NAS Whidbey Island and OLF Coupeville, WA (2021)

[tally]

Hello,

My last visit to NAS Whidbey Island was in Oct 2019. Due to CV-19 no business travel so stuck at home as everybody else. However restrictions are being lifted slowly and things are getting somewhat back to normal and by chance a customer requested a in person visit. Who am I do disregard such a request? A day was planned to visit to ol' mighty NAS that is typically granted with loads of flying. It did not dissapoint.

Not sure I can remember the last time I was out and about doing some spotting from sun up till past sun down. Started at 8 am and left OLF Coupeville at 10 pm. Not a bad day with nearly a 100 movements and being able to empty the ramp from Sullivan's RD in the last 30 minutes of sunlight.

Noted at NAS Whidbey Island June 24, 2021 (in between "..." denotes callsign and * is a CAG).

Transit

F/A-18E VFA-146
(166438)/NH-307 "Diamond 51"
166424/NH-301 "Diamond 52"
166440/NH-305 "Diamond 61"


Locals

EA-18G’s VAQ-129
(166894)/NJ-556* on ramp
(166929)/NJ-552 on ramp
(166931)/NJ-546 on ramp
(166945)/NJ-514 on ramp
(168271)/NJ-544 on ramp
(168372)/NJ-513 on ramp
(168766)/NJ-520 on ramp
(168903)/NJ-542 on ramp
(168932)/NJ-505 on ramp
(168934)/(NJ)-574 on ramp
(169136)/NJ-516 on ramp
(169141)/NJ-575 on ramp
(169145)/NJ-500 on ramp
(169207)/NJ-507 on ramp
(169209)/NJ-540 on ramp
(169216)/NJ-503 on ramp
…/NJ-511 on ramp
…/NJ-541 on ramp
166941/NJ-555 "Viking 22"
166944/NJ-522 "Viking 21"
168261/NJ-523 "Phoenix 22"
169146/NJ-521 "Phoenix 31"
169147/NJ-565 "Phoenix 12", "Phoenix 41"
169206/NJ-577 "Phoenix 13", "Phoenix 52"
169208/NJ-562 "Phoenix 11", "Phoenix 51"
169210/NJ-560 "Phoenix 21"


EA-18G’s VAQ-131
(168768)/NL-551 on ramp
168900/NL-553 "Skybolt 12", "Skybolt 22" nmks
168937/NL-550* "Skybolt 11", "Skybolt 21"


EA-18G’s VAQ-133
168378/NG-502 "Magic 12", "Magic 502"
(168379)/NG-503 "Magic 503"
168380/NG-504 "Magic 11", "Magic 504"
(168769)/NG-506 "Magic 506"


EA-18G’s VAQ-134
(168767)/NL-532 "Garuda 41", "Garuda 51"
166946/NL-533 "Garuda 42", "Garuda 52", "Garuda 62"
168936/NL-531 "Garuda 61"


EA-18G’s VAQ-135
168264/NL-524 "Thunder 23"
168768/NL-521 "Thunder 11", "Thunder 41", "Thunder 21"
168772/NL-523 "Thunder 12", "Thunder 22"


EA-18G’s VAQ-138
168270/NL-510 "Rampage 11", "Rampage 21"
169137/NL-512 "Rampage 12", "Rampage 22"
169139/NL-514 "Rampage 13", "Rampage 23”


EA-18G’s VAQ-139
(168896)/NA-503 on ramp
168258/NA-502 "Warcat 11"
168904/NA-505 "Warcat 21", "Warcat 31", "Warcat 41"


EA-18G’s VAQ-140
(168375)/AG-500* on ramp
168252/AG-505 "Talon 31"
168253/AG-501 "Talon 21", "Talon 41"
168374/AG-504 "Talon 22", "Talon 51"


EA-18G’s VAQ-142
166943/NH-500 "Grim 11", "Grim 21"
168385/NH-502 "Grim 12", "Grim 22"


EA-18G’s unk
…/5.. on ramp nmks (last two of the modex removed)


NAS Whidbey Island Base Flight
MH-60S 166291/FW “Navy FW 91" am, "Firehawk 91" pm


P-3C/EP-3E* VQ-1
160610/610 on ramp
161414/414 "DeepC 13"
162777/777 on ramp
163001/001 "DeepC 55"
159893/893* on ramp
160764/764* "DeepC 06"


