What a Saturday. Linda was out of town and I decided to dash to JRB on Sat Afternoon. Arrived at JRB at about 1130am and miss the 1st F-35A which landed 10 min before I arrived at the spot. Wind was a breeze 10 knots from the North which brings us to a landing and take off pattern runway 35 Yahoo..!
it was a slow start with absolutely nothing for an hour ……. Than the great day started. LMT hangers comes bustling with jet noises. 1st F-35A Strike 11 came off hanger with F-16D Strike 21 spotter. Taxi by us and take off with Full AB. 5 minutes after take off radio chatter indicate the F35A have electrical problem did a pass by and medium altitude and landed right after. Strike 21 did a low key option and was gone.
A Heavy KC-135 from March AFB came in to land. Met up with Sebby and was given “info” of F-16 from San Antonio was in the base.
Another F-35A Lightning 11 came out of LMT and took off and a c40 came and do some touch and goes. Lighting 11 came back with Strike 21 and do a touch and goes while Another primer painted F-35A came out to play. she took off while lighting 11 came back to land. Later both Primer painted F35A and F16D landed while they did a touch and go. The chaser F_16D was clocked at about 2hr 48 minutes up in the air. Amazing long endurance for an F-16D …. but with 3 gas bags.
Video of the Green Camo F35a landing ( Click on PIC below for Video)
Almost 345pm and Dutch F-35A F-002 Lighting 41 came out , took off and landed an hour later.
By 4:45pm I was thinking the tower will close at 5pm and decided to leave. That was the biggest mistake since those SAn Antonio VIpers left and did a 4 ship formation that I totally missed. I still kick myself for not waiting the 15 minutes.
All in all, 5 F-35A in a day and even though I miss those Gunfighters F-16 it was an eventful Sat.
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