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Blue Angels Looking Forward to the Great Tennessee Airshow

Charles Atkeison
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Blue Angels Looking Forward to the Great Tennessee Airshow

SMYRNA, Tenn. — The thundering sound of the Blue Angels’ jets heralded their arrival over middle Tennessee on Thursday, announcing that the squadron is back for The Great Tennessee Air Show.

As the Navy’s Flight Demonstration Team arrived in a delta formation, the six pilots provided a smoke-on salute to the town of Smyrna. The community demonstrated an outpouring of support for the Blue Angels during the last three years when the team need it the most.

The military aircraft touched down at 10:30 a.m. into Smyrna-Rutherford County Airport, site of this weekend’s two-day air show. Moments later, the Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron’s aircraft maintainers went to work to turn their F/A-18C Hornets around for two practice flights that afternoon.

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Memphis native Major Jeff Mullins loves returning home to Tennessee. (Charles A Atkeison)

The team’s arrival coincided with the 75th anniversary of the Allied invasion of northern France during an event known as D-Day. The historic aerial and water landing surrounding Normandy Beach quicken the end of the Second World War on June 6, 1944.

The Blue Angels number 4 pilot Major Jeff Mullins, himself a United States Marine, discussed his thoughts on the special anniversary. The Memphis native feels a special relationship with those who fought during the Longest Day.

“D-Day is the epitome of what happens when not just our young men and women who serve our country, including our allies, come together to work toward a common goal can accomplish,” Maj. Mullins said from the Smyrna flightline on Thursday. “All we can do is put these jets in the sky and give some sort of legacy to what they did on D-Day 75 years ago.”

Navy logistics specialist and crew coordinator LS1 Derrious Austin carries a strong sense of pride in teamwork everyday. He is one of only two Blue Angels coordinators who’s job it is to make sure the aircraft maintainers and support teams stay on schedule.

“It’s a privilege for me, and I take a lot of pride in it, because I know this team represents the Navy Sailors and Marines that we have throughout the world,” Austin said. “To be able to lead a group of Sailors and Marines that carry that weight on their shoulders is awesome.”

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Blue Angels Derrious Austin says the team is excited to perform in Smyrna this weekend. (Charles A Atkeison)

The Blue Angels were all smiles as they arrived into middle Tennessee, including Austin. The team continues to train and prepare for each show six-days a week.

“We take a lot of pride in coming back to Smyrna to put on an awesome air show,” Austin added as we walked past those blue and gold jets. “We would really appreciate it if everyone would come on out and experience it.”

(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

Massive WWII Aircraft Fleet to Retrace Historic D-Day Route

Charles Atkeison
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Massive WWII Aircraft Fleet to Retrace Historic D-Day Route

Nearly 50 World War II-era aircraft on Wednesday will retrace the route many of those same aircraft flew 75 years earlier as they soared into the history books of an important moment known as D-Day.

A fleet of around 32 American and European C-47 Skytrains and Dakotas, and several fighter aircraft will depart Duxford, England and follow the path flown to Normandy, France, on June 5. The massive tandem flight will be flown beginning at 1:40 p.m. local time (8:40 a.m. EDT).

As the aircraft head south to the English Channel, the flight path will cross over Colchester, Southend-on-Sea, Maidstone, and Eastbourne. The fleet of warbirds are scheduled to arrive over Sannerville, France nearly three hours into the flight.

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The American C-47 Rendezvous with Destiny arrived at Duxford, England on Friday. (Dax Over Normandy)

Hundreds of Paratroopers to Descend on Normandy

It is over Sannerville that the United Kingdom released several waves of paratroopers jumping from C-47s into a dark unknown exactly 75 years earlier. A recreation of the historic event will occur at about 4:40 p.m. (local) as the skies will be filled again by round army parachutes descending upon the coastal town.

The American D-Day Squadron will have their mighty 15 of C-47s/ DC-3s fly in a joint formation with their European counterparts known as Daks over Normandy. Many of them will carry volunteer paratroopers on board for the symbolic drop above France.

Prior to sunrise on June 6, 1944, several waves of paratroopers and supplies dropped beyond Normandy Beach to help clear a path for the surviving soldiers arriving via water craft.

