Show Reports

El Centro 2013

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NAF El Centro Air Show
Date: 16 March 2013
Static:
 
ZJ217 Apache AH1 4 Rgt  
761578/AF-03 F-5N VFC-13  
162885/SH-222 F/A-18B VMFAT-101 white c/s
166437/NH-200 F/A-18E VFA-147  
157721/YT-01 CH-46E HMMT-164  
160475/475 T-34C SFWPAC  
168011/YP-00 MV-22B VMM-163 D0141
N1140 Beech E18S Rick A Loomis silver c/s
N12281 T-34A ex 53-4193 yellow c/s
N125AZ B-25J ex 43-35972 “18”  
N151MW P-51D ex Bolivia FAB523 “511633”  
N191CL CJ6A ex China “101” 4132016
N2871G P4Y-2G ex Bu66302  
N360PT CJ6A ex China “B-8” 4232024
N3680F SNJ-5 ex Bu84843 “HL-P”  
N372C T-28B ex 138203 “203”  
N39KR L-39C as 81 ol 533219
N45366 C-53D ex 42-68830 “R-M2”  
N641BP PT-23A ex 42-49319 “44”  
N7044L T-28B ex 138215 “AD-261”  
N7300C SNJ-5 ex Bu43763 “6-49”  
N89014 SNJ-5 ex Bu84865 “SB-290”  
N831H R-44 Imperial County Narcotic TF  
N9323Z B-17G ex 44-83514 “F”  
N950DH DHC-1B-2-S3 “UM-169”Michael L Bowman  
N96281 Harvard II ex RCAF 3832  
Flightlines/flying:
 
ZJ184 Apache AH1 4 Rgt  
164763 C-130T Blue Angels  
165760/7H-02 MH-60S NAS Fallon SAR c/s
167900/NE-610 MH-60S HSC-4 spec c/s
168241/YP-11 MV-22B VMM-163  
168242/YP-12 MV-22B VMM-163  
N1078Z F6F-3 ex Bu70222  
N134JC T-34A ex 55-0255  
N181MH C-45H ex 51-11472  
N55107 L-39C as “433136/1” Playboy c/s
N7825C F8F-2P ex Bu122674  
Blue Angels F/A-18C/D*:
 
163498/1, 163435/2, 163768/3, 163464/4*,163765/5, 163754/6
 
+ one F/A-18D coded 7
 
Hangar 5:
 
163468/7 F/A-18C Blue Angels  
Preserved:
 
159798/7 TA-4J gateguard  
159901/AD-500 A-6E preserved  
160996/514 A-6E instructional  
154476/NJ-00 A-7B preserved  
151979/3 RF-4B gateguard  
...../5 F-11A gateguard  
159620/NJ-101 F-14A preserved  
162448/1 F/A-18A gateguard  
NAF El Centro has a name to uphold when it comes to aircraft deployments and photographic possibilities, however this did not apply to the air show. It was not that bad however, if you are into warbirds. Later during the day the limited flying could be photographed with the sun in the back. Unfortunately, static aircraft were placed under sunsheds, preventing decent pictures. Early in the morning, just after the opening of the airfield, it was possible to take a stroll down the flightline where good shots could me made. Unfortunately the organization of the air show did not think this was a good idea, so as soon as they found out that the many predominantly Dutch photographers were all aiming for the flightline, this was put to a stop. Access to the field was easy with no traffic jams. Parking was on base, close to the static. During the air show, the many sunsheds which are otherwise despised by photographers provided welcome protection against the blazing sun. After the air show was over, it paid off not to head to your car right away, as many of the participants in both the flying programme and the static displays departed the airfield. This resulted in some additional photo opportunities of aircraft that were previously impossible to get a decent photo of.
 

 

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