LOG SW USA Trip day 6 (19-10-2022)

[patrick dirksen]

Hi all,

Today there were two Navy/Marines airbases on our list, starting with El Centro. We arrived early, so we would be able to read off the stuff on the platforms. The roads around the base were rather muddy and therefor tricky, but we managed to get to the right spot without problems.

NAF El Centro

(165804/AD)-222 F/A-18F VFA-106
(165880/AD)-240 F/A-18F VFA-106
165909/AD-113 F/A-18F VFA-106
166674/AD-234 F/A-18F VFA-106
166678/AD-263 F/A-18F VFA-106
166681/AD-223 F/A-18F VFA-106
(166792/AD)-254 F/A-18F VFA-106
160506/NJ-0506 T-34C VFA-122
(160937/937) T-34C unit?
(163602)/B-202 T-45C TAW-2
(163609)/B-209 T-45C TAW-2
(163614)/B-214 T-45C TAW-2
(163654)/B-254 T-45C TAW-2
(163657)/B-257 T-45C TAW-2
(165063)/B-263 T-45C TAW-2
(165071)/B-271 T-45C TAW-2
165076/B-276 T-45C TAW-2
(165636)/B-282 T-45C TAW-2
(165640)/B-286 T-45C TAW-2
(165646)/B-292 T-45C TAW-2
(167073)/B-293 T-45C TAW-2
(167074)/B-294 T-45C TAW-2
(167075)/B-295 T-45C TAW-2
(167077)/B-297 T-45C TAW-2
(167078)/B-298 T-45C TAW-2
(167082)/B-210 T-45C TAW-2
(167102)/B-266 T-45C TAW-2

We managed to read all codes of the Goshawks and Hornets, so that was a good start. And with these many aircraft present, we expected flying activities to be many as well. However to my disappointment (I never photographed an operational Goshawk yet) none of the T-45s ever moved. Only two days later we learned they were grounded because of some safety issues. A few Hornets did fly a morning mission though, and these could be photographed nicely.
Just before they came back we saw an Osprey flying past in the distance, turning in for Imperial. So a few of our group decided to try our luck and catch that, and we hurried to the airport.

Imperial County Airport, El Centro

167920/ML-407 MV-22B VMM-764
N1123S OH-58A (ex 70-15529)
N7230T OH-58A (ex 72-21128)

We got the Osprey indeed just before it took off again after being refuelled, and the two civilian Kiowas were a nice bonus. These seem to be based here, as they were inside open sheds.
When the MV-22 was gone, we hurried back to El Centro, and arrived just in time to catch the Hornets during landing.

NAF El Centro

169616/DC-03 F-35B VMFA-122
169697/DC-05 F-35B VMFA-122
169794/DC-07 F-35B VMFA-122
169795/DC-08 F-35B VMFA-122

Not long after the Horets had returned, two twoships of F-35s arrived, doing a nice short landing. When a few of the Hornets had taken off for another mission and the F-35s had gone again, we saw another Osprey heading for Imperial. So off a few of us went again.

Imperial County Airport, El Centro

167914/YP-10 MV-22B VMM-163

This one was already taxiing out again when we arrived, so we were just in time to shoot it during take off. We then headed back to El Centro, to watch the return of the second Hornet mission. As there was still no activity at the T-45s, we then decided it was time to move on.

Seen above I8 near exit 164, Sidewinder Road Winterhaven

118 Mi-24D (NX118NX), no mks, ex Bulgarian AF

While driving east this one crossed our path, flying over the desert. On pictures taken from the driving car the serial could be read. A very nice bonus, although we didn’t know yet we were going to see it again at our next stop.

MCAS Yuma (WTI)