“(The aircraft) will drop more than 200 paratroopers over the original 1944 drop zones in Normandy commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day,” Moreno Aguiari, executive director of the D-Day Squadron, said on Sunday. “The event will honor the citizen soldiers of the war, whose bravery led the Allies to the liberation of France, and then to an end of the devastating war in Europe.”

Aguiari broke down the numbers of June 6, 1944, this way: 13,000 paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines, prior to and as 156,000 troops stormed five Normandy Beaches. And, of the 11,000 aircraft used for aircover (of the transports) and support, 925 were C-47s.

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Paratroopers drop from the American C-47A Skytrain That’s All – Brother! in May. (Charles A Atkeison)

“Few veterans of D-Day are still with us, and this celebration may be our last chance to honor these brave war heroes,” Aguiari added. “We are committed to ensuring their significance and sacrifice is fully appreciated for generations to come, and are developing an education program to honor these citizen soldiers and their impact on D-Day, and ultimately the Allied victory in World War II.”

Several of these World War II-era aircraft, including C-47A Skytrains That’s All — Brother! and Placid Lassie, make frequent visits to American air shows and events each year. You can follow their journeys, and their sister-ships flights this week, Live via their social media.

(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

Flying Museums: B-29 and B-24 Squadron Touring the U.S.

Charles Atkeison
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Flying Museums: B-29 and B-24 Squadron Touring the U.S.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A squadron of World War II-era aircraft began touring the United States this week as a B-29 Superfortress and a B-24 Liberator travel to select cities offering tours and flights to the public.

Owned by the Commemorative Air Force, the two bombers began a 27-city tour on May 16 stopping in Montgomery before arriving in Chattanooga. Popular smaller warbirds are scheduled to join the B-29A Superfortress known as FiFi and the B-24 Liberator nicknamed Diamond Lil.

“Our mission is to bring history to the people — we are a flying museum,” CAF spokesperson Don Boccaccio said as we stood on the flightline of Chattanooga’s Lovell Airport on Sunday. “Most of the time we get veterans at our stops who flew on them or worked on them. We have alot of good veteran stories of how they return to fly with us after 75 years.”

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The B-29A Superfortress known as “FiFi” arrives back following a visitor flight on Sunday. (Charles A Atkeison)

These “flying museums” allow both young and old to get up close with the aircraft and even go inside. For family members of fallen World War II veterans, the tour has given them a since of closure for those who never made it back home.

“We had a woman who’s dad was the B-29 pilot for Straight Flush, which was the lead weather B-29 for the dropping of the atomic bomb,” Boccaccio continued. “So she flew in FiFi with us, she was very emotional, crying as she sat in the navigator’s seat.”

The public can purchase flights aboard one or both aircraft during each city visit. The flight fee covers the great fuel consumption associated with the multi-engine, 75 year-old hulking aircraft.

“FiFi costs us over 10 thousand dollars an hour to run”, Boccaccio added. “It uses 400 gallons of gasoline an hour and 1.5 gallons of oil per engine an hour.” In other words, that’s six milk jugs of oil each hour.

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The B-24 Liberator “Diamond Lil” departs Chattanooga on a visitor flight Sunday. (Charles A Atkeison)

Memorial Day weekend saw huge turnouts to witness the rare sight of a B-29 and B-24 aircraft take-off and land. Veterans attending were recognized and allowed to board the aircraft first to honor their past service.

“Memorial Day is very emotional to us,” Boccaccio noted. “A lot of veterans came today because it’s Memorial Day. And, we chose to come early to Chattanooga to thank our veterans this week.”

The CAF B-29/B-24 Squadron Tour Continues

Tri-Cities – Bristol, Kingsport, and Johnson City, Tenn… May 29 – June 2

Salisbury, Maryland… June 3-5

Reading, Pennsylvania… June 7-9

Baltimore, Maryland… June 12-16

Lexington, Kentucky… June 19-23

​Click here for their full tour schedule including links to the local airport’s web sites. CAF is looking for volunteers during each city stop. Click here to help out at a location near you, or to donate and shop to keep these aircraft flying.

