USA 2024
The large Red Flag -2 exercise at Nellis AFB, near Nevada, is always a reason for us to organize a trip to the USA in March. Usually there are also a number of air shows around that period that we can combine nicely. This time we chose a show that was a little further out of the way, but in recent years was more than worth visiting and that was now also the case at Travis AFB.
Furthermore, it is a ‘target rich’ environment where there is always something to do. In addition to the many ‘5th generation’ aircraft, which are quickly making their appearance, we can fortunately also enjoy the many ‘oldies’ at the various airbases.
It was another great week and certainly a reason for 4Aviation to put this tour back on the schedule for 2025.
Some of the photos courtesy of Richard de Groot.
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On Friday 15 March a group of ten gathered at Schiphol for a short flight to Heathrow, where six more travellers were met for a long flight to San Francisco. We arrived over there on time and the rental cars were picked up quickly and one hour later we arrived at our Hotel in Vacaville.
On Saturday 16 March 2024, the Travis AFB air show, also known as the Wings over Solana airshow, was visited. But as we were staying in Vacaville, it would be rude not to visit the local airfield first. Arriving at 7am, the small base museum at Vacaville – Nut Tree Airport was visited and the friendly staff welcomed us so we had all the time we wanted to photograph the preserved UH-1H and Lockheed Ventura. Also a former US Army Blackhawk could be seen and photographed. Sadly we missed a departing P-47 by a few minutes. After this we went to Travis AFB where we arrived 1 hour before gate opening. After passing security we were welcomed by a great static with many local aircraft (C-5M, KC-10A, C-17A and KC-46A), of which the latter was for many the first time the type was seen and the KC-10 the final time as they will be retired by 30 September 2024. Next to the local aircraft, a nice static was built with four Idaho ANG A-10s, a Beale AFB U-2, NASA F/A-18B, California ANG F-15s, WC-135W, AFSOC U-28A, USMC UH-1Y and AH-1Zs, US Navy Growler as well as a Grumman Tracker, S-70I and a North American OV-10 from the US Forestry Services. The Flying display was highlighted by the Blue Angels, the F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team and the flypast of heavies, including all the local hardware and a couple of flypasts of the soon to be retired KC-10A. After the airshow we had two hours to drive to Atwater were we would spent the night. A day well spend which resulted in 10 out of 11 operational KC-10s visible!
On the second day of the weekend, Sunday 17 March 2024, a 800 mile trip to Las Vegas was planned with short stops at many places with interesting aircraft on this route. We started the day at Merced McReady Field for a preserved Lockheed Shooting Star TV-1, followed by a visit to Merced-Castle Field (Stored C-130As) and the immense Castle AFB Museum at 9 am, where we spend two hours. Up next was Fresno Yosemite IAP for a hit and run at the local Army National Guard maintenance facility (2x UH-60M, 1x UH-60L and 1x CH-47F) and we had a look at the F-15s of the 144th FW Air National Guard ramp. As we had still a long drive to go, next stop was at Tulare for a B-17 and a F-4C preserved along the highway, followed by a visit to Shafter where the local museum was visited and a B-26 and two UH-1Bs were noted on the ramp. After a quick lunch, we went to Keene to see if the local fire brigade Hueys were visible. On arrival one of the Hueys was outside and we were greeted by the pilot of this Huey, who told us the other Huey was away on maintenance. After a group photo we headed to Mojave where we were welcomed by security, making clear that ramp pictures were not allowed. Time to head to Edwards AFB north-gate to see the NB-52B, where base security was not very friendly and did not allow a picture of this giant preserved outside the base. This caused a bit of a delay and then we had three more hours to go to the Stratosphere hotel in Las Vegas. In the end a long day, with many interesting stops in between.
Starting Monday 18 March 2024, two days visiting Red Flag 24-2 at Nellis AFB were planned. We soon found our spot near the Las Vegas Speedway to wait for things to come. As the red Flag mission would start around 1 pm, the morning was spend with local Weapon School A-10s, F-15Es, F-16s, F-22, and based F-35s. Their departure was witnessed from the spot at the Las Vegas Boulevard, while they were photographed on approach on the Cheyenne Avenue. Also a nice Alaska Air National Guard HC-130J left this morning for an exercise in Kansas. The Red Flag mission itself contained Danish and Dutch F-35s, Top Aces F-16s, a Minot AFB B-52H, Mountain Home F-15Es, MCAS Iwakuni F-35Bs, MCAS Miramar legacy Hornets and China Lake and Whidbey Island EA-18G Growlers. Like the morning, departure was experienced at the Las Vegas Boulevard (with some nice flex departures) and arrivals were seen at Cheyenne Avenue. At the end of the day we headed back to our hotel, where it was decided not to spend the next day at Nellis, but the head to Arizona to get some more flexibility later in the week.
