FighterControl

Another trip out west, where the main theme was weather. Until the day I came home, every day either started cloudy or became cloudy. There were also some very windy days.

Anyway, on with the show. Started with a day up a hill:

166673/XE1 F/A-18F VX-9 Sidewinder low level route CA 11th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

168937/NL520 EA-18G VAQ-135 Sidewinder low level route CA 11th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

168481/NG201 F/A-18E VFA-14 Sidewinder low level route CA 11th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Following by a couple of days at Nellis for Red Flag 24-2. On my first day, virtually everything did the Flex departure (although some hadn't read the brief!)

87-0198/MO F-15E 389th Fighter Squadron Nellis AFB 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

169627/DT05 F-35B VMFA-242 Nellis AFB 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Four of these flew, went to the low level area I was at the day before!

04-4071/WA F-22A 433rd Weapons Squadron Nellis AFB 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

164961/WS22 F/A-18D VMFA-323 Nellis AFB 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

13-5069/LF F-35A Nellis AFB 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

11-5020/WA/57OG F-35A 65th Aggressor Squadron Nellis afb 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

F-020 F-35A 322 Squadron Nellis AFB 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

86-0251/WA/926OG F-16C 64th Aggressor Squadron Nellis AFB 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

85-1501/926WG F-16C 706th Aggressor Squadron Nellis AFB 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

N856TA/233 F-16A Top Aces Nellis AFB 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

168265/NL525 EA-18G VAQ-135 Nellis AFB 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

F-031 F-35A 313 Squadron Nellis AFB 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

57-1493 KC-135R 6th Air Refuelling Wing Nellis AFB 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

82-0662/DM A-10C 354th Fighter Squadron Nellis AFB 12th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

61-0001/MT B-52H 69th Bomb Squadron Nellis AFB 13th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

88-0503/WA F-16C 16th Weapons Squadron Nellis AFB 13th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

20-5593/WA F-35A 6th Weapons Squadron Nellis AFB 13th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

L-006 F-35A 308th Fighter Squadron Nellis AFB 13th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

T-059 KC-30M Multinational MRTT Unit Nellis AFB 13th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Next, a very quiet Yuma. (For Paddy!):

761572/LS07 F-5N VMFT-401 MCAS Yuma 15th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

57-1469 KC-135R 197th Air Refueling Squadron MCAS Yuma 15th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Then on to Imperial:

168535/(SA)07 MH-60S (HSC-3) Imperial CA 15th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

167824/(SA)14 MH-60S HSC-3 Imperial CA 15th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

El Centro, on a Saturday morning!

166982/NJ147 F/A-18F VFA-122 NAF El Centro 16th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

166424/NJ200 F/A-18E VFA-122 NAF El Centro 16th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

166810/NJ171 F/A-18F VFA-122 NAF El Centro 16th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

166799/NJ170 F/A-18F VFA-122 NAF El Centro 16th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

March, on a Sunday!

170110/WL05 F-35C VMFA-311 March ARB 17th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

170106/WL03 F-35C VMFA-311 March ARB 17th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

05-5145 'Spirit of Ronald Reagan' C-17A 729th Airlift Squadron March ARB 17th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Pt Mugu (more for Paddy!):

N617TA Northrop F-5E Tiger II Tactical Air Support Inc NAS Pt Mugu 18th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

162999/BH300 P-3C VX-30 NAS Pt Mugu 18th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

169217/DD507 EA-18G VX-31 NAS Pt Mugu 18th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

162308/BH400 C-130T VX-30 NAS Pt Mugu 18th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

169559/LF VP-16 P-8A NAS Pt Mugu 18th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

160293/(BH)301 P-3C VX-30 NAS Pt Mugu 18th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

168077/(BH)600 E-2D VX-30 NAS Pt Mugu 18th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Camarillo:

169860/VT-51 AH-1Z HMLA-367 Camarillo CA 18th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

167992/VT06 UH-1Y HMLA-367 Camarillo CA 18th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Lots more on my Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/68498610@ ... 600483682/

Great shots, thanks for sharing. That C-17 looks a little worse for wear.

Hi Chris

What a cracking set

Lovin’ those MiG28’s

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

Thank you for sharing this series of amazing shots, and amazing , colourful machines !

Lovely stuff despite the weather

Love the black Hornet. Had to look twice at it, as the black panels looked like canards and I thought it was some sort of test airframe.

Absolutely brilliant set of images! Thank you. That's the joy of America, always plenty of variety and I know my camera would complain because of the number of shots I'd be taking! Can't say the same here in the UK - it's more in danger of seizing up through lack of use. Your images show the best of special schemes together with "routine" aircraft that at least carry squadron markings. Already looking forward to future posts.

GREAT! Rob

Great set Chris,but the Vampires Bug in the Kern is superb!

Stunning....the lot of them !

That’s an incredible set of photos. Impossible to pick a favourite, but I really like that P-3 Orion. I really must make it to the US someday.

Absolutely great

Superb set, lots of wows! viewing these.

Thanks for sharing

Kev

The KC135 was at Luke Days airshow over the weekend (unless there is more than one painted up this way). Great set

Great shots there in tricky light, well done. Many thanks for sharing them and keeping the oldies up to date with USA happenings.

absolutely stunning set

Great set Chris. As I said before, the VX-30 stuff is gorgeous, that P-3 is possibly my favourite airframe at the moment (would be nice to see at RIAT ). Vandy is the catch though, superb.

Certainly looks like you had a good trip - lots of variety.

The VX-30 aircraft look very smart with the colour on them.

Thanks for sharing them with us.