(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

American WWII Squadron nears Europe for 75th Anniversary of D-Day

Charles Atkeison
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American WWII Squadron nears Europe for 75th Anniversary of D-Day

OXFORD, Conn. — A fleet of American Douglas C-47 Skytrains are en route to the United Kingdom today to join up with their European counterparts to honor and remember the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

These cargo and troop support aircraft took part in the first and second waves of the Allied invasion of northern France on June 6, 1944. This week, they launched on a new mission beginning a multi-day flight across the north Atlantic Ocean en route to the United Kingdom.

Known as the Spruce Goose route, these twin-engine aircraft will travel the same route as they did 75 years earlier. The C-47s include That’s All — Brother!, which led the first wave over the English Channel in 1944 to Normandy Beach, France; Miss Virginia, Placid Lassie, Spirit of Benovia, Legend Airways, Betsy’s Biscuit Bomber, and Miss Montana.

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The complete North Atlantic track known as Spruce Goose to Europe. (D-Day Squadron)

“After their departure on Sunday, the C-47s stopped to refuel in Goose Bay Airport in Newfoundland, Canada; Narsarsuaq Airport in southern Greenland; Reykjavik Airport in Iceland; and will refuel a final time at Prestwick Airport on the Western coast of Scotland before making the final leg to Duxford Airfield north of London,” Moreno Aguiari, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the D-Day Squadron, said on Tuesday.

The first C-47 to arrive in Scotland was also the lead aircraft during the early morning hours of D-Day, 1944. That’s All — Brother! completed her oceanic crossing on Wednesday afternoon.

During the next few days, seven more C-47s will begin to arrive in the UK for the huge anniversary event. On June 4, 5, and 7, they will all join a fleet of European-based C-47s to create a large formation flight in recognition of D-Day.

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Lead C-47A Skytrain “That’s All – Brother!” arrived in Scotland on Wednesday. (Ray Clausen, TAB Crewmember)

Last Monday, the first wave of aircraft resumed their journey as they flew to their next destination in Narsarsuaq on the southern tip of Greenland. After refueling the long travel day ended in Iceland.

“It was a long, but beautiful (Monday),” That’s All – Brother! Navigator Ray Clausen said on Tuesday from Reykjavik. “Breakfast at 0600 in Goose Bay, at the hotel at 0100 in Reykjavik, with a fuel stop in Narsarsuaq. We really were fortunate on the weather, with clear skies and light winds in Narsarsuaq.”

“Flying over, we could only imagine the difficulties faced 75 years ago for the planes that made the Northern crossing with celestial navigation and far more limited weather forecasting,” Clausen added.

The 75th anniversary flights are significant as several D-Day veterans have recently flown aboard or will soon fly of these historic aircraft. And for many, it will be their first flight aboard a C-47 since the second World War. Surviving soldiers from the war range in age from 93 to 105 years.

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D-Day veteran aircraft “Placid Lassie” will take part in the 75th anniversary events. (Charles A. Atkeison)

“It’s very likely we’ll never see an event like this again,” Aguiari noted. “There are only a few members of the Greatest Generation still with us, so we wanted to put together the most significant tributes we could to honor their sacrifice and commitment.”

Upcoming:

June 4-5: Daks over Normandy event at Duxford, England.

June 5: Cross-Channel Flight and Paratroop Drop

June 7-8: Daks over Normandy event at Caen, France.

[Note: If you would like to help these aircraft fly, please consider donating to help cover fuel and logistics costs.]

(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

Air Force Thunderbirds Co-Founder, Pilot Dies at 94

Charles Atkeison
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Air Force Thunderbirds Co-Founder, Pilot Dies at 94

ATLANTA — Lt. Gen. Charles “Buck” Pattillo, a co-founder and one of the first pilots of the Air Force Thunderbirds, passed away on Monday. He was two-weeks shy of his 95th birthday.

In November 1942, an 18-year-old Pattillo and his twin brother, Bill, joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. They fought during the second World War together, and came together again to form a European flight team for the Air Force.

Buck Pattilo served during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He earned his pilots wings in 1944, and began flying the P-40 aircraft. He later flew the P-47 aircraft, moving up to the P-51D Mustang — nicknamed Little Rebel — the following year.

