Spangdahlem Air Base 14-05-2022

ImageDedicated forum to share your own recent photos with the rest of the community.
Please note large files may exist here before you start browsing!

Forum rules
ImageThis is the forum to share your recent aviation photos with the rest of the community, being photos not older than six months at the moment of topic opening. Theme-based topics, not about recent events, should go into the sub-forum.
Although we will not screen beforehand, we reserve the right to delete any images, especially if clearly unsharp or otherwise low in quality. For more information on how to upload you images, check this post.
In topic titles, please use airfield names in stead of just codes, and be clear about what kind of photos your viewers can expect (e.g. CIV/MIL, location etc.).

Finally, bring any photo criticism understandable and to the point, not cynical or offensive! Simultaneously, do not feel offended by criticism per se, but simply explain your motives, taste et cetera, or ignore if you wish so.
Post Reply
User avatar
Krazy
Scramble Die-Hard
Scramble Die-Hard
Posts: 565
Joined: 20 Mar 2007, 15:13
Type of spotter: F3
Location: Between EHTW, ETNP, EDLS...

Spangdahlem Air Base 14-05-2022

Post by Krazy »

Nice weather, and still plenty of activity on Spangdahlem in the weekends because of the based Growlers and F-35s. (The F-16s will not fly in the weekend) Time to give it another go. Runway 23 in use so we got up the hill at the Kapelle, and hoped for luck.
It didn't really pay off. From the 4 F-35s that took off in the early morning only one kept it a bit low. None banked.
Image17-5280/VT F-35A 134th FS/VT ANG

The two Growlers that followed 1,5 hours later didn't seem to do much better, but we already drove towards the RWY23 end of the base anyway. An attempt to capture the Growlers on the runway was ruined by a lot of heatwaves.

The missions of the F-35s and the Growlers can be 6 hours in length, so the waiting began. Hoping for some heavy traffic, and it didn't take long until we spotted a C-5M making its way towards Spangdahlem:
Image83-1285 C-5M 436/512 AW Dover

Then all of a sudden the two Growlers came back. Seemed they went for a more local mission, which didn't even last 2 hours:
Image168767/NL-532 EA-18G VAQ-134

Image168259/NL-534 EA-18G VAQ-134

The 4 KC-135s that were on Spangdahlem last week have left, and have seen to operate from Incirlik now. Its seems the replacements are 3 KC-10s. The first dropped in from Mildenhall as Nacho 220H:
Image79-1712 KC-10A 305/514 AMW McGuire

4 F-35As left for a mission just after 12:00. They hadn't returned when we left at 15:15, but just before that, we got the 2nd KC-10, and a C-17. Nacho 221H:
Image87-0119 KC-10A 60/349 AMW Travis

The first 4 F-35s returned around 15:00, but the light was so terrible that those shots were almost a waste.
All in all still a very enjoyable day.
Hope you like them!

Regards,

Bram
Image
Top
User avatar
Key
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 11251
Joined: 06 Dec 2002, 09:21
Type of spotter: F2
Subscriber Scramble: U bet
Location: ex EHAM

Re: Spangdahlem Air Base 14-05-2022

Post by Key »

Many thanks Bram, very useful report and what you did catch seems absolutely worth it!

Erik
Climb to 20ft, we're leaving a dust trail
Top
User avatar
Trabanti
Scramble Die-Hard
Scramble Die-Hard
Posts: 837
Joined: 30 Jul 2004, 15:19
Type of spotter: Type O, negative
Subscriber Scramble: Nu niet
Location: Wherever I may roam

Re: Spangdahlem Air Base 14-05-2022

Post by Trabanti »

Nice! A bit of luck too, without the Extenders it would have been a bit boring.. You sure those were the same 2 Growlers you saw taking off? Could be those 2 returned from a long early morning mission and the 2 you saw depart returned after you left in the afternoon? Otherwise indeed a local mission, or they lost tanker support and were forced to come back early..

Anyway, thanks for sharing! No problems parking the car at the end of the Saalhozstrasse?

Bart
Rome has Bufalotta, Arizona has alotta BUFF..
Top
User avatar
Krazy
Scramble Die-Hard
Scramble Die-Hard
Posts: 565
Joined: 20 Mar 2007, 15:13
Type of spotter: F3
Location: Between EHTW, ETNP, EDLS...

Re: Spangdahlem Air Base 14-05-2022

Post by Krazy »

Trabanti wrote: ↑15 May 2022, 17:35 Nice! A bit of luck too, without the Extenders it would have been a bit boring.. You sure those were the same 2 Growlers you saw taking off? Could be those 2 returned from a long early morning mission and the 2 you saw depart returned after you left in the afternoon? Otherwise indeed a local mission, or they lost tanker support and were forced to come back early..

Anyway, thanks for sharing! No problems parking the car at the end of the Saalhozstrasse?

Bart
It were the same two. The heatwaves on takeoff were bad, but it didn't hide the codes :D

We parked the car in the forest, the furthest you can go with a car currently. It's a small clearing with a cross and a bench, just before the last right hander in the road when you follow the fence. We walked the rest. Be aware, this is officially already forbidden. The sign at the end of the Saalholzstrasse says that only forestry personnel is allowed to drive passed that point. I have heard that several people were fined by the police last week, with fines up to 50 euros. If you don't want to take a risk, the end of the Saalholzstrasse is the legal spot. The clearing is here, don't try to go further, unless you don't like the paint on your car ;)
Image
Top
Custard Gannet
Scramble Junior
Scramble Junior
Posts: 144
Joined: 25 Aug 2009, 13:47
Type of spotter: Military
Subscriber Scramble: Yes

Re: Spangdahlem Air Base 14-05-2022

Post by Custard Gannet »

Did F-35A > 18-5339 / VT fly on this day ?
Top
User avatar
Krazy
Scramble Die-Hard
Scramble Die-Hard
Posts: 565
Joined: 20 Mar 2007, 15:13
Type of spotter: F3
Location: Between EHTW, ETNP, EDLS...

Re: Spangdahlem Air Base 14-05-2022

Post by Krazy »

Custard Gannet wrote: ↑15 May 2022, 19:26 Did F-35A > 18-5339 / VT fly on this day ?
Hello,
I posted the log just now: https://scramble.nl/community/messagebo ... 7#p1028427
One VT slipped through because my ladder wasn't big enough. Others read it, but I didn't write it down. If my memory is correct, that was the 18-5338, not the 39.
Image
Top
User avatar
JPS
Scramble Die-Hard
Scramble Die-Hard
Posts: 822
Joined: 01 Aug 2015, 10:45
Type of spotter: Military
Subscriber Scramble: JPS

Re: Spangdahlem Air Base 14-05-2022

Post by JPS »

Custard Gannet wrote: ↑15 May 2022, 19:26 Did F-35A > 18-5339 / VT fly on this day ?
No it did not.
Top
User avatar
JPS
Scramble Die-Hard
Scramble Die-Hard
Posts: 822
Joined: 01 Aug 2015, 10:45
Type of spotter: Military
Subscriber Scramble: JPS

Re: Spangdahlem Air Base 14-05-2022

Post by JPS »

Krazy wrote: ↑15 May 2022, 19:34
Custard Gannet wrote: ↑15 May 2022, 19:26 Did F-35A > 18-5339 / VT fly on this day ?
Hello,
I posted the log just now: https://scramble.nl/community/messagebo ... 7#p1028427
One VT slipped through because my ladder wasn't big enough. Others read it, but I didn't write it down. If my memory is correct, that was the 18-5338, not the 39.
Correct, the 5338
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Aviation Photo Forum”