163553 UC-12F (H&HS Yuma)
167983/QD-(983) KC-130J VMGR-152
169226/QB-226 KC-130J VMGR-352
168068/QH-068 KC-130J VMGR-234
170037/BH-(037) KC-130J VMGR-252
170271/BH-271 KC-130J VMGR-252
761546/LS-04 F-5N VMFT-401, aggressor c/s
761572/LS-07 F-5N VMFT-401, aggressor c/s
761576/LS-08 F-5N VMFT-401, aggressor c/s
761586/LS-00 F-5F VMFT-401, aggressor c/s, spec tail
761589/LS-10 F-5N VMFT-401, aggressor c/s
(164653/VE-25) F/A-18D VMFA-115
(164679/VE-22) F/A-18D VMFA-115
(164718/VE-06) F/A-18C VMFA-115
164879/VE-09 F/A-18C VMFA-115
(164895/VE-02) F/A-18C VMFA-115
164966/VE-14 F/A-18C VMFA-115
(165185/VE-03) F/A-18C VMFA-115
165197/VE-11 F/A-18C VMFA-115
(165201)/VE-01 F/A-18C VMFA-115, commander c/s
165527/VE-27 F/A-18D VMFA-115
165686/VE-23 F/A-18D VMFA-115
168250/NL-522 EA-18G VAQ-135
169133/NL553 EA-18G VAQ-135
169165/VM-45 F-35B VMFAT-501
169414/WF-559 F-35B VMFAT-502
169416/CF-03 F-35B VMFA-211
169614/CF-09 F-35B VMFA-211
169615/MV-52 F-35B VMX-1
169915/MV-56 F-35B VMX-1
169920/(CE)-02 F-35B (VMFA-225)
169925/CE-07 F-35B VMFA-225
170051/WE-00 F-35B VMFA-214
166761/MV-43 AH-1Z VMX-1
(168419/SM)-44 AH-1Z HMLA-369
169273/SN-43 AH-1Z HMLA-169
(169275/MV)-44 AH-1Z VMX-1
169505/SN-52 AH-1Z HMLA-169
(169830/SM-47) AH-1Z HMLA-369
(169849/HF-72) AH-1Z HMLA-269
169852/TV-30 AH-1Z HMLA-167
(168500/MV-31) UH-1Y VMX-1
169233/SM-04 UH-1Y HMLA-369
169235/TV-11 UH-1Y HMLA-167
16924(6)/MV-(32) UH-1Y VMX-1
169247/MV-(30) UH-1Y VMX-1
(158689/MS)-482 RH-53D dump, fuselage
(161257)/HH-03 CH-53E HMH-366
(161260)/EN-08 CH-53E HMH-464
(161265)/YJ-265 CH-53E HMH-465
(161989)/HH-16 CH-53E HMH-366
(161992)/(HH)-05 CH-53E HMH-366
(162010)/HH-08 CH-53E HMH-366
(162488)/YJ-488 CH-53E HMH-465
(162501)/YJ-501 CH-53E HMH-465
(164538)/EN-10 CH-53E HMH-464
(164789)/YF-789 CH-53E HMH-462
164860/YK-860 CH-53E HMH-466
(165245/YF)-245 CH-53E HMH-462
165948/MV-02 MV-22B VMX-1
166390/(GX)-07 MV-22B VMMT-204
166486/YT-14 MV-22B VMM-164
166490/GX-22 MV-22B VMMT-204
(165956)/EM-02 MV-22B VMM-261
(166720)/YT-16 MV-22B VMM-164
(166734)/PF-10 MV-22B VMM-364
166737/(PF)-15 MV-22B VMM-364
(1667)41/(YS)-03 MV-22B VMM-162
168008/PF-13 MV-22B VMM-364
168291/MV-01 MV-22B VMX-1
168351/MV-04 MV-22B VMX-1
168609/ES-13 MV-22B VMM-266
168612/YP-00 MV-22B VMM-163, commander c/s
168653/(YS)-15 MV-22B VMM-162
168661/(Y)W-11 MV-22B VMM-165
168672/YM-12 MV-22B VMM-365
( ?)/E(?)-08 MV-22B
(21-03383) AH-64E (1-151 Avn)
(21-03384) AH-64E (1-151 Avn)
(21-03388) AH-64E (1-151 Avn)
(21-03389) AH-64E (1-151 Avn)
(21-03395) AH-64E (1-151 Avn)
(21-03400) AH-64E (1-151 Avn)
13-72294 UH-72A (1-112 Avn)
14-72313 UH-72A (1-112 Avn)
49-1620/TL-620 T-28A N23ES
(158705/WE-05) AV-8C dump
N556A Jet Provost T.5A (ex XW429)
118 Mi-24D (NX118NX)
NZ6361/BA Strikemaster mk.88 VH-ZEP (N358FS), no mks
NZ6370/70 Strikemaster mk.88 N187BA, 14 sq mks

What an afternoon! I had been here twice before, during an open day (nice) and once during a regular day (boring!). During a WTI it is completely different…. As we arrived around noon, we had troubles reading off the stuff on the ramps. As most of our group were photographers only anyway, I was the only one doing the reading. Many of the aircraft present were identified, but also many escaped, especially of the choppers. However with lots of flying activity under great circumstances, lots of nice photos were made as well, although I would have loved to graph one of those mighty CH-53s with the sun on the right side….
When the sun was getting lower, we had to move on, as we still had a long drive ahead of us. We would arrive rather late at our hotel anyway, and a few of us had to get up very early again next moring for our AMARG flight. But that is for tomorrows log.

That’s all folks!

Patrick Dirksen
Tristar Aviation