China Lake Airshow 18 March 2017

[wamovements]

Last Saterday, the China Lake Airshow was visited. The following was noted.
Security was very tight, spotters were closely followed by both OSI and FBI.
Hopefully someone can help fill in the gaps.

Static
F-002 OT F-35A 323TACTES
ZM138 F-35B 17(R)Sq
66-0219 MC-130P 129th RQS
90-0755 HO F-16CM 56th FW/314th FS
08-4083 MQ-9A-1 AFMC Det.3
165305 DD-83 AV-8B+(R) VX-31
165822 NG-601 E-2C VAW-117
166857 XE-501 EA-18G VX-9
169132 DD-504 EA-18G VX-31
164254 XE-444 F/A-18D VX-9
164279 DD-113 F/A-18D VX-31
166871 DD-200 F/A-18E VX-31
166957 XE-111 F/A-18E VX-9
169424 XE-107 F-35C VX-9 Det. Edwards
150992 393 T-39D VX-31
N7NA 7 Beech 200 NASA Armstrong
N865NA 865 NT-34C NASA Armstrong
N902NA 02 T-38N NASA Armstrong

SAR Standbye
165763 DD-464 MH-60S VX-31

Flightline
4 F/A-18B/D NFDS Blue Angels
163439 3 F/A-18C NFDS Blue Angels
1 F/A-18C NFDS Blue Angels
2 F/A-18C NFDS Blue Angels
5 F/A-18C NFDS Blue Angels
6 F/A-18C NFDS Blue Angels
169018 QH-9018 KC-130J VNGR-234
166297 DD-465 MH-60S VX-31

VX-9 Hangar
166791 XE-260 F/A-18F VX-9
7 F/A-18B/D NFDS Blue Angels

Stored under shed VX-9
168771 XE-555 EA-18G VX-9
166673 XE-250 F/A-18F VX-9

VX-9 Flightline
EB-? Typhoon FGR4 41Sq
XE-301 F/A-18C VX-9
165225 XE-303 F/A-18C VX-9
164237 XE-400 F/A-18D VX-9
166905 XE-132 F/A-18E VX-9
166927 XE-231 F/A-18F VX-9
166855 XE-500 EA-18G VX-9
XE-231 and XE-500 performed a capability demo

VX-31 Hangar 3
163871 DD-86 AV-8B VX-31
164129 - AV-8B+ VX-31
168941 DD-501 EA-18G VX-31
169133 DD-505 EA-18G VX-31
DD-502 EA-18G VX-31
DD-503 EA-18G VX-31
DD-520 EA-18G VX-31
163153 DD-100 F/A-18A VX-31
DD-106 F/A-18A/C VX-31
165210 5210 F/A-18C VX-31
163989 DD-112 F/A-18D VX-31
165660 DD-204 F/A-18F VX-31
165793 DD-215 F/A-18F VX-31
165928 DD-211 F/A-18F VX-31
166450 DD-217 F/A-18F VX-31
166451 DD-218 F/A-18F VX-31
166635 DD-213 F/A-18F VX-31
166843 DD-223 F/A-18F VX-31
168370 DD-227 F/A-18F VX-31
165759 DD-463 MH-60S VX-31

AFMC Det.3 Hangar 2
05-4019 MQ-9A-1 AFMC Det.3
MQ-9A-1 AFMC Det.3
MQ-9A-1 AFMC Det.3
MQ-9A-1 AFMC Det.3

Farside near dump
HN-410 F-18C IlmaStK
HN-419 F-18C IlmaStK
124587 XF4D-1 preserved

Elsewhere
159224 XE AH-1J preserved
159249 AV-8A preserved
UH-1 preserved
A-7C preserved
570461 DC-130A stored

Armament Museum
160775 1 YF-18A preserved
152936 610 A-6E Preserved
More aircraft were parked outside but we didn't stop at this museum.

[Tigerspoon]

Saw these FNF Hornets as well. Any idea, why they are at "CL"?

[The DJ]

So security was very tight, but you did manage to get BuNo's in hangars? Or are these assumed?

