Edit: split from this one. For the reason, see (the forum rules) there
Hello to you all!
Maybe an interesting topic to start with, the USAFE before the Berlin wall fell;-)
Here a starter with some types of aircraft I miss a lot and I now for sure more people think the same.
So let me see yours!!
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Nice picture. Those day we still had lots of planes flying around. And those planes still had nice colors....
These days. Few planes and all painted in the same boring gray.
Apart from the Pig in the front, all aircrafttypes in the picture are still in active service with the USAF, three of them still in with the USAF in Europe. Apart from the Warthog, all are flying in agressor and testing-colors in the States. So stop dwelling on the past, go out there and shoot them while they're (still) out there!
Mickey312 wrote:Apart from the Pig in the front, all aircrafttypes in the picture are still in active service with the USAF
F-4??
F-5??
Hmm, please tell me where the USAF is still flying these...
Erwin
Well, the F-4's are to be found at Tyndall and Holloman, but also DM will see few F-4 movements every now and then (saw about 20 overthere at the beginning of March...only 3 flying though). They are currently converting the RF-4's overthere to drone's and some still feature the old camo's like seen in this pic, although most have turned grey before they went out of service.
The F-5's are not with the USAF anymore, but USMC and US Navy still fly the agressors and occasionally a civil operated F-4 and F-5 can be found too in the States.
Mickey312 wrote:Apart from the Pig in the front, all aircrafttypes in the picture are still in active service with the USAF, three of them still in with the USAF in Europe. Apart from the Warthog, all are flying in agressor and testing-colors in the States. So stop dwelling on the past, go out there and shoot them while they're (still) out there!
Mickey
Well, with some stretch of the imagination maybe all are still there, but your closing remark certainly holds water. On MilSpotters in particular there are some " vinegar pissers" as we call that in Dutch who keep moaning about what is not there anymore, referring to F-16's as gliders (why?).
Mickey is right. If it ain't here, go where it is.
QF-4s in several authentic (albeit glossy instead of matt) color-schemes are still flying at Holloman AFB and Tyndall AFB and participate in several airshows in the US each year, flying in heritage flights. You're right about the F-5, no longer flying with the USAF, but they're flying with the US Navy and Marines. Apart from that, there's the T-38, basically, the same airframe, in several different color-schemes.
Besides the US, the F-4 and F-5 are still plentiful in Europe and Asia as well. The F-111 can be found in Australia. And here in Europe, look at the latest Tigermeet, what great variety of jets participated there! Guys, there are still so many beautiful aircraft around!
ehusmann wrote:In other words, NONE are in active service with the USAF. I hardly call converting into drone an active role, right?
Erwin
Not really, some planes 3 - 5, are actually "flown" by a pilot who is there a back-up just in case of a computer malfunction and untill now at least 2 planes where saved from destruction; the USAF Herritage-flight also uses an QF-4 btw
Nice catches everyone, Mike with his Spang posse, lovely!!
And off course the Hahn F-4 brings back some melancholiac memories:-), nice catch, got some more to share in this thread? Would be nice.
I will post some more pics in this topic right now and keep them old USAFE fighters comming, aaaaaiiight!?
Copyrighted by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense-Public Affairs Defense Visual Information Directorate.
Thanx for all the nice photographs of the old days:-)
Also nice to see the activity at Upper Heyford in the 80's therefore some more golden oldies of former superbase Upper Heyford.
Anyone got some dusty slides of Sembach of visiting A-10's or EC-130's, visitors?
Copyrighted by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense-Public Affairs Defense Visual Information Directorate.
A view of an F-111 aircraft from the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing being inspected. The Strike Command Bombing Competition is held between the United States and Royal Air Forces.
Copyrighted by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense-Public Affairs Defense Visual Information Directorate.