"They're deadbrains in those planes -- deadbrains," she fumes as the menacing grey bomber disappears into equally menacing grey rainclouds with another load of bombs to drop somewhere over Iraq.

"If they had any compassion," adds Andria, a mother and charity worker in her 30s, "they could just go back to where they came from."

Her fellow peace activists agree. They're a dozen or so in all who are camped out, around the clock, seven days a week, outside Gate 10 of this sprawling allied air base, a focal point of opposition in Britain to the US-led war to overthrow Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Fourteen B-52s from Minot, North Dakota, home of the US air force's 5th Bomb Wing, have been at RAF Fairford -- set amid the postcard-perfect countryside of the Cotswalds, in Gloucestershire in the west of England -- since March 3.

Since the war began on March 20 they have been seen making daily sorties out to Iraq, about 5,000 kilometers (3,000 miles) or six hours' flying time away, sometimes leaving in bunches, sometimes just one or two at a time.

The peace campers have been around for about a month as well, braving the elements and what they say is a war of nerves with roving vanloads of armed police officers who would rather see them pack up their tents and tarpaulins and gas stoves and go home.

Hand-made banners festoon the chain-link fence and coiled razor wire that separates the protesters from the B-52s on the tarmac, 10 of which could be easily seen by an AFP reporter who dropped in at Gate 10 this week.

"The Angel of Death is close by. Can't you hear the beating of its wings?" reads one of the posters. "Stop this stupid war," says another. A French flag flaps in the wind, a salute to President Jacques Chirac's anti-war stance.

There is minimum contact with the 1,000 US military personnel who live in spartan barracks on another side of the sprawling base, which dates back to World War II.

Sarge, 25, from West Wales, who like all the campers prefered not to give his surname, did recall one day when some "really very aggressive" GIs came around to reinforce the fence and try to rip down the banners.

"They said they didn't want the banners because they were disturbing the pilots," he said. "But there's nothing but truth on the banners."

US military spokesmen at RAF Fairford, contacted by telephone, declined to be interviewed, citing instructions from the British ministry of defense which officially owns the base.

At the war's outset, the base came alive with protest. On the first weekend, several thousand people joined an anti-war rally. Then Greenpeace floated a hot air balloon over the tarmac and dropped 500 anti-war leaflets. One man burned his US passport, saying he'd be an American no longer.

No less than five people have appeared in court on charges of trying to break into the base; one man from Bristol is accused of wanting to wreck a B-52 with a bomb made out of gasoline, dishwashing liquid and peanut butter, according to the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, the local newspaper.

But while police have stop and search powers, and do use them, there is no ban at all on photographing either the bombers or the cartloads of ordnance that can be easily seen with binoculars waiting to be loaded.

Indeed, planespotters have their own stakeout at the northwest end of the runway, hopping out of their cars and camper trucks whenever a B-52 takes off or touches down.

"I don't agree with the war particularly," said a retiree, down from the north of England, as he tucked away his video camera. "But I'm here to look at the hardware."

Back at the peace camp, Brenda, 50, from Birmingham, a self-described full-time peace activist who grew up in a military family, reflected on the B-52s' operations.

"We've tried to discern a pattern... but it's very random," she said. "From this end, it seems to be, 'Shall we go now? Oh, no, let's have a cup of tea'."

Splash, 20, from south Wales, nibbling on fish and chips that a sympathetic local man just brought in, growled that the war was all about Iraqi oil being "used and abused by America and the World Trade Organization."

Jo, also 20, who quit her job in a Hastings bookshop to join the peace camp a few days ago, opted to reflect quietly on her reasons for coming. "I felt I wanted to do something more permanent," she said. "To show my disgust."

SPACE.WIRE