Saw these FNF Hornets as well. Any idea, why they are at "CL"?

For AGM-158 JASSM flight test.

[wamovements]

So security was very tight, but you did manage to get BuNo's in hangars? Or are these assumed?

Saw these FNF Hornets as well. Any idea, why they are at "CL"?

For AGM-158 JASSM flight test.

Some Buno's are read, some aircraft identified by their unique special markings (e.g. 165210). From memory there might have been another hornet in Hangar 3 with a black/red tail, missing from the list above)

[K2G]

Last Saterday, the China Lake Airshow was visited. The following was noted.
Security was very tight, spotters were closely followed by both OSI and FBI.
Hopefully someone can help fill in the gaps.

Static
F-002 OT F-35A 323TACTES
ZM138 F-35B 17(R)Sq
66-0219 MC-130P 129th RQS

130th RQS

90-0755 HO F-16CM 56th FW/314th FS
08-4083 MQ-9A-1 AFMC Det.3
165305 DD-83 AV-8B+(R) VX-31
165822 NG-601 E-2C VAW-117
166857 XE-501 EA-18G VX-9
169132 DD-504 EA-18G VX-31
164254 XE-444 F/A-18D VX-9
164279 DD-113 F/A-18D VX-31
166871 DD-200 F/A-18E VX-31

No code DD

166957 XE-111 F/A-18E VX-9
169424 XE-107 F-35C VX-9 Det. Edwards
150992 393 T-39D VX-31
N7NA 7 Beech 200 NASA Armstrong
N865NA 865 NT-34C NASA Armstrong
N902NA 02 T-38N NASA Armstrong

SAR Standbye
165763 DD-464 MH-60S VX-31

Flightline
4 F/A-18B/D NFDS Blue Angels
163439 3 F/A-18C NFDS Blue Angels
1 F/A-18C NFDS Blue Angels
2 F/A-18C NFDS Blue Angels
5 F/A-18C NFDS Blue Angels
6 F/A-18C NFDS Blue Angels

4 = 162885, 5 = 163444, 6 = 163741, anyone for 1 and 2 ?

169018 QH-9018 KC-130J VNGR-234
166297 DD-465 MH-60S VX-31

Warbirds present: F8F 122674/S-201 N7825C, Spitfire NH749 NX749DP, PV2 84062 N6657D, P-51D 44-74908/62 N151BP

VX-9 Hangar
166791 XE-260 F/A-18F VX-9
7 F/A-18B/D NFDS Blue Angels

Stored under shed VX-9
168771 XE-555 EA-18G VX-9
166673 XE-250 F/A-18F VX-9

VX-9 Flightline
EB-? Typhoon FGR4 41Sq
XE-301 F/A-18C VX-9
165225 XE-303 F/A-18C VX-9
164237 XE-400 F/A-18D VX-9
166905 XE-132 F/A-18E VX-9
166927 XE-231 F/A-18F VX-9
166855 XE-500 EA-18G VX-9
XE-231 and XE-500 performed a capability demo

Also Typhoon code H and a Tornado, there were 13 F/A-18's on the flight line. Additional codes: XE-214, XE-100 + 5 more.

VX-31 Hangar 3
163871 DD-86 AV-8B VX-31
164129 - AV-8B+ VX-31
168941 DD-501 EA-18G VX-31
169133 DD-505 EA-18G VX-31
DD-502 EA-18G VX-31
DD-503 EA-18G VX-31
DD-520 EA-18G VX-31
163153 DD-100 F/A-18A VX-31
DD-106 F/A-18A/C VX-31
165210 5210 F/A-18C VX-31
163989 DD-112 F/A-18D VX-31
165660 DD-204 F/A-18F VX-31
165793 DD-215 F/A-18F VX-31
165928 DD-211 F/A-18F VX-31
166450 DD-217 F/A-18F VX-31
166451 DD-218 F/A-18F VX-31
166635 DD-213 F/A-18F VX-31
166843 DD-223 F/A-18F VX-31
168370 DD-227 F/A-18F VX-31
165759 DD-463 MH-60S VX-31

I can confirm both AV-8 BuNo's in this hangar. I agree, please only mention confirmed BuNo's!

