Due to family constraints, there was no chance for me to repeat my yearly UK/Fairford trips this year (well, regarding the weather reports and cancellation of the RIAT this was not totally wrong ...), therefore, I stayed on the Continent and this are the results:
Visiting/detached aircraft (Air National Guard):
C-130H 165thAW 00322 r GA ANG L12:43
C-130H 165thAW 00320 r GA ANG L13:23
C-17A 172ndAW 33117 bl MS ANG T19:39
C-17A 172ndAW 33115 bl MS ANG T19:44
Day 7: familiy - nature - culture Day 8: familiy - nature - culture Day 9:
as I could not make it to RIAT this year, at least a part of its participants came to me - the Turkish Stars - a nice surprise when you do not expect anything special ... they made a night-stop at Neuburg on their way back to Turkey ...
Detached aircraft (tanker support for NAEWF):
KC-135R 127thARS 71427 KS ANG L08:39
KC-135R 127thARS 00365 KS ANG L08:52
SPANGDAHLEM MONDAY 2008-07-21 RW23
Weather: scattered/broken clouds, first long sunny spells, later some short but heavy showers and temporary overcast, moderate wind
Based aircraft (52nd Fighter Wing;
22nd, 23rd and 81st Fighter Squadrons):
A-10A 81stFS 81-984/SP y L11:17*
A-10A 81stFS 81-992/SP y L11:22* a2
A-10A 81stFS 81-980/SP y L11:35 a1
F-16C 22ndFS 91-341/SP r L11:52d
F-16C 22ndFS 91-339/SP r L11:54d a1
F-16C 22ndFS 91-336/SP r L12:04*
F-16C 22ndFS 91-406/SP r L12:04*
F-16C 22ndFS 91-349/SP r L12:05
F-16C 22ndFS 91-388/SP r L12:05
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F-16C 23rdFS 96-081/SP bl T12:08 L13:17*
F-16C 23rdFS 91-418/SP bl T12:08 L13:24* a3
F-16C 23rdFS 91-403/SP bl T12:17 L13:03+
F-16C 23rdFS 91-420/SP bl T12:17 L13:26#3
F-16C 23rdFS 91-409/SP bl T12:18 L13:36#3a3
F-16C 23rdFS 92-915/SP bl T12:18 L13:35#3a2
F-16C 23rdFS 96-082/SP bl T12:29 L13:09
F-16C 23rdFS 91-417/SP bl T12:29 L13:08
A-10A 81stFS 81-984/SP y T13:59 L15:56*da2
A-10A 81stFS 81-992/SP y T13:59 L16:07*da4
A-10A 81stFS 82-649/SP y T14:01 L16:04 a5
F-16C 22ndFS 91-336/SP r T15:48 L16:39
F-16C 22ndFS 91-406/SP r T15:48 L16:39
F-16D 22ndFS 90-831/SP r T15:54 L17:06
F-16C 22ndFS 90-818/SP r T15:54 L17:06
F-16C 22ndFS 91-343/SP r T15:55 L17:07
F-16C 22ndFS 91-351/SP r T15:55 L17:07
F-16C 22ndFS 91-342/SP r T15:58 L16:39
F-16C 22ndFS 91-339/SP r T15:58 L16:39
Additional movements (inbounds/outbounds):
F-16C 22ndFS 90-833/SP r L12:14* a1
F-16C 23rdFS 92-918/SP bl L12:14* a1
F-16D 31stFW 90-800/AV gn L12:15+ a1
A-10A 81stFS 81-978/SP y L15:00
A-10A 81stFS 79-207/SP y L15:03
F-16C 22ndFS 90-813/SP r T16:50
F-16C 23rdFS 91-421/SP bl T16:50
F-16D 31stFW 90-800/AV gn T16:50
Visiting aircraft:
C-17A 62ndAW 00183 gn/w L15:31
C-17A 62ndAW 90063 gn/w L16:01
C-17A 437thAW 70044 bl/y L16:44
(notes: as the departure day for the SANICOLE airshow turned out to be a low-key affair, I used my final vacancy day for a combined journey to Geilenkirchen and Spangdahlem, thus hunting interesting USAF aircraft. Luckily, the weather at Geilenkirchen was far better than forecasted and the two expected tankers arrived early and could well be enjoyed in nice sunshine. A fast car ride through the Belgian “Hautes Fagnes” to Spang allowed even for experiencing based aircraft returning from the morning missions, followed by sorties of 16 F-16s and three A-10s during the afternoon. A very nice suprise were two inbound A-10s each equipped with two travel-pods and an external fuel-tank. Also of interest were two based completely unarmed F-16s swopped for use on loan by the 31stFW at Aviano, the aircraft change supported by a visiting F-16D. Three very welcome visiting C-17s completed this great day under the sign of USAF operations)