Tuesday 19 March 2024, had an early start as we headed to Kingman airport, to be welcomed by two Bridger Aerospace CL-415 on winter training. As one of these CL-415s would fly soon, we watched the startup procedure of this nice fire fighter. After that we went to Luke where we arrived just on time to see the arrival of the local (contracted) ATAC Mirage F1s, F-16C/Ds (most of them still marked as Holloman AFB), Singapore F-16C/Ds and, of course, many F-35As. At the end of the day two visiting F-35Cs from NAS Lemoore arrived, after which we went to our nearby hotel. After a great night at the local sports café we went to bed as we would leave early again the next day.
On Wednesday 20 March 2024, we left the Luke AFB area early and drove southwest to NAF El Centro. Soon after our arrival, the second wave VFA-122 was about to take off, as this unit was deployed there with twelve Super Hornets. Next to that, the ramp was filled with three CH-53Es, three MH-60s, two T-34s and two RAF Chinooks. When the Super Hornets of VFA-122s took off and a third T-34A arrived, a MV-22B could be seen in distance, landing at nearby Imperial Field. A nice surprise as the grounding of the Osprey had only been lifted a couple of days before, resulting in very limited flying of this aircraft type. One of the minivans went there to make great pictures of this Osprey. This group arrived just in time back at NAF El Centro to watch the VFA-122 mission return. After this return the group was “spoiled” by multiple approaches of a NAS North Island based CMV-22B. Again an aircraft type not seen by most of the group before. After watching the departure of the third wave of VFA-122, with the same aircraft as the second wave, we left to MCAS Yuma where the Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) 24-2 was taking place and after some theoretical days today would be the first mass flying day. The ramps at Yuma was filled aircraft and helicopters, like eight KC-130Js, nine CH-53Es, tree CH-53Ks, three CMM-164 MV-22Bs, Alaska Army National Guard UH-60Ls, and of course many F-35Bs, including examples from MCAS Beaufort and Miramar. Final movement of the day for us was the arrival of a former Bulgarian Mi-24D.
On Thursday 21 March 2024, we stayed for a second day at MCAS Yuma due to the expected large number of movements. WTI flew great again and the total number of F-35Bs seen in two days grew to 35! Also the locally based F-5s flew of which seven were seen. In the afternoon it was decided to drive to Casa Grande to see the stored 51 H-19 Chikasaws. From there the group split up. One minivan went to Coolidge (ex US Army C-23 Sherpa’s, stored C-130As and a great visit to the local sheriff Department Rescue unit (UH-1H and OH-58), one minivan left for Marana and the third minivan went to the hotel in Tucson.
Friday 22 March 2024, was spend in the Tucson area and started with a visit to Morris ANGB/Tucson IAP to witness the departure of the morning wave of sixteen F-16s. Also three former German Luftwaffe Alpha Jets and two former US Army UH-60As were seen. We knew a large number of Canadian CF-188s deployed to the area for winter training and saw they were active at Davis Monthan AFB. We soon headed to the approach to see the arrival of eleven CF-188s on their final day of training in Arizona. Due to 354th FS being deployed, the local A-10s were a bit slow, in the end we saw twelve of them. Other visitors this day were an AFRC C-5M, ANG C-130J and an US Marines KC-130J. Some of the group decided to visit the Pima Air and Space Museum in the afternoon. All in all another great day which ended with a drive to the same hotel as Tuesday evening in Phoenix and for another great meal at the sports café (and a music bingo for those that preferred not do so).
Saturday 23 March 2024, was airshow time at Luke AFB for the biannual open house. After a tight security (including fingerprints and yellow access card which you had to wear all day) for foreigners, everybody had a great day with lots of aircraft on both static and in the air. Highlight of the flying display were the USAF Thunderbirds, the A-10 and F-35 demonstration teams. Also nice was the local performance of two Singapore F-16Cs and two F-35As, as well as the capability demonstration by a C-17, two A-10Cs from Davis Monthan and two F-35As and two F-16Cs each. Static highlight were a HH-60Gs in Vietnam Camo, a U-2 (sadly same aircraft as the week before at Travis AFB), Singapore AH-64D as well as two F-15s from Kingsley Field. Also an amazing number of F-35As could be seen under the sunsheds, resulting in a total of 69 F-35As that could be seen during the day. At the end of the day the group split up again. One minivan stayed in Phoenix to explore that town the next day, while the two remaining minivans headed back to Tucson as some made an overflight at AMARG the next day, while the third car would explore the Pima Air & Space Museum.
Sunday 24 March 2024, the final day of the tour started with the news that our flights home, that evening, were cancelled with no replacement yet.
The group that had an overflight at AMARG, had an early departure as the first flight would take-off at 07.30 local. The group that stayed in Phoenix had a well-earned rest and great breakfast before heading to Mesa Williams Gateway to catch a Connecticut ANG C-130H. It was decided to return to Phoenix Airport a couple of hours earlier to get the flights home organized as British Airways was offering absolutely no help on the telephone. At the end of the day the group was split in three, one group flew to Heathrow via LA, one group via Las Vegas and the third had a direct flight to Heathrow, resulting in an afternoon arrival on Monday 25 March 2024, in Londen and evening arrival for everybody that had a connection flight to Amsterdam. All in all another great trip with great company and lots of flexibility by the group which paid off in more aircraft seen than expected.