P-3’s VP-69
161339/339 on ramp
161587/587 "Totem 44"
161588/588 on ramp
+1 on ramp


P-8A’s VP-1
168431/YB-431 on ramp
168757/YB-757 "Navy Eagle 46"
168997/YB-997 on ramp
169329/YB-329 on ramp "1" on tail
169343/YB-343 on ramp
169347/YB-347 on ramp

P-8A’s VP-46
169006/RC-006 "… 99"
169332/RC-332 on ramp
169339/RC-339 on ramp
169439/RC-349 "Grey 25"

P-8A’s VP-47
168758/RD-758 "Sword 11"
168853/RD-853 on ramp
169002/RD-002 on ramp
169543/543 "Sword 21" dep, "Sword 01" arr

P-8A’s VP-9
168852/852 on ramp
169004/004 "Rider 91"
169544/544 on ramp
169548/548 on ramp
169567/567 on ramp



OLF Coupeville

EA-18G VAQ-133
(168378)/NG-502 "Magic 502"
(168379)/NG-503 "Magic 503"
(168380)/NG-504 "Magic 504"
.../NG-506 "Magic 506"

[pjotrtje]

Awesome lineup, thanks for posting!

[The DJ]

Great LOG!
166942/NJ-511 l/nAug20
168940/NJ-541 l/nMay21
166934/NL-551 l/nApr21
AG-505 is of course 168252.

[Melchior Timmers]

Thanks for the log!

168900/NL-553 could this be 166900?

[tally]

Thanks for the log!

168900/NL-553 could this be 166900?

Just checked the pics and it fore sure is 168900/NL-553. It seems a recent transfer as other than the modex there are no other sqn markings.

Tally.

[Lordofthedragons]

Looks like you had an excellent day!!!!!!

Can't wait to go to the States again!!

With best regards,
Luyt

[Trabanti]

Super cool! Didn't know so much could be seen of the ramps at Whidbey from outside... Are you sharing some pics as well please? Especially of the OLF?

[Melchior Timmers]

Just checked the pics and it fore sure is 168900/NL-553. It seems a recent transfer as other than the modex there are no other sqn markings.

Tally.

Thanks for the confirmation.

[raameagle]

Great log!

Can you confirm the code here please? 169210/NJ-560 "Phoenix 21"

Perhaps NJ563?

Thanks

Mark

[tally]

Looks like you had an excellent day!!!!!!

Can't wait to go to the States again!!

With best regards,
Luyt

Hoi luyt,

Altijd welkom natuurlijk.

[tally]

Super cool! Didn't know so much could be seen of the ramps at Whidbey from outside... Are you sharing some pics as well please? Especially of the OLF?

Going through what my wife would call "excessive amounts of pictures of planes that all look the same" and will try to post some in the coming days.

[tally]

Great log!

Can you confirm the code here please? 169210/NJ-560 "Phoenix 21"

Perhaps NJ563?

Thanks

Mark

Will do this evening. You know me and my fat fingers. Will confirm later.

[tally]

Super cool! Didn't know so much could be seen of the ramps at Whidbey from outside... Are you sharing some pics as well please? Especially of the OLF?

When you check out the airfield guide on this website a lot can be seen from the road by spot 5 to 6 (closer to spot 6). However, check out google maps and you will see some shelters/hangars in the center of the airfield that block the view on the ramp.

From memory VAQ-129 is parked up in several lines (probably 6 to 8 lines) on the west side of the apron. The line of parked Growlers furthest west seemed to be in maintenance.
Than VAQ-131 and VAQ-135. Although these were mixed in with VAQ-129 as well.
Than the transit line right in front of the tower.
Next is base flight with MH-60's.
Than comes the blocked view.
VAQ-139 and VAQ-140. VAQ-140 was the last growler line.
Further to the east is VQ-1 P-3's, P-8's from various sqn's, and last but not least the P-3's of VP-69.

Tally.

[tally]

Great log!

Can you confirm the code here please? 169210/NJ-560 "Phoenix 21"

Perhaps NJ563?

Thanks

Mark

168210 was listed correctly as NJ-560.

Tally.

[tally]

Great LOG!

AG-505 is of course 168252.

Yep, AG-505 is indeed 168252. Corrected log above.

Thx,

Tally.