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USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
- Jason Grant
- Moderator
- Posts: 814
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:44 pm
- Location: Tamworth, Staffs
USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
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.
84-0004 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.
93-0721 F-16A 21FS Gamblers by Jason Grant, on Flickr
96-5035 F-16DJ RSAF 425th FS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
13-5083 LF F-135A USAF by Jason Grant, on Flickr
11-5035 LF F-35A USAF by Jason Grant, on Flickr
11-5038 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.
Luke 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.
63-8036 KC-135R 161 ARW by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168732 DC-01 F-35B VMFA-122 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
169609 DC-00 F-35B VMFA-122 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
761572 LS-07 F-5N Tiger II VMFT-401 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
169615 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.
161533 CJ-07 CH-53E Super Stallion HMH-461 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
166759 MV-42 AH-1Z Viper VMX-1 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
165845 MV-02 MV-22B Osprey VMX-01 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
164859 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.
168525 VT-25 AH-1Z Viper by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168970 VT-28 AH-1Z by Jason Grant, on Flickr
The next day we stayed outside NAF El Centro
M-519 Merlin RDAF by Jason Grant, on Flickr
165819 NA-602 CVW-17 USS Nimitz by Jason Grant, on Flickr
165386 WH-12 AV-8B VMA-542 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
VMFA-323 FA-18C Hornets by Jason Grant, on Flickr
AV-8B VMA-542 Tigers by Jason Grant, on Flickr
165400 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.
VMFA-323 F/A-18C Hornet by Jason Grant, on Flickr
ZJ231 AAC AH-64D Longbow Apache by Jason Grant, on Flickr
ZJ217 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.
165425 WH-00 AV-8B VMA-542 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
165306 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.
N7835C 46 Grumman TBM-3E Avenger by Jason Grant, on Flickr
N217AC 729 Erickson Air Crane by Jason Grant, on Flickr
17-01609 Dash 8 Golden Knights Army Parachute Team by Jason Grant, on Flickr
164710 WT-08 FA-18C VMFA-232 Last to Leave by Jason Grant, on Flickr
MAGTF Demo by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168415 UV-02 UH-1Y & 169380 UV-51 AH-1Z by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168619 YX-01 MV-22B VMM-166 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
51-2834 FU-834 NX186AM F-86E Sabre USAF Heritage Flight by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Blue Angels by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Blue Angels by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Blue Angels by Jason Grant, on Flickr
163705 Blue Angel 6 F/A-18C Hornet by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Capt Eric Doyle Blue Angels by Jason Grant, on Flickr
13-5079 LF F-35A Lightning II by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Thanks for looking.
84-0004 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.
93-0721 F-16A 21FS Gamblers by Jason Grant, on Flickr
96-5035 F-16DJ RSAF 425th FS by Jason Grant, on Flickr
13-5083 LF F-135A USAF by Jason Grant, on Flickr
11-5035 LF F-35A USAF by Jason Grant, on Flickr
11-5038 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.
Luke 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.
63-8036 KC-135R 161 ARW by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168732 DC-01 F-35B VMFA-122 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
169609 DC-00 F-35B VMFA-122 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
761572 LS-07 F-5N Tiger II VMFT-401 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
169615 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.
161533 CJ-07 CH-53E Super Stallion HMH-461 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
166759 MV-42 AH-1Z Viper VMX-1 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
165845 MV-02 MV-22B Osprey VMX-01 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
164859 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.
168525 VT-25 AH-1Z Viper by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168970 VT-28 AH-1Z by Jason Grant, on Flickr
The next day we stayed outside NAF El Centro
M-519 Merlin RDAF by Jason Grant, on Flickr
165819 NA-602 CVW-17 USS Nimitz by Jason Grant, on Flickr
165386 WH-12 AV-8B VMA-542 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
VMFA-323 FA-18C Hornets by Jason Grant, on Flickr
AV-8B VMA-542 Tigers by Jason Grant, on Flickr
165400 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.
VMFA-323 F/A-18C Hornet by Jason Grant, on Flickr
ZJ231 AAC AH-64D Longbow Apache by Jason Grant, on Flickr
ZJ217 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.
165425 WH-00 AV-8B VMA-542 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
165306 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.
N7835C 46 Grumman TBM-3E Avenger by Jason Grant, on Flickr
N217AC 729 Erickson Air Crane by Jason Grant, on Flickr
17-01609 Dash 8 Golden Knights Army Parachute Team by Jason Grant, on Flickr
164710 WT-08 FA-18C VMFA-232 Last to Leave by Jason Grant, on Flickr
MAGTF Demo by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168415 UV-02 UH-1Y & 169380 UV-51 AH-1Z by Jason Grant, on Flickr
168619 YX-01 MV-22B VMM-166 by Jason Grant, on Flickr
51-2834 FU-834 NX186AM F-86E Sabre USAF Heritage Flight by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Blue Angels by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Blue Angels by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Blue Angels by Jason Grant, on Flickr
163705 Blue Angel 6 F/A-18C Hornet by Jason Grant, on Flickr
Capt Eric Doyle Blue Angels by Jason Grant, on Flickr
13-5079 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;
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
superb set
- Nighthawke
- Posts: 5300
- Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 10:04 pm
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
What a great set of shots in some lovely light. No way can I pick a favourite!
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
Great post, some lovely shots in there.
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
Great selection of pictures.
- prefontaine72
- Posts: 2619
- Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:07 pm
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
Cracking selection there Jason well done mate
Dougie
Dougie
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
Stunning set
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
Lots of great shots there Jason, El Centro is my faourite base so i really enjoyed those shots.
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
F15C & F5N
Great set Jason
Thanks for posting
Paddyboy
Great set Jason
Thanks for posting
Paddyboy
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
Great images but if I had to choose it would be the F-5N Tiger.
All the best
Andy
All the best
Andy
“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.”
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
storming. absolutely cracking set of Viper pics.
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
Smashin' account and quality images of great trip Jason
- Buccaneer_R
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sat May 04, 2019 5:45 pm
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
Very nice!
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
Superb set of images
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing
- fisherman
- Posts: 523
- Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2016 8:19 pm
- Location: Sitting in the sunshine and still loving it?
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
Very very nice, in fact, I like them all.
-
- Posts: 1146
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 6:18 pm
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
What an amazing set of images there, great to see,
Many thanks for posting them,
Rob
Many thanks for posting them,
Rob
- Thunderbolt II
- Posts: 1065
- Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 7:40 am
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
Corking stuff with great variety and interesting schemes- nice!
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
Great Effort!!!
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Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
Fabulous set of images fella - some real stunners in that lot
Re: USA West Coast trip, Sept 2019
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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