In January 1949, the young pilot was assigned to Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base, Germany. There, Buck and Bill helped organize The Skyblazers — the aerial demonstration team for the U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Beginning with the F-80 Shooting Star and F-84s, The Skyblazers flew in over 250 air shows across Europe and North Africa.

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Buck Pattillo (right) and his brother, Bill (left) began the Air Force’s European aerial demonstration team, The Skyblazers, in 1949. (USAF)

Buck Pattillo’s experience with an air demonstration team moved him to create the Thunderbirds in 1952 while stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Just as he did with the Skyblazers, Pattillo flew as the team’s left wing pilot, while brother Bill flew as the right wing pilot.

Led by Maj. Richard “Dick” Catledge, the Thunderbirds first year included Buck, Bill, and four fellow officers, plus 22 enlisted maintainers and logistics members. The Thunderbirds were activated on May 25, 1953, and flew the F-84G Thunderjet as a four-ship formation, according to the Thunderbirds. The T-33 Shooting Star, a tandem seat aircraft, served as the narrator’s plane for media and VIP flights.

In 2000, both Buck and Bill were inducted into the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame. The twins, each who rose to rank of General, had accomplished nearly everything together.

Buck and Bill continued to stay active into the 2000s, including attending air shows and public events. In 2009, they both attended the Oshkosh air show. It marked the first time since 1945 in which Buck visited the restored P-51 Little Rebel. He was all smiles.

Bill died in 2014.

(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

Rare Footage of Southwest Airlines 727 Operations at Dallas Love

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Rare Footage of Southwest Airlines 727 Operations at Dallas Love

Before DFW’s rise, Dallas Love Field was North Texas’s main gateway, hosting Braniff, Delta, and American Airlines. In 1971, Southwest Airlines made Dallas Love Field its home. This video by YouTube user Starboard76 shows unique footage of Southwest’s early days, including the rare Southwest Airlines 727.

In the early 1970s, Southwest Airlines served intrastate flights from Dallas Love Field. The footage captures Southwest’s 737-200s and the rare Southwest Airlines 727. The story of the Southwest Airlines 727 is intriguing. Southwest, now known for its 737 fleet, briefly operated the 727-200 twice.

The first instance involved a late 1970s settlement with Braniff, allowing Southwest to use the 727-200 briefly. The second instance had Southwest leasing 727-200s from PSA for west coast expansion until more 737-300s arrived.

Southwest’s early operations at Dallas Love Field show its innovative spirit. The Southwest Airlines 727 highlights a unique chapter in the airline’s history and its commitment to growth. As Southwest Airlines continues to soar, its early days at Dallas Love Field remain essential, enriched by rare footage like Starboard76’s video.

Southwest Airlines Operated a Boeing 727-200?

Yep! Twice actually! Southwest is known for their large fleet of 737s, They’ve flow the jet since their founding in 1971. As part of a settlement with Braniff, Southwest operated a Boeing 727-200 for a short period in the late ’70s. Southwest also operated a small subfleet leased from PSA to augment west coast expansion before a sufficient fleet of Boeing 737-300s could be delivered.

Interested in more about the history of Dallas Love?

Be sure to check out this article below highlighting Braniff’s failed gondola experiment.

Braniff’s Gondolas Made Dallas Love Field Look Like The State Fair

F-16 Viper Demo Team Announces New Pilot for 2019-20

Charles Atkeison
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F-16 Viper Demo Team Announces New Pilot for 2019-20

SHAW AFB, S.C. — The U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper Demonstration Team announced on Thursday their new commander and pilot for the 2019 and 2020 air show seasons.

Major Garret “Toro” Schmitz will both lead the team and pilot the F-16 Viper jet at select air show across the United States for the next two seasons. His first public performance is scheduled for the Westmoreland County Air Show in Latrobe, Penn. next weekend.

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New F-16 Viper Demo pilot Major Garret Schmitz will perform in Latrobe, Pa. in two weeks. (USAF)

“After 22 training flights and more than 45 hours of study, Maj. Garret Schmitz has completed his fourth certification and earned the privilege of leading us as we inspire the next generation of pilots, maintainers, and Airmen,” JB Langley spokesperson Kathryn Reaves said.

