RAF

Jan – Greenham Common Peace Protester

Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp was a protest camp established in 1981 to protest against the deployment of USAF controlled Ground Launched nuclear armed Cruise Missiles at RAF Greenham Common in Berkshire, England. On the eve of International Women’s’ Day 2021 I talk with Jan Castro-Fraser who chose to challenge the existence of nuclear weapons … Read more

Ian Black – Flying the English Electric Lightning

Ian Black is a former RAF Fighter Pilot with a passion for photography and motorcycles. He began his flying career with the legendary McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom in RAF Germany at the height of the Cold War.  After three years flying as a navigator Ian underwent Pilot Training in 1984-1986 during which time he was … Read more

Navigator aboard the Vulcan nuclear bomber (145)

We’re speaking with Barry Mullen who was a Navigator on the legendary Royal Air Force bomber, the Vulcan. Barry served during the 1970s and candidly shares his experiences.  He tells us about his time at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus during the Turkish invasion as well as the detail of his mission scenarios, both conventional and … Read more

In Cold War Skies – NATO & Soviet airpower 1948-89 (142)

  Today’s episode is brought to you by Osprey publishing and we’re speaking with Michael Napier, the author of “In Cold War Skies – NATO and Soviet airpower 1949-89”. Michael also flew the Tornado during the Cold War and served during the 1980s at 14 Sqn and 31 Sqn at RAF Brüggen in  West Germany … Read more

British Forces in Germany: The Lived Experience 1945-2019

Dr Peter Johnston is the Head of Collections Research and Academic Access at the National Army Museum in London and the author of a lavishly illustrated military and social history of the British forces in Germany during the Cold War. < Now if you like the podcast you can help to support us  for the ... Read more

A tour of Cold War F-111 base RAF Upper Heyford

In this episode we visit RAF Upper Heyford for a photography tour for Cold War enthusiasts … The episode is in three parts, the first is some audio from the tour, followed by an interview with Ric Batson a former member of the USAF 20th Security Police Squadron and tour guide as well as an … Read more

Chasing Bears – RAF intercepts of Cold War Soviet aircraft – Part 1

Nick Anderson is a former RAF Phantom jet fighter pilot. We discuss flying in the Cold War and in detail how the RAF would have responded to a nuclear attack. We also talk about how QRA (Quick Reaction Alert)  worked and hear details of a number of missions Nick flew intercepting the Soviet  Tupolev Tu-95 codenamed … Read more

Greenham Common – an iconic British Cold War nuclear airbase

Welcome to episode 18 of Cold War Conversations RAF Greenham Common opened in 1942 and was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War and the United States Air Force during the Cold War. The airfield is probably best known, certainly in the UK,  for … Read more