FighterControl

Mid April, during a trip to the Western part of the US, I had the opportunity to visit Fresno Yosemite International Airport. Fresno is home of the California Air National Guard's 144th Fighter Wing / 194th Fighter Squadron. In 2013 the 194th was the latest squadron to convert to the F-15C/D Eagle, after they flew the F-16C/D's since 1995. On June the 13th 2013 the first Eagle, being the 84-0014, touched down in Fresno and today the unit operates around 21 F-15's.

I was able to witness two morning launches on a Tuesday and Wednesday morning in perfect weather conditions from a spot near the beginning of runway 29. The Tuesday the fist Eagles started their engines at 09.00am and I was very lucky they flew runway 11L (most of the time, even with light tailwind, they prefer rwy 29R), meaning they would pass on front of me towards the parallel taxitrack. No less than 10! F-15's departed and on Wednesday 6 Eagles took off, but this time via rwy29R.

1.
Two F-15C's just vacated their sun shed, both carrying two 2000lt. fueltanks underneath their wings, on their way towards holdingpoint runway 29R.

2.
Eagle 84-0035 of the 194th F.S. on its way towards the parallel taxitrack enroute to runway 11L around 09.30am for its first mission.

3.
Two-tone brown camouflaged F-15C, being a former 65th AGRS Agressor Eagle from Nellis, now flying within the 194th and already carrying the distinctive 'Griffin' on its tails.

4.
Latest addition to the Eagle fleet was this beautiful blue 79-0504. This F-15C was delivered to Fresno only a few days/weeks prior to my visit, because in March it was still flying Red Air missions from Nellis for its former owner during Red Flag 15-2.

5.
F-15C 80-0010 climbing out after a runway 11 departure.

Regards, Edwin Schimmel
http://www.final-approach.nl
e.schimmel@live.nl

Hi Edwin

Top shots, mate

What stunning weather and skies to go with them

You lucky........ person

Cheers

Paddyboy

Hi there,

Very nice and nice to see they've retained the old Nellis 65th colours. Did they say if they intend to repaint them? Just one correction, that last jet is 80-0010, not 84-0010 which should still be with the 493rd at Lakenheath unless it's very recently been reassigned.

Gary

Thanks Gary and sorry, you are correct of course, 84-0010 is still flying with the Grim Reapers of 493rd on Lakenheath, changed it. And I am affraid the former 65th AGRS Eagles will loose their brown or blue camouflage when those F-15´s will get their xxx hours inspection/maintenance the upcoming months.

Edwin

Very nice Edwin, seems that I caught the blue ex 65th one during its final fling as an Aggressor at Nellis in my recent pictures.

Ian

Great catch mate..

F-15C 84-0014 EX 493rd Eagle

Very good and nice to see them active, unfortunately they didn't fly when I went to FYI last year

Sorry to hear David, but thanks for your kind compliment! Thanks for yours as well Ian and Maurits!

Regards, Edwin
www.final-approach.nl