The Utah native and the demo team arrived at JB Langley, Virginia, on Wednesday for Maj. Schmitz final certification flight. Each Air Combat Command pilot has to complete a rigorous training course to receive the high certification from the four levels of leadership within the Air Force, Reaves confirmed.

Maj. Schmitz is scheduled to perform at about 39 shows during the next two seasons. Following Latrobe, his team will travel to Tinker, AFB in Oklahoma, followed by Smyrna, Tennessee in June.

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The updated 2019 F-16 Viper Demo Team Schedule. (USAF)

The Lockheed-Martin F-16C is a multi-role fighter aircraft — highly maneuverable and  mission proven in over 30 years of operations including air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and 25 friendly nations, the Air Force said in a recent statement.

Outgoing Viper Demo pilot Major John “Rain” Waters, who has led the team for over two years, will perform one final flight on May 26. Waters will perform a flyover of the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 race prior to the drop of the green flag.

(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

Blue Angels, F-16 Viper to Headline the Great Tennessee Airshow

Charles Atkeison
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Blue Angels, F-16 Viper to Headline the Great Tennessee Airshow

SMYRNA, Tenn. — The largest air show in the middle south will see the return of the Navy’s Blue Angels, as civilian aerobatic pilots and military aircraft perform in June at the Great Tennessee Air Show.

Tennessee’s highest-rated air show returns the weekend of June 8 and 9 to the Smyrna Airport. The family-friendly event will include static aircraft displays and a special Kids Zone jump area.

“Once again, we are privileged and honored to be hosting the U.S. Navy Blue Angels at this premier Middle Tennessee event,” John Black, Executive Director of the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority, said on Friday. “With this year’s stellar lineup, the Great Tennessee Air Show is poised to present one of the strongest airshow lineups anywhere in North America.”

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The GEICO Skytypers six Navy SNJ-2 aircraft are beautiful and dynamic in flight. (Skytypers)

The Air Force F-16 Viper Demo Team and the World War II-era flying of the GEICO Skytypers Airshow Team will co-headline the event. Each, an air show favorite, will perform a 15-minute demonstration both days.

The Blue Angels Return to Smyrna

The Blue Angels only appearance in the middle south will occur three years to the week of their last visit to Smyrna. A shortened visit which saw the Blue Angels loose their opposing solo Capt. Jeff Kuss in a jet crash as he began a practice flight with the team.

The city of Smyrna dedicated a beautiful memorial to the fallen pilot last June near the runway he last flew from. As the air show community and local residents reflect upon his legacy, this season’s show will move forward without looking back — and that is the wish of Kuss’ family.

“The best tribute to Jeff Kuss was building the memorial on Sam Ridley Parkway,” Black said. “That offered closure for the family and the team. It is their wish that the show celebrate the 2019 team, so there will not be any tribute at the air show.”

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Capt. Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial in Smyrna honors the late-Blue Angels pilot. (Charles Atkeison)

Black added that the community can honor his legacy during the inaugural Capt. Jeff Kuss Memorial 6K Top Gun Run on May 31. The 3.7 mile course from the airport to the golf course will then finish at the memorial.

Top Civilian Aerobatic Pilots to Perform

Aerobatic champion pilots Patty Wagstaff, Rob Holland, and Mike Wiskus will perform their dizzying displays of flight. Aerobatic pilots Sean D. Tucker and Jesse Panzer will fly together in tandem as Team Oracle’s Two Ship Act.

The World War II-era P-51D Mustang “Quicksilver” will fly each afternoon piloted by Scott “Scooter” Yoak in a celebration to America’s armed forces. The aircraft is decorated with black and white stripes on her wings to honor the 75th anniversary of the Allied D-Day invasion at Normandy, France.

The beauty of the the military jet teams and the civilian pilots are best appreciated from around air show center along the show’s crowd line. To witness and photograph these precision aircraft at the closest point inside the gates is the heartbeat of every air show guest.

