One more delivery batch for the year, with a straggler from the last batch still here, all seen on the usual after work dash over to the hall from Luton.
Mildenhall 13-12-21
USAF Visitors
84-0186 C-10A Extender - 305AW 'McGuire'
17-0009 F-15QA Eagle - FMS Qatar
17-0015 F-15QA Eagle - FMS Qatar
17-0016 F-15QA Eagle - FMS Qatar
17-0017 F-15QA Eagle - FMS Qatar
17-0019 F-15QA Eagle - FMS Qatar
Turkish AF
17-0078 A400M
And a brucie bonus that the Turk was still in.
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So the first batch of Qatari Eagles finally appeared as both LB and Nay were on shifts. No other choice but an after work run up to catch them. Not ideal but hey ho, you gotta do what you gotta do.
Mildenhall 28-10-21
USAF Visitors
(10-0216) C-17A Globemaster III - 62AW 'McChord'
(16-5840)/RS C-130J-30 Hercules - 86AW
(17-0006) F-15QA Eagle - FMS Qatar
(17-0013) F-15QA Eagle - FMS Qatar
(17-0014) F-15QA Eagle - FMS Qatar
(17-0015) F-15QA Eagle - FMS Qatar
USN Visitors
164996/RU-996 C-130T Hercules - VR-55
Then a run straight back home ready for another 12 hour shift
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An early start to get in place for the SJ departures as you never know how early they decide to go. As it happens it wasn't early at all. Still, 18 based Eagles also launched which kept us occupied.
The 336FS were off to Larissa, Greece as part of Operation Agile Combat. The borrowed aircraft are notated as such below.
Lakenheath 06-10-21
4 FW / 336FS 'Rocketeers'
87-0176/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle
87-0187/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle
87-0206/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle
88-1671/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle
88-1673/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle
88-1676/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle - 335FS
88-1680/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle - 333FS marked 4TS
89-0483/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle
89-0490/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle
89-0492/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle
89-0493/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle
89-0496/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle
89-0501/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle
89-0505/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle
90-0230/SJ F-15E Strike Eagle - 333FS
Just a couple of visitors at Mildy
Mildenhall 06-10-21
63-8871 KC-135R Stratotanker - AMC (92 ARW)
86-0035 KC-10A Extender - 305AMW 'McGuire'
A long overdue look round Duxford on the way home. It had been 17 years since Nay last visited and 40 since LB had!
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A quick dash up as we both needed one of the AVs that had arrived a few days ago
Lakenheath 10-07-21
USAF 31FW 'AV'
88-0435 F-16CG Fighting Falcon - 555FS
88-0460 F-16CG Fighting Falcon - 555FS
89-2001 F-16CG Fighting Falcon - 555FS
89-2039 F-16CG Fighting Falcon - 555FS
89-2047 F-16CG Fighting Falcon - 510FS
USAF 86AW 'RS'
08-8602 C-130J-30 Hercules - 37AS marked 86OG
No visitors noted at Mildenhall.
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First trip out this year was to catch some F-35s on the carrier which had decided to make an unplanned stop in Pompey. We missed them when they went through Lakenheath due to work commitments. A late morning start as Nay had an appointment that couldn't be put off saw us leave Luton about 1100L. No messing about just straight down to beat the weather.
HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08), Portsmouth 20-05-21
Royal Air Force 617 Sqn 'Dambusters'
(ZM147)/013 F-35B Lightning
(ZM151)/017 F-35B Lightning
(ZM152)/018 F-35B Lightning
(ZM155)/021 F-35B Lightning
+ 2 more which remained unread.
Royal Navy 820 NAS
ZH824 Merlin HM.2
(ZH827) Merlin HM.2
ZH841 Merlin HM.2
ZH843 Merlin HM.2
ZH846 Merlin HM.2
United States Marine Corps VMFA-211 'Avengers'
169620/CF-00 F-35B Lightning II
(169587)/CF-02 F-35B Lightning II
(169416)/CF-03 F-35B Lightning II
(169589)/CF-04 F-35B Lightning II
169678/CF-05 F-35B Lightning II
(169607)/CF-06 F-35B Lightning II
169608/CF-07 F-35B Lightning II
169610/CF-08 F-35B Lightning II
169614/CF-09 F-35B Lightning II
USS The Sullivans (DDG-68) was also in dock. The helipad was empty and it does not have a hangar.
Nothing out at Fleetlands so straight home via a few civil stops. Not a late finish as LB had an early start ahead of him.
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