Lakenheath back to full strength

[slogen51]

2024 was quite a busy year for the Liberty Wing :-

Excluding airshows and displays

At the beginning of the year 12 Panthers were in the desert - left Lakenheath October 23 and returned 8-11 May 2024

26-Feb: 14 F-15E 492FS departed over a few days to CONUS ( Hill AFB initially)

28/03/2024 : 4 F-35A 495FS went to Lask - Returned 01/10/2024

09/04/2024 : 2 493FS F-35A went to Ørland - returned over the next couple of days

11-13/05/2024: 4 F-35A 495FS plus 2 F-15E 492FS went to Powidz for Astral Knight RTB 17/5

03/06/2024 : 4 Bolars went to Keflavik for Icelandic Policing - RTB 24/06/2024

06/08/2024: 10 Valkyrie F-35A went to Aviano - RTB 16/08/2024
08/08/2024: 4 F-15E 494FS went to Aviano - RTB 16/08/2024

04/09/2024: 2 F-35A 493FS went to Finland road exercise - RTB 05/09/2024

10/09/2024 : 2 F-35A 495FS went to Amendola - RTB 18/09/2024

21/09/2024 : 12 Panthers went to TLP at Albacete - RTB 04/10/2024

26/09/2024: 8 Reapers went to Ramstein Flag at Andravida - RTB 15/10/2024

29/09/2024 : 6 F-35A 495FS went to Aviano? - RTB 29/10/2024 ( live)

07/11/2024 : 12 F-15E 492FS went to the Desert - RTB 17+19/12/2024

[Mike]

I think it was 72 F-111F's at Lakenheath, certainly wasn't as many as 96.

I'm not sure where I got these figures from, I've just checked my logs and I've found that I saw a total of 95 different 'LN' coded F-111F's in the UK - the old braincell must have been playing tricks again!

Not bad for someone that hasn't lived in England since 1961 though.

Apologies to all, thanks for all the updates for another year and have a great Christmas.

Mike

[slogen51]

13/01/2023 Trend 11/12 arrived behind Roma 61
Tails on FP and confirmed on ops - well done FC

Trend 11/12
5497/WA
5575/WA

Everything that should be at Lakenheath is present - a relatively rare event for a busy front line wing

=87 active fast jets on base as at 20:00 on 13/01/2025 (40 F-15E, 46 F-35A[41 LN, 5 WA], 1 F-15QA [17-045])

The five WA F-35A assigned to the 493FS Grim Reapers are
(19-5497)/WA
(20-5575)/WA
20-5576/WA
20-5587/WA
(20-5597)/WA
____________________________________________________
The 14 Strike Eagles away on depot maintenance are :

Ten potentially at Warner-Robbins :-
91-0314 went 07/06/2023 '494FS'
91-0320 went 07/06/2023 ( *noted at Kelly* )
91-0321 went 27/01/2024 not read off
91-0307 went 27/01/2024 not read off
91-0303 blue went 19/04/2024 Retro 51
91-0309 red went 19/04/2024 Retro 52 returned 06/03/2025
01-2003 red went 19/04/2024 Retro 73 ( voice callsign) returned 06/03/2025
91-0308 went 06/09/2024 part of Retro 51 flight.
01-2001 went 06/09/2024 part of Retro 51 flight.
01-2004 went 06/09/2024 part of Retro 51 flight.

Four F-15E went to Kelly AFB where there is a 'Contractor Field Team '
91-0329 no colours went 02/05/2023 returned 16/01/2025
98-0133 blue went 02/05/2023
91-0332 no colours went 09/09/2023 returned 16/01/2025
91-0326 red went 09/09/2023 returned 06/03/2025

[Sentinal]

16/1/25.
RETRO 51-52.
Seymour Johnson /Lakenheath.
91-0332
91-0329.

CE 017.

[slogen51]

Ta

=89 active fast jets on base as at 20:00 on 16/01/2025 (42 F-15E, 46 F-35A[41 LN, 5 WA], 1 F-15QA [17-045])

( Hopefully the serials will be confirmed visually in the next week or so)

[AlexanderClover]

At least 91-0332 being confirmed here:

https://x.com/boeingdefense/status/1880 ... VDPOAQ45qg

Came back from Kelly AFB with the EPAWSS.