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Air Force F-16 Viper Demo Team’s new pilot Maj. Garret Schmitz will perform each day at Smyrna. (USAF)

Air show tickets and VIP parking passes, including group ticket packages, are available online only. Black added that general parking is free to the public and will be available both days on a first come, first served basis.

(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

Keesler AFB, Biloxi Join to Host First Two-Stage Airshow

Charles Atkeison
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Keesler AFB, Biloxi Join to Host First Two-Stage Airshow

BILOXI, Miss. — Keesler Air Force Base and the city of Biloxi will host a rare two-stage air show event this weekend as they work together for the Thunder Over the Sound Air & Space Show.

The joint-event air show will begin with gates opening at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, followed by on-base aerial demonstrations one hour later. Guests can enjoy breakfast as they watch Aeroshell Aerobatic Team, Trojan Thunder, and popular warbirds perform all morning.

As Smoke-n-Thunder Jet Truck concludes about noon, the air show will then move to the sugar beaches of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Exact air show center is located at Beach Blvd. and White Ave.

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Aeroshell Aerobatic Team will perform over Keesler AFB and Biloxi beach. (Charles Atkeison)

“We’re really excited to bring the Thunderbirds back to the Gulf Coast, and are happy to partner with the city of Biloxi to bring what will hopefully be an outstanding show to one and all,” Col. Lance Burnett, vice commander of the 81st Training Wing, said on Thursday. “This is the first air show of its kind to involve a joint effort between a city and a military base — taking place in two different locations.”

The beach show opens at 1 p.m. with the re-flights of the performers who flew a few hours earlier. The excitement of the day will increase as the Air Force Thunderbirds take to the skies beginning about 4 p.m.

The Thunderbirds are scheduled to perform a nearly 45-minute flight demonstration showcasing the power and beauty of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Their four-aircraft diamond formations plus the high speed passes by the two solo ships will bring chills to visitors on the warm beach.

“We are really just getting started for our show season, and we are super excited to begin at a unique over-the-water beach show here on the Gulf Coast,” Thunderbird 6 opposing solo Capt. Michelle “Mace” Curran said following her team’s arrival on Thursday. “This show allows our crowd to see various unique perspectives of the performance that our crowds don’t normally see when they are confined to an airfield. This is a great air show to come out and see over the weekend.”

Keesler AFB notes that only handicap guests and those carrying a DoD-ID will be allowed to park on the base. There will be several locations outside of Keesler for public parking on both days. A public shuttle service will run all day from the parking lots to both the air base and the beach.

(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)


Fly Along With Oklahoma’s 507th ARW Supporting Tulsa’s VIPERS

Mike Killian
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Fly Along With Oklahoma’s 507th ARW Supporting Tulsa’s VIPERS
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Staring down a Tulsa Viper F-16 from the 138th Fighter Wing’s 125th Fighter Squadron / Oklahoma Air National Guard, somewhere over Kansas on April 25, 2019, as they topped off their fuel thanks to the 507th ARW OKIES KC-135 crew from Oklahoma City. Photo: Mike Killian

U.S. global air superiority comes thanks, in large part, to aerial refuelers, such as KC-135 Stratotankers and their crews at the Oklahoma Air National Guard’s 507th Air Refueling Wing. Everything from fighters to bombers and reconnaissance aircraft, to the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds being able to get around America to perform in front of millions of people, all rely on the KC-135 and their crews.

Based in Oklahoma City and the heart of Tornado Alley, the ‘OKIES’ of Tinker Air Force Base are the largest Air Force Reserve Command flying unit in Oklahoma. They are responsible for organizing, fully training and equipping Combat-Ready Citizen Airmen to provide strategic deterrence and global capabilities, all while empowering, inspiring and developing them to shape the future.

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Air Force F-35As Strike Iraqi Targets During First Combat Mission

Charles Atkeison
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Air Force F-35As Strike Iraqi Targets During First Combat Mission

Two U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II jets performed an air strike over Iraq on Tuesday marking the first use of an F-35A in a combat mission.

Based at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, the twin F-35As performed a munition strike at an entrenched tunnel network which supported a large weapons cache in the Hamrin Mountains. The Air Force’s fifth generation multi-role fighters arrived in Al Dhafra Air Base, UAE on April 15 for its first deployment in the Middle East.

