Alfred Fartknocker:
This Tornado GR.4 is painted up to celebrate one million flying hours of the thing. ZA547/ 039 isn't wearing its code as it does this role demo' at Leuchars in 2012- two years later it was scrapped at Leeming.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Two Tornado GR.4 flew over from Lossiemouth to do a role demo at Leuchars. This one is GR.4 ZG754/ 130- flying with XV Sqn. It was scrapped at Leeming in 2014.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The RAF tried for years to get the Nimrod AEW.3 to work, but gave up and bought Boeings E-3D Sentry in the end. Here's ZH102 at Leuchars. I was surprised to learn this was scrapped in 2023 and the fleet retired.
Alfred Fartknocker:
A Swiss built De Havilland Vampire FB.6 taxies at Leuchars. SE-DXS is with the Norwegian Historic Flight. It flies on as LN-DHY.
Alfred Fartknocker:
A 6 Sqn Typhoon FGR.4 taxies out at RAF Leuchars. ZK310/ EL can now be found at Lossiemouth after Leuchars closed. For years this was our only big airshow in Scotland. Now there's none!
Alfred Fartknocker:
The SAL Bulldog was such a common sight for many years, but now even its replacement has retired! XX667/ 16 & XX546/ 03 appear here at Leuchars. G-BZFN & G-WINI respectively.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Ex 149 Sqn Kfir C.2 853 rests at Hatzerim. The Kfir is basically a Mirage V, built in Israel (and without a license). Instead of a French Atar engine it has a US made J79. The scoop on the fin base was added to cool the afterburner.
Alfred Fartknocker:
IDF/ AF 159 was supplied to Israel under operation 'Peace Patch' in 1971. This F-4E Phantom is 69-7553 but never flew for the USAF. Its last unit was 119 Sqn and there were 18 in this revetment at Hatzerim.
Alfred Fartknocker:
A pair of IAI Kfir poke out from a bush at the IAF Museum at Hatzerim. 886 & 826 are both Kfir C.2. Note all the Phantom tails in the next Revetment.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The pilot chats to the crew at Hatzerim before starting this Boeing Stearman up. IDF/ AF '31' is actually 2745/ 4X-ACH- a PT-13D Kaydet. It was built as 41-25508 for the USAAC and flew as N60015 after de-mobbing. It's c/n 75-5777.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Some of the Spanish AFs' Caribou were ex US Army, but T.9-1 was built new for Spain. It's c/n 258 seen stored at Cuatro-Vientos as EC-GQL and should move on to Getafe soon and be preserved there.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This brightly painted Eurocopter EC135T2+ is with the Spanish Army- I guess a trainer? Colmenar-Viejo is great for pics....if they fly. HU.26-12 is coded ET-198. It used to be coded UME-104.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Spanish Army (Fuerza Aeromoviles Del Ejercito de Tierra) Eurocopter EC135T2 HU.26-05/ ET-183 flies at Colmenar-Viejo, in the foothills of the Mountains North of Madrid.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This SAR CASA CN-235 is D.4-02 as applied under the window. It was formerly with the Spanish AF as T.19B-09, still marked on the fin. It's landing at Getafe here.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Spanish Army Chinook is CH-47D HT.17-14 coded ET-414. This field is next door to Colemnar-Viejo AB North of Madrid. It's wfu these days. This area is where Clint Eastwoods' Spaghetti Westerns' were shot.
Alfred Fartknocker:
A Spanish Army CH-47D Chinook flies near Colmenar-Viejo AB. HT.17-14/ ET414 is wfu as of 2024 and in store here. New CH-47F have replaced them.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The Nevada NG (140 Av'n) at Reno operate the CH-47D Chinook in 2008- although they had a preserved CH-54 as a reminder. This one is 92-00287 which seems to be stored in Delaware these days. It's actually a rebuild of CH-47A 62-2131.
Alfred Fartknocker:
My Daughters hang out on the ramp at Reno, NV. Lou 14 here, Sue 12. The AT-6G is N29933, ex USAF 49-3291.
Alfred Fartknocker:
CAL Fire use the Bronco to direct Firefighting ops from the air, normally with one pilot and the 'Air Tactical Group Supervisor' The ATGS liases with folk on the ground to do the work. Fire 240 here is N421DF, ex Marines OV-10A 155496.
Alfred Fartknocker:
There were a handful of ex US Army Hueys stored at Sacramento for use by CAL Fire. This one is UH-1V 67-19494. It's ex California National Guard.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is what a QF-100D FSAT looks like after absorbing an AIM-120. As well as all the holes, the right side stabiliser has been blown off. 56-3141 is preserved at Chino, CA identity. It has 55-3508 marked on the canopy.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Condor Squadron at Van Nuys, CA had ten T-6/ SNJ/ Harvards on their ramp. This one is N9525C, an ex US Navy SNJ-4 Bu.Aer 27307.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat sports its famous smile, inside at The Yanks AM, Chino, CA. It's Bu.Aer 78645/ 45.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Northrop T-38A Talon is with the National Test Pilot School at Mojave, but seen here at Van Nuys, CA. N538TC was re-reg'd N638TC in 2009. It's ex 63-8171.
Alfred Fartknocker:
General Dynamics built the F-111- but put Grumman in charge of the Navy F-111B due to their extensive experience. The Grumman F-111B ended up being cancelled and Bu.Aer 152714 is seen in a scrappy near Mojave, CA.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This 'Legacy Hornet' last flew as NASA 842 at nearby Edwards AFB. Bu.Aer 161214 is an F/A-18A and has ended up this pole outside the Clear Channel Baseball ground in Lancaster, CA. N842NA is only the thirteenth built.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Northrop had a big hit with the Freedom Fighter. This is a second generation F-5E Tiger II Bu.Aer 741529/ 06, built as USAF 74-1529 at Palmdale, CA. If we include the very similar T-38, total production of this family of jets exceeds 3,800.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Northrop T-38A Talon 63-8182 "LB" has ended up preserved in a new air museum at Palmdale, CA. It's called the Joe Davis Heritage Air Park, and is quite near Plant 42. I wish they wouldn't paint the cockpit windows!
Alfred Fartknocker:
The Museum at Fox Field, CA closed, but some of the larger a/c linger on outside. Fairchild C-119C 48-322 is only the fourth built and the oldest survivor after flying as N13745. Note the jet scabbed onto the top to help it along.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Fox Field near Lancaster, CA gets its fair share of Firebombers. This Lockheed Neptune is SP-2E N807NA, ex Bu.Aer 131424. It has stopped flying and is destined for the Estrella Warbirds AM in California.
