They are SD AND F16s, they are located in the north west corner, usually about 4 of them. They are visible fro around the museum, but heat haze can be a real problem, best to go towards the end of the day
I've been a couple of times. I'd suggest you try a bit further north, which is on the approach but less likely to get hassled. I did have a chat with the farmer both times, but he was fine. You can't quite manage photos for aircraft arriving on all three runways simultaneously though
It wasn't just leaving. There was a complete absence of organisation both for parking and getting in to the base - huge queues caused by having far too staff engaged in these activities.
I've done both these shows a couple of times. My view would be: They are only an hour's drive apart, so it doesn't have to be choose only one El Centro doesn't really have anything based, and what is there seems to vary a lot each year. Some years it has a really strong static and decent flying disp...
Tom
It's worth adding that the TLP aircraft usually only fly in the afternoons. When I've visited over the last few years they've departed around 1430-1530 and returned about 1.5 hours later.
The based EFs do some flying in the mornings and the Airbus helicopter factory often has some activity
At Beaufort you can get to the approach to the north east (Perryclear Drive), but I couldn't find a way of getting to the waterfront, so very little reaction time for landings. At Charleston be very careful on South Aviation Avenue, parts of the non-airfield side opposite the C17s have nice areas to...