Lakenheath back to full strength

[slogen51]

The F-15QA repositioned to Mildenhall today - Hawk 21 Said on Mildenhall tower that an additional Retro flight is due in at 23:00 to Mildenhall

[slogen51]

17-045 F-15QA Hawk 21 repositioned to Lakenheath from Mildenhall today

=77 fast jets on base as at 17:00 on 21/10/2024 (42 F-15E [40 LN, 2 MO], 34 F-35A, 1 F-15QA [17-045])

7 F-35A away from base :-

Six Valkyries in Aviano went 29/09/2024
Axe 01-03
5588
5582
5570

Lord 01-03
5600
5581
5574

One 493FS F-35A has not yet returned from exercise Ramstein Flag at Andravida
5595

[slogen51]

Tabor 85/86 finally departed east this morning
89-0506/MO 389FS
90-0227/MO 389FS

=75 fast jets on base as at 17:00 on 24/10/2024 (40F-15E, 34 F-35A, 1 F-15QA [17-045])

[slogen51]

Valkyrie,Frejya and Axe : Six 495FS returned from Aviano a month after leaving for Aviano

=81 fast jets on base as at 17:00 on 29/10/2024 (40F-15E, 40 F-35A, 1 F-15QA [17-045])

F-35A 20-5595 493FS has not yet returned from exercise Ramstein Flag at Andravida and is unserviceable at Aviano

This is the first time in 2024 that no 48FW aircraft are away on deployment/TDY. Actually you have to go back to the morning of 16/06/2023 to find a time when no 48FW were deployed: (91-0311 was broken in Finland)

____________________________________________________
The 14 Strike Eagles away on depot maintenance are :

Ten potentially at Warner-Robbins :-
91-0314 went 07/06/2023 '494FS'
91-0320 went 07/06/2023 ( *noted at Kelly* )
91-0321 went 27/01/2024 not read off
91-0307 went 27/01/2024 not read off
91-0303 blue went 19/04/2024 Retro 51
91-0309 red went 19/04/2024 Retro 52
01-2003 red went 19/04/2024 Retro 73 ( voice callsign)
91-0308 went 06/09/2024 part of Retro 51 flight.
01-2001 went 06/09/2024 part of Retro 51 flight.
01-2004 went 06/09/2024 part of Retro 51 flight.

Four F-15E went to Kelly AFB where there is a 'Contractor Field Team '
91-0329 no colours went 02/05/2023
98-0133 blue went 02/05/2023
91-0332 no colours went 09/09/2023
91-0326 red went 09/09/2023

[slogen51]

31/10/2024

20-5595 finally came back from Aviano this afternoon as Axe01 ( thanks to FC folk notably i6720)

=82 fast jets on base as at 15:00 on 31/10/2024 (40F-15E, 41 F-35A, 1 F-15QA [17-045])

Every single jet that should be at Lakenheath is at Lakenheath - a rare event

Repeating above: This is the first time in 2024 that no 48FW aircraft are away on deployment/TDY. Actually you have to go back to the morning of 16/06/2023 to find a time when no 48FW were deployed: (91-0311 was broken in Finland)

[AlexanderClover]

07/11/2024

Didn't last long.

Tabor 51-56 + 61-66 departed today to Muwaffaq Salti Airbase. Credit Mike for getting the numbers.

Tabor 51 97-0221 "492FS"
Tabor 52 97-0222
Tabor 53 91-0331
Tabor 54 97-021(9) 80% sure
Tabor 55 91-0315
Tabor 56 91-0301

Tabor 61 98-0134 blue
Tabor 62 97-0218 blue
Tabor 63 97-0220 blue
Tabor 64 96-0202 blue
Tabor 65 91-0302 no colours
Tabor 66 91-0316 blue

=70 fast jets on base as at 10:00 on 07/11/2024 (28 F-15E, 41 F-35A, 1 F-15QA [17-045])

[slogen51]

Couple of other correspondents helped with Tabor 51-56 from boom so not read off as went in the dark

Tabor 61-66 read off rather gloomy early morning pictures

[slogen51]

Trend 11-13 Three WA F-35A arrived after dark from Nellis via Burlington VT behind Roma 61
20-5576/WA
20-5587/WA
(20-5597)/WA

Hopefully the serials will be confirmed in the coming days

=73 fast jets on base as at 19:00 on 21/11/2024 (28 F-15E, 44 F-35A[41 LN, 3 WA], 1 F-15QA [17-045])

[slogen51]

17/12/2024 Tabor 51-56 arrived back from deployment in the middle east

97-0222 Blue Hades
91-0315 Blue Aphrodite
97-0219 Blue Hermes
91-0316 Blue Kratos
96-0202 Blue Thanatos
91-0302 no colours Hephaestus

Six more still to come

[slogen51]

The Bolars are back in Town!

