passes so quickly.

Those who know ...know ...unless you have experienced the uncertainty...the camaraderie..the excitement ..the bewilderment...the friendship...the acceptance....of being ..err..young ..inexperienced...naive...in a unique environment...well ...you just won't get it.. ..great times Dec '73...

Great video mate. I was in 1970-1992. Fantastic days

I joined in 1980 and left in 1990 so I can certainly identify with these photos.

Wow brings back memories, about the same time I joined the RAF judging by the album covers and the style of clothing. RAF Swinderby Sep 83 - 15 Flight Leroyd Block Cpl Kineston, Sgt Saunders, Rock ape Cpl Billy Harkins. RAF Locking Nov 83 Mar 84 RAF Henlow Mar 84 Sep 86 ....

Great little montage and yep, I had that Kate Bush poster as well! Swinderby, Leuchars, Watton, Akrotiri and Lossie was my 80s!

I miss all this these were the days bring it all back

Brilliant!! Swinderby ‘79 Halton ( failed flight line mechanic !!!) innsworth for reselection onto west raynham for a month before starting scopie course at west Drayton then back to west raynham after 2 years then benbecula shoot off to the falklands ‘85/86 at Byron back to west raynham on return then a final tour at the ADNC at Drayton !!! Now a firefighter at Oxford airport !!! Brilliant brilliant times tho

Great memories. I went to Swinderby 1980.

Joined in 1974, it makes me shudder when I think of Swinderby, all that bloody marching around😝 Had a great time for 13 years though. Life sure changed after I left😃

Spent 3 years or so in 240 ATC and then enrolled when I was 16 In about 83/4 in 2TS Swinderby went in too young and naive really and got a lot of abuse which would see people in prison now. Lost a good friend in their Southey. who died on a motorbike. Got sent to Catterick N yorks as a rock ape and spent most of my time in the guard room as I knew this was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Tried for Amec but was told my qualifications were not high enough then the fire dept. then got discharged! I do miss the beer and in some cases the people but not the BS! I have never spoken to any of them in 40 years since But am haunted by some of the faces here. And if anyone remembers take my breath away been plain constantly on Swinderby radio !!!

Wow... feeling a bit of a covid-low over here in Hong Kong and just on an off chance of seeing some memories I typed "RAF Hereford" into KZfaq and find your excellent little film - I also served '82-'86 and was in Gibson Block during basic training (August '82)! Could have sworn that was my mate Dickie Acroyd (I think that was his name) on the left at 0:23. Thank you very much for posting this John - like someone else in the comments, I hardly have any photos from my time in the RAF... probably only two or three! All the best for 2021.

Thank you all for the kind comments :)

I love this piece of music

Remember those fire picket checks round Bawdsey Manor at midnight

Brilliant years, what memories

YIP me too. good days indeed. good days indeed. am greetin now too.

Swinderby Oct '68. Instructors Cpl Topping and Sgt Halliday. Good cop bad cop. Great times.

I recognise Bawdsey and Wattisham in amongst that lot.

Things used to be so much happier and simpler back then.

I joined in 82 wow its how I remember it.

69 to 81 i would go back in 2mor if i could, best days ever

I was in 73 to 85. Judging by the grainy phots looks some were taken in The 70's. Great time had by all, 54, 6 and 9 Sqdns.

Same as us young guys in the Army, early 80s. Not many pics of us in training. As others have said we all had similar times. Not pictured.

Very poignant. I was never in any of the armed forces. Just escaped national service. Many years later I was a flight instructor, a prestigious outfit just ourtside of Oxford. We had many guys working as instructors who had served in the RAF. Our students passed through in discreet batches of about sixteen at a time known as courses. An Instrucor would typically have four students assigned. Young men and women are young men and women the world over, I always felt the bonding which inevitably took place was beyond value.

I recognised Bawdsey and obviously Swinderby. Was that a young Dave Peters in there? He was an Airframes & Engines Mech on Phantoms and then Chinooks.

Looks like you had a good time socially!