VANCE AFB (KEND) Open House 23 Jul 2016

[Starman]

On the occasion of their 75th Birthday, Vance AFB hosted an open day 23rd July.

The base is a major component of the United States Air Force AETC (Air Education and Training Command) and part of the 19th Air Force (Flying Training) headquartered at Randolph AFB Texas. Vance is home to some 200 T-1A, T-6A and T-38C trainers, yes, 200 based, bigger than many entire Air Forces, and together with the other bases in the 19th trains over 1000 new pilots every year for both the Air Force, and US Navy/Marines as well as assisting in allied pilot training.

Vance was opened in 1941 near to the town of Enid, Oklahoma, about 65 mi (105 km) north-northwest of Oklahoma City. The base is named after local World War II hero and Medal of Honor recipient, Lt Col Leon Robert Vance Jr. Of major interest to this forum are the flying units, under the 71st Operations Group (71 OG) Tail Code "VN" comprising:-

3rd Flying Training Squadron, with T-1As,
5th Flying Training Squadron, T-38C, T-6 & T-1A,
8th Flying Training Squadron, T-6A,
25th Flying Training Squadron, T-38C
33rd Flying Training Squadron, T-6As.

Vance students begin their training in the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II/ JPATS moving on to the T-1A Jayhawk for students streamed for tanker, transport or large recce aircraft, or the T-38C Talon for fighter, bomber and other USAF fixed-wing aircraft as well as trainee Naval and Marine Corps aviators who would then transition to the T-45 Goshawk for carrier certification at one of the navy training bases.

In the static were:

VN/102 T-38 with VN/”8FTS” T-6A (07-3888) & VN/133 T-1A (see below)
0(74)-22311/FR23 TH-1H
82-23708 UH-60 512RQS (c/n checked 70351) – An MH-60 was also noted
96-0654 MC-12W (BEECH 300 c/n checked FL654) OK ANG
60692 U-28A (PC-12 c/n checked 692) unmarked (!) possibly 27SOW
SJ/87-0171 & SJ/89-0505 F-15Es
85-0128 F-15C Florida ANG
60008 C-17A Altus
89-2145 F-16C OK ANG (Tulsa, no OK tail code)
(9)2-1532 “3” C-130H WY ANG
38041 KC-135R Grissom
DY/103 Bone (oh alright B-1B)
0052 CV-22 Osprey (FY not checked)
8 x Thunderbirds incl 92-3898/1, 92-3908/2, 91-0413/-, 92-3888/(4), 92-3896/5, and 91-0392/6 (with thanks to “Tally”)

WARBIRDS present:
N48178 F-86
138230 A-26B
TX026/140047 & TX28/138164 T-28Bs
N133 / 17445 with N37VC / 13620 T-33As
There may have been others.

Most of the based aircraft were lined up to the eastern end of the ramp, with others in their (flight-line) hangars (H), some in the static (S) and another two dozen or so at nearby Enid Municipal (E). Nearby Kegelman Auxilliary Airfield is used for daily flight operations to relieve pressure on the Vance circuit (the busiest RAPCON field in the US based on movements per active hour – more activity even than Nellis!) but it was not possible to check if any chicks had migrated there (= I forgot to go look).

63-8146 T-38C with 64-13199, 13219, 13225(E), 13233, 13235(H), 13246(H), 13275, 13289, 65-10335, 10340, 10349, 10369, 10377(E), 10385, 10395, 10396, 10430, 10431, 10434, 10435, 10449, 10473, 66-4330, 4335(E), 4370, 8400, 8403, 67-14838, 14851, 14858, 14915(E), 14928, 14931, 14936, 14940 (H), 14944, 14945, 14949, 14958, 68-8096, 8102(S), 8110, 8117, 8130 (H), 8144, 8159, 8160, 8171 (assumed, marked “71OG”), 8173 (E), 8193, 8196, 8206, 70-1562, 1565(E), 1569, 1571, 1581, 1589 & 1950.

89-284 T-1A with 90-403(E), 410(E), 411, 91-077(H), 080(H), 088, 096 (but perhaps s/be 095 – check), 098, 92-343, 93-638(E), 641 (G), 643, 644, 645(E), 646(G), 648(E), 650, 653(H G), 654, 655(H), 656(H), 94-116(H G), 122, 123 (H as “3FTS”), 125, 126, 128 (G), 130, 133(S), 95-069, 070(H), 071(E). (some were missing their horizontal stabs, not the ones at Enid obviously, and some a/c are finished in a gray (G) scheme, not all of those were noted as such, it was quite warm)

95-004(E) T-6A (all of course are 3004 etc) with 006, 97-013, 018(E), 98-025, 026, 028, 033, 00-560, 571, 01-608, 610, 611, 612, 615, 616 (check), 619, 621, 03-687(E), 688, 691, 694(E), 700 (logged at both Vance and Enid! – check), 04-708, 710, 715, 716, 719, 721, 722(E), 723, 724, 726(E), 727, 728, 730, 733 (confirmed as “33FTS”), 735, 7238, 741, 743, 744(E), 746, 750(E), 751, 752(E), 753(E), 756, 05-761, 762, 763, 764, 765 (as “5FTS”), 766, 770, 771, 781, 782, 789, 790, 791, 792, 793, 794, 799, 800 , 801, 802, 803, 06-820(E), 832, 856, 862(E), 07-876(E), 877, 880, 886, 887, 888(S), 891, 892, 896(E), 901, 08-912, 927 & 928 (perhaps s/be 926 – check). Phew!

Preserved on base:
A-10A 80-143 “ST”, T-37B 56-3498/VN, F-105A 62-4242 “JV”,
T-38A 65-10426/VN, A-26C 44-34156

Plus at the gate:
BT-13A 41-10683, AT-6D 42-44660, T-28A 49-1689, T-33A 51-4301, T-41A 65-5168, T-37B 68-8050/VN, T-38A 65-10325/VN

And over at Enid muni:
F-4C 63-7440 (unmarked) & T-37B 56-3519/VN