P-38J N138AM F-22A 02-4040 USAF Heritage Flight by Jason Grant, on Flickr
02-4040 FF F-22A 71st FS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
165929 NJ-123 F/A-18F VFA-122 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
170000 C-130J Fat Albert Airlines by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Blue Angels Opposing Solo by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Lt Connor O'Donnell Blue Angels 7 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Blue Angels 2024 by Jason Grant, on FlickrFrom El Centro, we headed north for Red Flag at Nellis AFB. As always, it can be challenging and frustrating but some of the rewards make it worthwhile every time. Interesting that most people departed the perimeter after the last Red Flag tanker had landed, some of them wanting to get the pictures on social media first, missing the best light of the day and for me, the best departures as a Green Flag was running concurrently with the Red Flag exercise.
89-2116 WA F-16CM 16th WPS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
18-5449 OT F-35A 422nd TES by Jason Grant, on Flickr
11-5020 WA 57 OG F-35A 65th AGRS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
86-0299 WA F-16C 64th AGRS 57WG by Jason Grant, on Flickr
80-0176 WA A-10C 66th WPS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
88-0447 WA F-16C 16 WPS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
87-0210 MO F-15E 389th FS by Jason Grant, on FlickrWe headed north again from Las Vegas and drove to Fresno Yosemite International airport for some ANG action. Nice to see a WC-135R in the circuit when we arrived.
64-14831 OF WC-135R 45th RS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
86-0144 144 FW F-15C 194th FS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
83-0019 F-15C 123rd FS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
83-0014 WA F-15C by Jason Grant, on Flickr
80-0002 JZ F-15C by Jason Grant, on Flickr
85-0097 ZZ F-15C by Jason Grant, on FlickrFrom Fresno, a short drive to NAS Lemoore for a planned base visit. The article has been published so these images can now be shared.
N846NA F/A-18B NASA Armstrong by Jason Grant, on Flickr
166828 NG-400 F/A-18E VFA-151 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
166954 NG-202 F/A-18E VFA-14 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
169952 NE-201 F/A-18E VFA-113 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168878 NA-313 F/A-18E VFA-137 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168867 NA-300 F/A-18E VFA-137 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
169031 NJ-426 F-35C VFA-125 by Jason Grant, on FlickrFrom Fresno, we headed north again to Travis air show for the air show and the finale of the KC-10A. We knew photography at Travis was going to be difficult due to looking south, but we still feel it was worth the effort. Although the KC-10A flying display and finale was a bit of a disappointment, the Raptor with flares wasn't, neither was the amount of decent static display aircraft.
85-0029 KC-10 60th AMW by Jason Grant, on Flickr
144th FW by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168776 NL-544 EA-18G VAQ-132 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
68-10337 BB U-2S 99th RS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Travis Air Mobility Wing by Jason Grant, on Flickr
A-10C 190th FS Skullbangers by Jason Grant, on Flickr
81-0955 ID A-10C 190th FS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
06-6154 C-17A 21st AS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
F-22A Raptor by Jason Grant, on Flickr
02-4040 FF F-22A 71st FS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
85-0033 KC-10A 60th AMW by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Blue Angels Opposing Solo by Jason Grant, on FlickrWe headed south on Sunday to meet a friend who had flown into LAX to travel with us on the second week of our trip. We stopped off at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on the way to LAX, I have been before but it is such an interesting place that I recommend it to anyone if passing with time to spare.
82-0803 F-117A Unexpected Guest by Jason Grant, on FlickrMonday was supposed to be the whole day in the San Diego area, we drove to Point Loma to see the photographic opportunities but as it was the day after St Patricks Day, flying was at a minimum, so we headed to NAF El Centro and Imperial County Airport. That night from Imperial County Airport, we saw a Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base, probably the most amazing thing I have seen fly. Excuse the quality but it's an iPhone shot.
Falcon 9 Rocket by Jason Grant, on Flickr
13-72289 UH-72A 1-224th AVN by Jason Grant, on Flickr
10-72167 UH-72A 2916th AVN by Jason Grant, on FlickrWe stayed in the El Centro/Imperial area for the next couple of days.
F/A-18F VFA-122 NAFEC by Jason Grant, on Flickr
169791 VW-300 F-35C VMFA-314 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
162479 EN-09 CH-53E HMH-464 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
169611 DC-122 F-35B VMFA-122 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
162482 YJ-482 CH-53E HMH-West by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168535 07 MH-60S by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168008 PF-13 MV-22B VMM-364 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168968 VT-49 AH-1Z HMLA-367 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
162517 EN-14 CH-53E HMH-464 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168535 07 MH-60S Seahawk by Jason Grant, on Flickr
166466 NJ-130 F/A-18F VFA-122 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
F/A-18F VFA-122 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
169455 54 CMV-22B VRM-50 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
169272 SN-40 AH-1Z HMLA-369 by Jason Grant, on FlickrFrom El Centro, an hours drive to MCAS Yuma for the WTI exercise. I would just like to make the point to whoever was that was travelling in the the two MPVs, that running across the road from the Fairgrounds to the base fence, to photograph when helicopters land on the cross runway, is a sure fire way to attract attention and get into trouble. I will add that they weren't English speaking but were European. Please try and obey the rules or it will spoil it for everyone else.
169926 CE-08 F-35B VMFA-225 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
164674 WS-212 FA-18D VMFA-323 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
73-1594 DM EC-130H 55th ECG by Jason Grant, on Flickr
169411 WF-556 F-35B VMFAT-502 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
761579 LS-09 F-5N VMFT-401 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
761527 LS-02 F-5N + F-35B MCAS Yuma by Jason Grant, on Flickr
169164 WF-544 F-35B VMFAT-502 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
170058 WE-06 F-35B VMFA-214 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
761579 LS-09 F-5N VMFT-401 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
761556 LS-05 F-5N VMFT-401 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
170002 CJ-012 CH-53K HMH-461 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168065 QD-065 KC-130J VMGR-152 by Jason Grant, on FlickrFriday was a bit slow at Yuma so we headed to Phoenix for Luke air show on the Saturday. Apart from the queue at the car park and the even longer queue at the base for non American citizens, it was easily worth the wait and you got to walk in/out past the base air park. I didn't expect such a large open house, static was superb as was the flying. A fantastic way to finish the trip.
81-0687 LF 56 FW F-16A by Jason Grant, on Flickr
73-0108 F-15B TAC 1 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
13243 56-0892 F-104C by Jason Grant, on Flickr
66-8380 EN 80 TFW T-38C by Jason Grant, on Flickr
N619TA F-5E Tactical Air by Jason Grant, on Flickr
01-6029 F-16D RSiAF by Jason Grant, on Flickr
5146 F-35A RNoAF by Jason Grant, on Flickr
90-26224 DR USAF HH-60G by Jason Grant, on Flickr
78-0543 F-15C Sandman 114th FS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
88-1705 389th FS MO F-15E by Jason Grant, on Flickr
81-0997 DP A-10C 47th FS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
89-2087 HO F-16C 8th FS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
81-0997 DP A-10C 47th FS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Tactical Demo Formation Flypast by Jason Grant, on Flickr
80-0244 DM A-10C ex 163rd FS CS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
18-5456 HL F-35A 421st FS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
USAF Heritage Flight by Jason Grant, on FlickrOn the road, back to LAX, we passed Palm Springs and drove in to see what was around. These three Ospreys were a nice surprise.
168008 PF-13 MV-22B VMM-364 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
165945 MV-22B by Jason Grant, on Flickr3,200 miles done and another memorable trip had come to an end. As always, thanks for looking. These pictures and many more from the trip can be seen on my Flickr site.