[Canberra TT.18]

Not sure this is right place to ask, but why is F-15QA 17-045 still at Lakenheath?

[Alf]

Not sure this is right place to ask, but why is F-15QA 17-045 still at Lakenheath?

Waiting for the next delivery batch to arrive from St. Louis and then join them for the onward flight to Qatar.

[Canberra TT.18]

Not sure this is right place to ask, but why is F-15QA 17-045 still at Lakenheath?

Waiting for the next delivery batch to arrive from St. Louis and then join them for the onward flight to Qatar.

Okay Thanks

[WinchesterMGF]

Not sure this is right place to ask, but why is F-15QA 17-045 still at Lakenheath?

045 sprung a fuel leak during the trip from St Louis to Mildenhall. It then fence hopped to Lakenheath for spannering and, as Alf says, is awaiting the next batch from the factory and will join them for the onward journey East.

[michiellankamp]

At least 91-0332 being confirmed here:

https://x.com/boeingdefense/status/1880 ... VDPOAQ45qg

Came back from Kelly AFB with the EPAWSS.

Can you recognize planes being fitted with the EPAWSS? Are they visually different?

[Professor_M]

At least 91-0332 being confirmed here:

https://x.com/boeingdefense/status/1880 ... VDPOAQ45qg

Came back from Kelly AFB with the EPAWSS.

Can you recognize planes being fitted with the EPAWSS? Are they visually different?

Biggest visual change is the prongs that poke out the tail, as is prominent on F-15QA when viewing its rear.

[slogen51]

Some great reporting by Alexander and Professor and all the LN contributors

NAF 313 arrived from Volkel for point blank
F-026, 030 & 037

Followed by NAF 322 from Leeuwarden
F-014 (special) & 017.

=94 active fast jets on base as at 17:00 on 21/01/2025 (42 F-15E, 51 F-35A[41 LN, 5 WA, 5 Klu], 1 F-15QA [17-045])

Apparently there is another QA delivery in early February which should see the end of LN Hangar Queen

Known EPAWSS
91-0332
91-0329

[AlexanderClover]

Latest which I got told yesterday was QA delivery is now delayed again by a few months. However there are 7 at St Louis ready to go when they do get delivered.

[AlexanderClover]

All 5 KLU F-35s departed back home today.

=89 active fast jets on base as at 19:00 on 23/01/2025 (42 F-15E, 46 F-35A[41 LN, 5 WA], 1 F-15QA [17-045])

[KevinJ]

On the Boeing video of 91-0332 leaving Kelly AFB for Lakenheath you can see 91-0321 with the EPAWSS mod parked up sans engines, as well as 329. So it's possible some are moving between WR and Kelly.

[AlexanderClover]

30/01/2025

RETRO71 the lone star F-15QA (17-0045) departed and repositioned to Mildenhall.

=88 active fast jets on base as at 21:00 on 30/01/2025 (42 F-15E, 46 F-35A[41 LN, 5 WA])

[Philwinward]

Not sure this is right place to ask, but why is F-15QA 17-045 still at Lakenheath?

045 sprung a fuel leak during the trip from St Louis to Mildenhall. It then fence hopped to Lakenheath for spannering and, as Alf says, is awaiting the next batch from the factory and will join them for the onward journey East.

Out of curiosity, who works on new aircraft on delivery that develop a problem enroute?
As LN is a F15 base, do they do the work and pass on costs to Boeing, or do Boeing send a repair crew and use the base facilities ?

[Vulture 01]

Back in the day, Lockheed supplied various techies to support the SR71 det at Mildenhall. There's a long history of various companies doing this, so would imagine that there are Boeing tec-reps at Lakenheath, to support the local F15 force.

[AlexanderClover]

06/02

Bullet 01-04 departed to Ramstein but Bullet 03 had to return due to an issue. So the following landed at Ramstein

5484
5581
5573

All 495th.

=85 active fast jets on base as at 17:00 on 06/02/2025 (42 F-15E, 43 F-35A[39 LN, 5 WA])