Tuesday’s display is one step closer for the Air Force in replacing their aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons and the A-10 Thunderbolt II. The Marines (F-35B) and the Navy (F-35C) also look to the jet to replace their aircraft, including the F/A-18 Hornet and AV-8B Harriers.

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An Air Force KC-10 Extender refuels an F-35A Lightning II on April 30, prior to the F-35As first air interdiction. (USAF)

“The F-35A provides our nation air dominance in any threat,” Gen. David L. Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, said. “When it comes to having a ‘quarterback’ for the coalition joint force, the inter-operable F-35A is clearly the aircraft for the leadership role.”

The F-35As air interdiction was in support of Combined Joint Task Force’s Operation Inherent Resolve. The newly arrived F-35As are working with U.S. aircraft stationed at Al Dhafra.

“The F-35A has sensors everywhere, it has advanced radar, and it is gathering and fusing all this information from the battlespace in real time,” Lt. Col. Yosef Morris, an F-35A pilot and commander of the 4th Fighter Squadron, said on Tuesday. “Now it has the ability to take that information and share it with other F-35s or even other fourth generation aircraft in the same package that can also see the integrated picture.”

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A U.S. Air Force F-35A begins its first air combat mission to Iraq on April 30, 2019. (USAF)

In the United States, the Air Force’s F-35A Demonstration Team isperforming at air shows this year through November. Capt. Andrew “Dojo” Olson will pilot the aircraft through top maneuvers during a fifteen minute display.

(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)


WWII Heritage Days Showcases D-Day C-47s, Army Golden Knights

Charles Atkeison
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WWII Heritage Days Showcases D-Day C-47s, Army Golden Knights

ATLANTA — Huge crowds enjoyed the sights and sounds of World War II during the weekend as historic aircraft flew and two popular jump teams dropped from the skies to highlight the WWII Heritage Days.

The popular weekend turnout allowed guests to witness living history. Re-enactments of Allied and Axis soldiers around encampments as popular Big Band music added to the sound of aircraft thunder.

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U.S. Army Golden Knights pause on Saturday during WWII Heritage Days. (Charles Atkeison)

The U.S. Army Golden Knights followed by the Liberty Jump Team flew each day. Each precisely flew over the jump zone at Falcon Field and gave the go for their paratroopers to jump.

“World War II Heritage Days is a great event not only for our city but our country,” Peachtree City Mayor Vanessa Fleisch said on Sunday. “We are excited to have these veterans and the crew of That’s all Brother at our airfield today. Peachtree City is honored to be a part of this 75th anniversary commemoration of D-Day.”

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Liberty Jump Team paratroopers depart “That’s All – Brother!” on Saturday, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. (Charles Atkeison)

Three Douglas C-47A Skytrain aircraft, which flew missions during the Allied invasion of Normandy Beach, France in 1944, stood static on display. One C-47 which led the main aerial invasion was That’s All — Brother!, and guests had the opportunity to watch her fly and fly aboard.

Known as D-Day, the C-47s were an unsung hero on June 6, 1944, as nearly 800 from the United States and Europe carried paratroopers and supplies for the amphibious landing. That’s All — Brother! will join over 20 other C-47s to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day in June.

“It’s a privilege to be able to fly this airplane,” Joe Enzminger, Wing Leader pilot of the Central Texas Wing for the Commemorative Air Force, said on Sunday. “That’s All – Brother! lead the main invasion force, and when the order came to go, they launched and dropped their paratroopers in France.”

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Douglas C-47s “That’s All Brother!” and one unnamed, during WWII Heritage Days. (Charles Atkeison)

Enzminger and his crew will pilot the aircraft to the UK in May via the north Atlantic route. The sister C-47 Placid Lassie also attended WWII Heritage Days, and will make the journey to honor the Allied forces. Both aircraft will join nearly 30 other C-47s for the June 6 flight over Normandy.

“Everytime we fly this airplane — everytime I stand in it — it’s hard not to think about what happened here,” “And the guys sitting inside that in the dead of night they got up, stepped out that door and jumped into France. It’s always in the back of our mind.”

(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

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