KNFW Aviation Spotting Report 1/2019

January have pass for 2019 and we are looking forward for Spring time here in DFW area. Lockheed Martin and our local units have been flying quite actively lately. Also, we get to catch some unique transient traffic here at NAS Ft worth JRB ( Joint Reserve Base) ( KNFW) and KAFW ( Ft worth Alliance Airport.

Transient Traffic

Lets start with the Special transients that came through the base. We get to catch ATAC Hunters in the tarmac in KAFW. Also the typical T-38 traffic that come by the airfield in the weekends. The unique catch came from the 148th FW F-16 from Minnesota. Unfortunately, this jet is bound to Davis Monthan to be deactivated. The gem of all catches comes in mid Jan when an Alaska ( AK) E-3G came in to do some touch and go in the base. He did at least 5 passes that day and we got some real treat seeing this white giant tearing up the runway. We also got Point Mugu C-130 training here in KNFW and C-2 Greyhound was on hot refuel heading back to their base in Norfolk, VA.

Hunters from ATAC
T-38C from various training units in AFW
148thFW F-16 from Minnesota
Alaska E-3 low approach
Alaska E-3 tower shot KNFW
AK E-3 last run before heading back to Tinker AFB
Pt Mugu C-130
C-2 Greyhound on take off run

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin promise to deliver more F-35 for fiscal year 2019. Here in Jan we are catching quite a few F35 Maiden flights including Eglin AFB F-35A, Norwegian F-35A, Dutch F-35A and more Hill F-35A. This time we are seeing some changes whereby the chase plane LMT is predominately using the F-35A as a chase rather than the F-16 platform.

Rocket 1-1 on the launch F-16V test platform
Weapon school and 422nd TES F-35A
Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35A
Norwegian AF F-35A on the launch
RAAF Australian AF F-35A
Eglin AFB F-35A on the Right break

Local units

301st FW ( Spads ), VMFA-112 ( Cowboys ), 136th Airlift Wing ( Roper ) and VMGR-234 ( Ropers ) was out in full force for the month of Janurary. Here are some of the actions we catch.