AFMC Det.3 Hangar 2
05-4019 MQ-9A-1 AFMC Det.3
MQ-9A-1 AFMC Det.3
MQ-9A-1 AFMC Det.3
MQ-9A-1 AFMC Det.3

Farside near dump
HN-410 F-18C IlmaStK
HN-419 F-18C IlmaStK
124587 XF4D-1 preserved

Also parked here A-7 156797

Elsewhere
159224 XE AH-1J preserved
159249 AV-8A preserved
UH-1 preserved
A-7C preserved
570461 DC-130A stored

More preserved are aircraft as in USAMOOS 2016/17 and also MH-60S 165750/HU-713

Visible in the SNORT area near the gate were 2x A-4 (144976 and 137825) and 1x F-8 (143791)

Armament Museum
160775 1 YF-18A preserved
152936 610 A-6E Preserved

Also NTA-4F 152102, F-11B 138647, QF-86F 62-7479
More aircraft were parked outside but we didn't stop at this museum.

[raameagle]

wamovements,
A very good show list, thanks. You say that 'some bunos' were read. Can you confirm which ones you didn't read please?
Thanks
Mark

[wamovements]

wamovements,
A very good show list, thanks. You say that 'some bunos' were read. Can you confirm which ones you didn't read please?
Thanks
Mark

The Hornets at the VX-9 line were looked up, except for XE-231 and XE-500. DD-463 was also from the database and 165210 was identified by its c/s. After a question from the USN database editor DD-204 was questioned at the VX-31 booth and confirmed by them, so not read off by myself.

[raameagle]

Thanks. Which aircraft in the VX-31 Hangar were actually read off by you and which were taken from the database please? Can you list the ones you actually read off?

Regards

Mark

[bloodline]

Small correction
F-35A F-002 is part of 323TES, not 323 Tactes.
322 Sqn at Leeuwarden is responsible for the Tactes task since 323 switched to the F-35A.

[AndyMarden]

Just to tidy up, there were only 9 Hornets on the far flightlines past the two C-130s. Modex were:

XE-100
XE-132
XE-162
XE-214
XE-231
XE-301
XE-303
XE-400
XE-500

Also present were 41 Sqn:
Tornado ZA559/049, ZA560/EB-Q
Typhoon codes H and EB-L

[Erik_7Xi]

Last Saterday, the China Lake Airshow was visited. The following was noted.
Security was very tight, spotters were closely followed by both OSI and FBI.
Hopefully someone can help fill in the gaps.

Static
90-0755 HO F-16CM 56th FW/314th FS

Question regarding the Holloman F-16, does anyone know if all/most of the 311th and 314th birds now carry HO tailcodes or is it only the two "boss birds" (the other being the 311th FS marked one) and the remainder are still carrying their LF codes?

[wamovements]

Last Saterday, the China Lake Airshow was visited. The following was noted.
Security was very tight, spotters were closely followed by both OSI and FBI.
Hopefully someone can help fill in the gaps.

Static
90-0755 HO F-16CM 56th FW/314th FS

Question regarding the Holloman F-16, does anyone know if all/most of the 311th and 314th birds now carry HO tailcodes or is it only the two "boss birds" (the other being the 311th FS marked one) and the remainder are still carrying their LF codes?

Most, if not all, F-16s have been recoded to HO. Have a look at the database for the ones that have been confirmed. Updates are welcome!

[Lordofthedragons]

I visited the show on Sunday.
Some additions to the already great list above.

Blue Angels

163485/1
163451/2

and flying in the VX-9 demo was
166886/XE-214 F/A-18F
166927/XE-231 F/A-18F

And on the dump/boneyard:
152715 F-111B
162203 A-6E
159312 A-6E
156640/AC-602 RA-5C
150468 QF-4N
145528/105 DF-8L
52-2669 C-97K
59-2873/ED T-39B
+1x T-39
+2x C-47(?)
+1x B-29

[wamovements]

DD-502 confirmed as 169126! f/n nov16