Douglas Wickwar, 88, stands next to his collection of model airplanes at his home in Watton. The British Army World War II veteran occasionally organizes tours of RAFs Lakenheath and Mildenhall. (Sean Kimmons / S&S)
Aircraft enthusiast Douglas Wickwar of Watton has visited RAFs Lakenheath and Mildenhall many times. And each time he does, he brings along a busload of friends. The storytelling 88-year-old World War II veteran organizes bus tours to give local residents an up-close view of the American bases.
For the past 20 years, Wickwar has taken roughly 5,000 people to the bases. He recently earned an award for his volunteer work from the British-American Community Relations Group at Lakenheath.
The British army veteran doesn’t plan to stop the tours anytime soon. He has another tour lined up for this week.
Why did you want to start these tours?
I was interested [in U.S. forces] aircraft. Some of these people [who go on the tours] don’t know a lot about America. They’re impressed [by the U.S. airmen] when the day ends.
Who usually attends your tours?
We get all sorts. A lot of them are aircraft enthusiasts. Some people enjoy the day so damn much that they want to go again.
How many do you take at a time?
No more than 40.
Who can take these tours?
Anybody can ask me. I give the names of people going on the tour to the base a month before.
How long are the tours?
We arrive at the base around 11 a.m. We have a lunch at noon. Then we get back on the coach and drive around the base while [highlights of the base are] explained to them. Sometimes we might go to the runway and see a couple planes take off or land, or see a static display. We leave the base roughly at 4:30 p.m.
At Mildenhall, it’s the same process. But when we go there we get to board a tanker, walk around it and take pictures. They enjoy it all. They want to get down and see how you do the refueling in the back.
What’s your favorite part of the tours?
I don’t have any one favorite part. Some people like the fighter planes, others like the big planes. I enjoy both of them.
How old do the sightseers tend to be?
It’s a mix. It can be anywhere from 20 up to 70. I’ve never met anybody my age.
How often do you have these tours?
Up to six each year.
How much do you charge?
I charge them 15 pounds. I hardly make anything on it. The coach is 230 pounds. The meals are 7 pounds each.
What motivates you to keep doing this?
I think America is a great country in the world today, and I think the whole world owes a lot to them.
At age 88, do you see yourself continuing these tours?
My son says, “You’re always saying you’re going to quit, but you never do.” I just enjoy it too much.
To contact Douglas Wickwar regarding base tours, call 01953 883950 or 07510582526.
