Tony Cunnane's RAF Years

The flight from Borispol, Kiev, to Ferihegy Airport in Budapest took 90 minutes. This time the BAe 125 led the formation of 10 Hawks right down to the runway threshold at 300 kts and 500 feet for what must have been a spectacular arrival. An enthusiastic and very friendly group of Hungarians greeted us on the apron. Also there were the British Defence Attaché, Colonel Nicolas Davies, and the Air Attaché, Wing Commander Malcolm Gaynor and his staff. There was a short press conference in the very modern airport buildings before we were taken to the Hyatt Hotel in Budapest city centre.

We were all immediately surprised at the beauty of this city and the friendliness and cheerfulness of its inhabitants. We were told that in recent months the Hungarians had gone to considerable expense removing all signs of Russian occupation. There was not a red sign or Russian poster in sight and we tactfully removed from our uniforms and flying suits all the Soviet badges we had been given in Leningrad and Kiev.

The Budapest Hyatt was 5 star even by Western standards. Because it was still early in day, having set our watches back 2 hours from Kiev time, we were taken on a city tour with one of the charming secretaries from the British Embassy acting as courier. There simply was not enough time to get more than the merest flavour of what is undoubtedly a fascinating city. Many of us have resolved to go back there on holiday soon.

The Red Arrows display was set for 6pm over the airport. There had been much advance publicity on Hungarian radio and TV and in the local press so quite a large crowd was expected. It is just as well we set off early from the hotel because long before 6pm all approach roads were jammed solid with traffic heading for the display. The airport authorities asked for a 15-minute delay because of the traffic chaos. The Hungarian police finally estimated that 15,000 people were inside the airport while another 15,000 were outside trapped in their cars. This was by far the largest crowd seen in Budapest for many years.

Arthur Gibson at work en route from Borispol to Budapest, photographing the Red Arrows from the accompanying BAe 125 as I photographed him. Click on the image to pop up a larger version.

Above:
I took this photograph from the BAe 125 during the transit from Borispol to Ferihegy International Airport, Budapest, flying in thick cloud at 31,000ft.

The weather was brilliantly clear and for the first time the Red Arrows were able to do their full looping display in front of an enthralled crowd. The Red Arrows motto ECLAT means brilliant and this really was a brilliant occasion. The pilots do not readily congratulate themselves, as anyone who has attended one of their de-briefings knows, but this time even the pilots were satisfied and they climbed out of their aircraft grinning from ear to ear. General Borsits, a Hungarian air force officer hosting the British Ambassador at the display turned to Air Marshal Pilkington and offered to buy the Red Arrows, "lock, stock and barrel". We believe the Air Marshal refused the offer.

That evening the British Embassy Defence Staff hosted a dinner in a local restaurant for the entire RAF detachment. There was a splendid Hungarian three course meal and a real five-piece 'gypsy' orchestra to provide the music. A good time was had by all.

The following day it all started to wind down. First, there was the transit flight from Budapest to RAF Wildenrath in West Germany where we stopped to pick up our duty free allowances and some people had Bratwurst and chips for lunch. No VIP escorts here - and very few smiles either - all the RAF personnel we saw seemed quite miserable! Then it was the final leg back across the North Sea to Scampton. The difference on this leg was that the ten Red Hawks took the lead with the BAe 125 flying close astern so that Arthur Gibson could do some more aerial photog raphy.

The Reds landed first at Scampton, followed by the BAe 125 and a few minutes later by Albert. The local customs officers met us, of course, but as far as I know no-one had exceeded their allowances so they did not trouble us for long.