Air Defender Jagel 12-06-2023

[Krazy]

Air Defender started this Monday, and I drove up north for two days (with two more to come next week).
I started off at Jagel on the Monday, with my sights set on the A-10s.

The runway in use was 05, so I took the walk around the RWY end towards the corner to get a better position. During the day the local farmer opened up one of his fields on the road to the crash gate, and police told us it would remain open. So you can park there, and don't have to walk all the way towards the base. If you walk around or arrive in the corner, please stay out of his crops :'( .. Just too many people not understanding the fact that they are destroying part of his income was staggering.

It was a hot, dusty and exhausting day, and we needed a lot of patience between the missions, but I am very happy with the first results.
From the forementioned corner:

86-0370/CO F-16C 120th FS
The CO F-16s backtracked towards all the spotters, and turned. It was a welcome gesture, as heatwaves already made the normal runway entry point impossible.. and that would only get worse during the day.

87-0229/CO F-16C 120th FS

87-0229/CO F-16C 120th FS

The locals did the same thing, with the Air Defender Tornado leading the way:
44+69 Tornado TaktLwG 51

44+69 Tornado TaktLwG 51

46+55 Tornado ECR TaktLwG 51

The Turkish F-16s followed suit, but didn't go that far down the runway, and the effect of the heatwaves already kicked in:
89-0026 F-16 151 Filo

All the units used about two of the aircraft in this first wave, but the heatwaves prevented more decent shots on the lineup. So, the landing it is. Still the same spot.

80-0258/MI A-10C 107th FS

78-0641/MI A-10C 107th FS

90-0012 F-16 151 Filo

39 JAS-39C MH 59. Sz.D. REB.

89-2125 F-16C 175th FS

89-2105 F-16C 175th FS

After 15:00 local, the sun goes over the runway, and it's time for the walk back to the crashgate. Taking pictures of the lineup with these temps is impossible. The heatwaves were incredible. Back to the recovery photos from that spot

46+57 Tornado ECR TaktLwG 51

46+54 Tornado ECR TaktLwG 51

The South Dakota ANG was the only visiting unit that used a few extra planes in the afternoon mission, the rest was unfortunately the exact same.
88-0418 F-16C 175th FS

After the recovery it was time for a good shower then beer and a good schnitzel at the hotel in Jagel. The program for day 2 was Hohn, but more on that one later..

[Eggroll70]

Thanx for your nice report

[Erik_7Xi]

Awesome photos!! Could you perhaps tell us what spots these relate to on the airfield guide?

[seahawk12]

Very nice pictures!! Thanks for sharing. Keep them coming

[Krazy]

Thank you all!

@Erik_7Xi:
The first shots (on the runway and landing (left to right)) are not listed as a spot on the airfield guide, but can be reached from spot #4. A couple of hundred meters before the crashgate, the fence goes to the right, around the runway. Follow the fence and walk in the direction of the centerline. (please stick to the fence, don't plough through the field) After the centerline the fence will go left twice. After that, you are walking towards the north again, and you will hit the fence when it goes right again. Small stepladder (one, maybe two steps) and you can clear the barbed wire.

The last three shots (the Tornado's and the SD F-16) are made from #4, later in the afternoon.

As a note: access to #4 is currently blocked off a bit further down the road by police, but that is also the access to the parking the local farmer arranged. He has planted a mailbox where you can deposit a voluntary donation if you park there.

[Erik_7Xi]

Thanks, I now see what you mean on the map! Thank you for taking the time to explain!

[wolfhound32fs]

Very nice report!