[FormerViperDriver]

Cool details, Honchurch!

I have dropped many a practice bomb on the Wash Ranges when I flew F-111Fs from Lakenheath in 1983-1986. We did not strafe in that aircraft, as the gun had been replaced with the Pave Tack IIR/Laser designator pod in the bomb bay (the F-111As I flew previously in the US did have the gun installed, but we never practiced with it anyway).

I did do a lot of strafing later in the F-16. By the way, I am not surprised the Tornado lost the strafing contest to US aircraft. For some reason, the RAF does not believe in guns. I bet those guys never practice strafing (If they did, they's be good at it I bet. RAF pilots are very, very good at what they do, but like eveyone else, they need the right amount of training). In fact, the RAF is the only country of the Eurofighter Typhoon partners to drop the gun out of the plane (the first batch actually has the 27mm gun, but it will not be maintained/used). Big mistake in my opinion, both for air-to-air and air0to-ground operations. In any event, the Luftwaffe, the Italians, and Spain are keeping the gun. Last I heard, the RAF may be reconsidering...

By the way, USAF F-15Es did not use to strafe either (ever), until real combat in Afghanistan and Iraq showed they needed to be ready to do it. So now they practice that as well, on occasion.

What was a little surprising was the A-10s being beaten by F-16s, but it happens. In combat, the A-10's gun is far more effective anyway.

Also, I thought the B-2 and B-1 pictures were particularly interesting. I work (as a civilian now since I retired from the Air Force) at the USAFE Air Operations Center at Ramstein, and we are involved in the planning and coordination of these missions. They don't happen too often. The B-2s always fly direct from the US, but the B-1s sometimes fly from inside the UK while on short deployments. Sometimes it's B-52s.

FVD

[STARMAN 352ND]

FVD,
How long have you been in Germany ?
I was just reading a story of the USAFE Skyblazers the other day and it was really cool.
You guys over there need to post more pic please.
JP

[FormerViperDriver]

Originally Posted by STARMAN 352ND

FVD,
How long have you been in Germany ?
I was just reading a story of the USAFE Skyblazers the other day and it was really cool.
You guys over there need to post more pic please.
JP

Starman,

I've been in Germany a total of over 17 years (not continuous, but almost. It was only interrupted by one year at Kunsan, Korea and some shorter stays in the US - Luke AFB, AZ - for F-16 training). Before that I was in England for 3 years (Lakenheath).

I' m not old enough to have seen the Skyblazers myself, though!

I do need to scan some old pictures so I can post them. I have a digital camera now, but haven't been to any airshows recently. I could take some pictures at Ramstein, if you want to see some C-130Es and C-21s (plus there are a couple of C-20s and a single C-37). Plus also there are many in-transit C-17s, C-5s, 747s, etc... Fighters don't come here very often any more.

FVD

[Waltz41]

About a 1.5 hour drive from me is the Warren Grove Range, it's a little north of Atlantic City. I got to go out there last week, it was an amazing time. It's like the second or third largest range in the U.S. Basically F-16s from AC and A-10s from CT, MA, MD, and PA are there. I was lucky enough to catch all the A-10 units there that afternoon. I'm completely backloged with things, but I'll get some pics up soon, although they weren't that great as it was a pretty crappy overcast and cloudy day....

Brian