FighterControl

It's that time of year again!

Started with a trip to the west coast of the USofA for the first Red Flag, and a few other assorted places.

Don't often get vapour at Nellis:

20-5605/OT F-35A 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron Nellis AFB 25th January 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

86-0299/WA/57WG F-16C 64th Aggressor Squadron Nellis AFB 25th January 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Chilly Hawaiian at Salt Lake City:

05-5146/HH C-17A 535th Airlift Squadron Salt Lake City UT 29th January 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

An afternoon at Hill was productive:

17-5254/HL F-35A 34th Fighter Squadron Hill AFB 29th January 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

...... and an excellent museum. Unfortunately they were in the process of moving some exhibits in to a new building which was closed, so will have to go back!

53-0050 Douglas C-124C Globemaster II Hill Aerospace Museum Hill AFB UT 30th January 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

F-16C Nellis AFB 30th January 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Nice to catch a pair of F-15EX at Nellis:

20-0001/ET/40FTS F-15EX 40th Flight Test Squadron Nellis AFB 31st January 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

March is Northolt nightshoot month:

60+03 P-3C Naval Air Squadron 3 RAF Northolt 7th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Then back to the USA. Was hoping to catch a black Knighthawk. Got something black, and a Knighthawk .............. but not the ones we wanted!

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

166818/AB401 F/A-18E VFA-136 Sidewinder low level route CA 11th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

More Red Flag:

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

New kids on the block:

85-1501/926WG F-16C 706th Aggressor Squadron 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

New F-5 colours at Yuma:

761556/LS05 F-5N VMFT-401 MCAS Yuma 15th March 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Busy MH-60S at Imperial on a Friday evening:

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

Busy El Centro on a Saturday, lobbing live bombs around:

166424/NJ200 F/A-18E 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

Marines at March on a Sunday:

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

And a local:

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

Mugu Monday:

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

...... and Marines at Camarillo:

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

April and three AC-130Js through Mildenhall, when they still had markings:

18-5882 AC-130J 4th Special Operations Squadron RAF Mildenhall 2nd April 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Then Greece for Iniochos, and some fun in the valleys:

01520 F-4E (AUP) 338 Squadron Vouraikos Gorge 4th April 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

QA204 Rafale DQ Flying Wing 6 Andravida AB 10th April 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

509 Mirage 2000-5BG 331 Squadron Andravida AB 10th April 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Hadn't seen this for many years, but did my first solo in it in July 1979 at Plymouth!

G-BWTG/WB671/910 De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk T10 ex-Britannia Flight Old Warden 12th May 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Chinook at Headcorn, being refuelled by another FCer!

ZA683 Chinook HC6 Headcorn 13th May 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

June, off to Schleswig for the Tiger Meet, which had it's challenges! This was the best scheme:

83+02 Super Lynx Mk 88A Naval Air Wing 5 Schleswig AB 7th June 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

7 Rafale M 11 Squadron Schleswig AB 7th June 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

It did include a side trip to Fassberg

60+03 P-3C Naval Air Squadron 3 Fassberg AB 8th June 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

84+79 CH-53GS 64th Air Transport Group Fassberg AB 8th June 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

One of the Tiger Meet challenges:

138/30-GQ Rafale C 30th Fighter Wing Schleswig AB 10th June 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Lakenheath in July:

97-0221/LN/492FS F-15E 492nd Fighter Squadron RAF Lakenheath 10th July 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

17-040 F-15QA RAF Lakenheath 10th July 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Then a superb RIAT, with so many highlights:

08-8018 F-16D 6th Fighter Squadron RAF Fairford 17th July 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

AE.9-17/23-10 SF-5M 23rd Wing RAF Fairford 19th July 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

80-1070 U-2S 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron RAF Fairford 19th July 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

QA536 F-15QA RAF Fairford 20th July 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

84-0083 C-21A 76th Airlift Squadron RAF Fairford 22nd July 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

August:

PA474/AR-L 'Leader' Avro Lancaster B1 BBMF Old Warden 11th August 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

64-14847/OF RC-135U 45th Reconnaissance Squadron RAF Mildenhall 29th August 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

September, Edwards AFB:

21-7002 T-7A 416th Flight Test Squadron Edwards AFB 4th September 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

03-3121/ED C-17A 418th Flight Test Squadron Edwards AFB 4th September 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

73-1664 Fairchild Republic YA-10B Thunderbolt II Air Force Flight Test Museum Edwards AFB 4th September 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Followed by a morning at Pt Mugu:

169863/NE600 E-2D VAW-113 NAS Pt Mugu 5th September 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

165094/BH500 NC-20G VX-30 NAS Pt Mugu 5th September 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Joint Warrior:

ZK311 Typhoon FGR4 12 Squadron RAF Coningsby 18th September 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

4061 F-16C 3rd Fighter Squadron RAF Waddington 18th September 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

October is also Northolt nightshoot month:

ZZ175 C-17A Globemaster III 99 Squadron RAF Northolt 3rd October 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Back to Greece for Ramstein Flag:

118 F-16C 330 Squadron Vouraikos Gorge 7th October 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

39823 JAS 39D 21st Fighter Wing Andravida AB 8th October 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

15004 CC-150 437 Transport Squadron Andravida AB 8th October 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

Finished with a trip to Turkey, for a phantastic weekend:

77-0303 F-4E-2020 111 Squadron Catacik National Park 16th November 2024 by Chris Wood, on Flickr

As usual, loads more on my Flickr page:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/68498610@N03/

Excellent set.

Thanks for sharing these with us.

Fabulous selection, Chris

Great set from the first to last shot

Looks like great year Chris

You certainly get around

Merry Christmas

Some real belters there and impressive angles, a great year indeed. Good to see the two seat A10 is still around.
Thanks for sharing them with us.

Great set mate, for me, Vandy low level was the pick, right up until a certain trip to Turkey.

I am still waiting to see an F-15EX so that image also warranted closer inspection, superb.

ben771820 wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 09, 2024 5:33 pm

That sphere picture from Nellis is incredible, bravo!

PM sent

Welcome to FC but please be aware you should when you can, also contribute something relevant to this website i.e spotting logs or sightings or your photos etc. Even articles are welcome

Reports from your nearest airfield are super welcome

Nice shots Chris

Chris

Pitot tube cover still on the Chipmunk!!!???. Hope he removed it in time, or did he??? Lovely pictures !! Nice to see the only two-seat A.10 built.!!

raptor9 wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 10, 2024 10:50 am

Pitot tube cover still on the Chipmunk!!!???. Hope he removed it in time, or did he??? Lovely pictures !! Nice to see the only two-seat A.10 built.!!

Someone did wave frantically at him, but he was only moving it on the ground, no intention of flying. As long as he didn't turn on the pitot heat!........

Lovely and varied selection Chris.

Nice set and superb variety Chris. Bloodhounds P-3 and the CC-150 stand out for me.

Best wishes, Tom

Pfff I do not know where to start :-) some fantastic shots!!