Another back in the day post...
1984 to be exact... :-)
The ‘military’ side of Keflavik, IC.
The first hangar, center bottom, was the VP hangar. Needless to say, this is a ‘summer’ shot! And they were busy, as only 2 birds on the ramp, and probably one or two in the hangar, so 5 or 6 out flying on ‘stuff’‘ or elsewhere...
The four little blue hangars were the 57th FIS alert hangars for F-4s back then. The rest of the transient birds were at the far end of the ramp, where the AWACS and KC-135 were parked.
[caption id=”attachment_10489” align=”alignnone” width=”2580”]
An aerial view of the ramp areas and facilities of the P-3 and 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron ramps, with other facilities in the background.[/caption]
Aeroflot used to try to ‘taxi’ through our ramp, by ‘mistaking’ the tower’s directions to the terminal, which is just out of the picture, lower right.
Fuel trucks, airplanes, and occasionally USAF Security Police were used to ‘block’ their access, to prevent them taking pictures of the airplanes and inside of the hangar.
Flying out of Kef in the winter was always fun, considering the closest alternate airport was 772nm away (Kinloss) which was 2 1/2 hours. Made for some LONG days...
One funny note, they actually do have golf courses up there, and in the summer, you could tee off at midnight, and finish in ‘twilight’ about 0400 in the morning. Drinking in the bar was problematic, since you could stagger out at 1130 or 2330, and not be able to tell the difference... :-)
I worked with a retired Navy Commander LDO SeaBee who did his first tour as an O-1 Ensign in Iceland doing facilities maintenance. He was a former Chief Builder (E-7) (CDR Ren Sefton). He was used to making decisions without much oversight. That's what SeaBee's do. He got called on the carpet by some Air Force Colonel once. When he arrived at the Colonel's office for an ass-chewing the Colonel eyeballed his chest salad and warfare pin and said, "Oh, one of those Navy LDO's..." and dismissed him.
I like SeaBees. When I was assigned to Shore Patrol as a Chief (no billy clubs are issued to E-7 and above...you are supposed to use your charm) I'd pick a big, beefy SeaBee as my partner. My boss at the county engineering office was a retired CWO4 SeaBee. Six retired SeaBees worked in that office. One of my son-in-law's was a 20 year Seabee.
I was at Kef 82-85. Worked in the IDF building in the intel shop and in OPS. Loved it. Went there with a wife and 2 kids - came home with a wife and 3.