19/12/2024 10:18 Tabor 61-66 on the deck from the Middle East

97-0221 blue Zeus "492FS"
91-0331 no colours Prometheus
98-0134 blue Ares
97-0220 blue Athena
91-0301 no colours Kronos
97-0218 blue Poseidon

Everything that should be at Lakenheath is present - a relatively rare event for a busy front line wing

=85 active fast jets on base as at 11:00 on 19/12/2024 (40 F-15E, 44 F-35A[41 LN, 3 WA], 1 F-15QA [17-045])

____________________________________________________
The 14 Strike Eagles away on depot maintenance are :

Ten potentially at Warner-Robbins :-
91-0314 went 07/06/2023 '494FS'
91-0320 went 07/06/2023 ( *noted at Kelly* )
91-0321 went 27/01/2024 not read off
91-0307 went 27/01/2024 not read off
91-0303 blue went 19/04/2024 Retro 51
91-0309 red went 19/04/2024 Retro 52
01-2003 red went 19/04/2024 Retro 73 ( voice callsign)
91-0308 went 06/09/2024 part of Retro 51 flight.
01-2001 went 06/09/2024 part of Retro 51 flight.
01-2004 went 06/09/2024 part of Retro 51 flight.

Four F-15E went to Kelly AFB where there is a 'Contractor Field Team '
91-0329 no colours went 02/05/2023
98-0133 blue went 02/05/2023
91-0332 no colours went 09/09/2023
91-0326 red went 09/09/2023

[Snoop 95]

General query. Are there more or less jets based at the Heath now than in cold war (F4-F111) days?

[Alf]

General query. Are there more or less jets based at the Heath now than in cold war (F4-F111) days?

4 x squadrons of F-111F, I think it was 24 per sq so 96 in total?

[Mike]

I think it was 72 F-111F's at Lakenheath, certainly wasn't as many as 96.

[NorvilleRogers]

I think it was 72 F-111F's at Lakenheath, certainly wasn't as many as 96.

Google search produced..

The F-4Ds time at Lakenheath was short and it was soon announced that they would be replaced by the much more capable F111F aircraft. The first three F111F aircraft were delivered 1st March 1977 and by the end of June 1977, 92 examples had been delivered.

[Phantom fanatic]

In 1988 there were 81 F-111Fs present.

[Mike]

Cheers chaps - I wasn't too far out with 72

An interesting thread regarding their arrival :- viewtopic.php?t=217255

[NorvilleRogers]

Cheers chaps - I wasn't too far out with 72

An interesting thread regarding their arrival :- viewtopic.php?t=217255

That thread says 98 serials confirmed after deliveries completed. I remember they used to be parked outside in pens for a while before the shelters were built, so even a weekend visit produced a lot of serials.

[slogen51]

I saw 98 LN F-111F which includes quite a few write offs

( I keep two separate records and frustratingly one totals 99 because it says I saw 30709 which was written off in 77 apparently)

I think 30709 must have been a mis pole

Four squadrons - the same four that are resident now

[Snoop 95]

I saw 98 LN F-111F which includes quite a few write offs

( I keep two separate records and frustratingly one totals 99 because it says I saw 30709 which was written off in 77 apparently)

I think 30709 must have been a mis pole

Four squadrons - the same four that are resident now

So now there is a total of 103 jets assigned to Lakenheath (your earlier post of today gives 85 present plus 18 away). So the answer to my question is that there are in fact more now than in cold war days (but only by 5).

[slogen51]

Everything that should be at Lakenheath is present - a relatively rare event for a busy front line wing

=85 active fast jets on base as at 11:00 on 19/12/2024 (40 F-15E, 44 F-35A[41 LN, 3 WA], 1 F-15QA [17-045])

There are 14 F-15E away on depot maintenance split between W-R and Kelly as far as I know

So 54 Eagles assigned and 44 F-35A including the three WA = 98 aircraft assigned to the 48FW accepting that probably all of the remaining LN F-35A have been assembled but not delivered to Lakenheath