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USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

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Jason Grant
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USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by Jason Grant » Sun Nov 10, 2019 5:41 pm

A few pictures from a trip to California and Arizona back in September 2019. Myself and my travelling companion flew LHR to LAX before driving up to NAS Lemoore for their air show. We had already arranged base access on the Friday morning for the sunrise photoshoot. I have posted a thread in the airshow section with a selection of my images from this show.

Image84-0004 F-15C 144FW Anniversary Scheme by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Leaving Lemoore, we headed into the desert to see some of the activity at Luke AFB. Warnings of sandstorms, flash floods, thunderstorms and tornados, cut the flying short on the Monday but we still got to photograph a few of the based jets before driving to Yuma. All images below were taken outside the base perimeter with aircraft landing 21 Left.

Image93-0721 F-16A 21FS Gamblers by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image96-5035 F-16DJ RSAF 425th FS by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image13-5083 LF F-135A USAF by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image11-5035 LF F-35A USAF by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image11-5038 LF F-35A USAF by Jason Grant, on Flickr

To give you you an idea what it's like, this image shows an F-35A landing 21 Right.

ImageLuke AFB 21 Right by Jason Grant, on Flickr

The following day was spent outside MCAS Yuma. Early on, we positioned ourselves in the desert between 03 Left and Right.

Image63-8036 KC-135R 161 ARW by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image168732 DC-01 F-35B VMFA-122 by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image169609 DC-00 F-35B VMFA-122 by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image761572 LS-07 F-5N Tiger II VMFT-401 by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image169615 DC-06 F-35B VFMA-122 by Jason Grant, on Flickr

The weather clouded over so we headed to the other end of the airfield to position ourselves at the Yuma County Fairgrounds.

Image161533 CJ-07 CH-53E Super Stallion HMH-461 by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image166759 MV-42 AH-1Z Viper VMX-1 by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image165845 MV-02 MV-22B Osprey VMX-01 by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image164859 CH-53E Super Stallion YK-859 HMH-466 by Jason Grant, on Flickr

We then drove to NAF El Centro to catch the last of the light and to see what was around.

Image168525 VT-25 AH-1Z Viper by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image168970 VT-28 AH-1Z by Jason Grant, on Flickr

The next day we stayed outside NAF El Centro
ImageM-519 Merlin RDAF by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image165819 NA-602 CVW-17 USS Nimitz by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image165386 WH-12 AV-8B VMA-542 by Jason Grant, on Flickr

ImageVMFA-323 FA-18C Hornets by Jason Grant, on Flickr

ImageAV-8B VMA-542 Tigers by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image165400 NA-421 F/A-18C Hornet VMFA-323 by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Then the weather began to change again. This time we saw a twister whilst shooting the returning AAC Apaches. Bad weather stopped play (again) and we bailed to Famous Dave's.

ImageVMFA-323 F/A-18C Hornet by Jason Grant, on Flickr

ImageZJ231 AAC AH-64D Longbow Apache by Jason Grant, on Flickr

ImageZJ217 AAC AH-64D Longbow Apache by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Next morning, we again positioned ourselves around the base however, with all the overnight rain, the dirt tracks around the base perimeter were unusable (having got stuck back in 2015, there was no way were were even going to try to drive them). We sat on the tarmac on the side of the approach.

Image165425 WH-00 AV-8B VMA-542 by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image165306 WH-08 AV-8B Harrier VMA-542 by Jason Grant, on Flickr

We bailed at lunchtime and drove to San Diego. Next morning, we attended MCAS Miramar air show. I hadn't attended this show since 2010 and vowed to one day return. How disappointed was I with what it has become. Ok, so they don't have the night show anymore but the long gaps in the show, not much military content and the MAGTF is now only a shadow of what it used to be. Only one F/A-18C took part in the demo, The F-35B was unable to partake due to the cloud base not being above 7,000 feet. I won't be posting a separate thread for this show.

ImageN7835C 46 Grumman TBM-3E Avenger by Jason Grant, on Flickr

ImageN217AC 729 Erickson Air Crane by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image17-01609 Dash 8 Golden Knights Army Parachute Team by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image164710 WT-08 FA-18C VMFA-232 Last to Leave by Jason Grant, on Flickr

ImageMAGTF Demo by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image168415 UV-02 UH-1Y & 169380 UV-51 AH-1Z by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image168619 YX-01 MV-22B VMM-166 by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image51-2834 FU-834 NX186AM F-86E Sabre USAF Heritage Flight by Jason Grant, on Flickr

ImageBlue Angels by Jason Grant, on Flickr

ImageBlue Angels by Jason Grant, on Flickr

ImageBlue Angels by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image163705 Blue Angel 6 F/A-18C Hornet by Jason Grant, on Flickr

ImageCapt Eric Doyle Blue Angels by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Image13-5079 LF F-35A Lightning II by Jason Grant, on Flickr

Thanks for looking.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonintamworth/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

matt e
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by matt e » Sun Nov 10, 2019 6:37 pm

superb set

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Nighthawke
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by Nighthawke » Sun Nov 10, 2019 6:42 pm

What a great set of shots in some lovely light. No way can I pick a favourite!

Bluesteel
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by Bluesteel » Sun Nov 10, 2019 6:43 pm

Great post, some lovely shots in there.

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photojet
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by photojet » Sun Nov 10, 2019 6:47 pm

Great selection of pictures. :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

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prefontaine72
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by prefontaine72 » Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:10 pm

Cracking selection there Jason well done mate

Dougie :)

GORDO47
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by GORDO47 » Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:46 pm

Stunning set :)

Gus0898uk
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by Gus0898uk » Sun Nov 10, 2019 11:58 pm

Lots of great shots there Jason, El Centro is my faourite base so i really enjoyed those shots.

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paddyboy
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by paddyboy » Mon Nov 11, 2019 4:27 am

F15C & F5N :Wow:

Great set Jason :thumbs:

Thanks for posting :thumb:

Paddyboy :clap:
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LTFT5
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by LTFT5 » Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:25 am

Great images but if I had to choose it would be the F-5N Tiger.
All the best
Andy
“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.”

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wolfie138
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by wolfie138 » Mon Nov 11, 2019 9:14 am

storming. absolutely cracking set of Viper pics.

radar
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by radar » Mon Nov 11, 2019 2:39 pm

Smashin' account and quality images of great trip Jason :thumb:

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Buccaneer_R
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by Buccaneer_R » Mon Nov 11, 2019 7:58 pm

Very nice! :thumbs:

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Yunglee
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by Yunglee » Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:43 pm

Superb set of images

Thanks for sharing

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fisherman
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by fisherman » Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:59 pm

Very very nice, in fact, I like them all.

Seahawk 11
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by Seahawk 11 » Tue Nov 12, 2019 9:05 am

What an amazing set of images there, great to see,
Many thanks for posting them,

Rob

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Thunderbolt II
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by Thunderbolt II » Tue Nov 12, 2019 9:17 am

Corking stuff with great variety and interesting schemes- nice!

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JONLITE06
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by JONLITE06 » Tue Nov 12, 2019 12:57 pm

Great Effort!!!

Chris Procter
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by Chris Procter » Thu Nov 14, 2019 11:00 pm

Fabulous set of images fella - some real stunners in that lot

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747woody
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019

Post by 747woody » Thu Nov 21, 2019 4:14 pm

Lovely stuff, and nought wrong with your Miramar stuff, the weather adds to them and looks better that the usual back lit stuff!

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