Post by ZacYates on Mar 8, 2017 9:06:36 GMT 12
Hi all,
I know they've had some decent coverage in the Air Tattoo thread, but I figured the first visit by a type in 32-1/2 years was worth its own thread!
F-16CJs s/n 91-0422 and 92-3887 of the 13th Fighter Squadron (Wiki page about them) based at Misawa, Japan both flew solo displays at the RNZAF 80th Anniversary Air Tattoo at RNZAF Base Ohakea on 25-26 February 2017. Major Richard "Smudge" Smeeding was the pilot. From MRC Aviation blog:
"The quarter were planned to operate direct to Ohakea 21 February however an unservicable support aircraft saw this delayed on 24 February with the KC135 leading the charge and topping up the F16's on 6 occasions for the 6hr 30min flight to New Zealand. The trio arrived in Ohakea just on or a shade after sunset with the KC135 touching down first followed by the F16's with the jets breaking off their planned route to fly over the North Island's Central Pleateau region checking out the scenery!
"(...)91-422 flew the display routine 25 February while 92-3877 was used the following day. It was planned the two jets would sprint down to Christchurch at the conclusion of the show however inclement weather at destination and potentially a mechanical issue with 92-3877 saw this plan curtailed and 91-422 at the last minute decided to blast off for a 45 minute low level local flight out over Taranaki, Central Pleateau, Taupo region before returning using the callsign "COORS01". The same aircraft flew another "scenic" flight from/to Ohakea 27 February, this time taking in the South Island where the weather had improved markedly from the previous day. Both jets departed 28 February for Avalon."
This was the first time F-16s, and any serving US fighter aircraft, had been in New Zealand since TRIAD84 in October 1984.
To kick things off photo-wise, this morning a cracker set of photos from their arrival at sunset on 24 February as well as airshow shots have been posted at the MRC Aviation blog: mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2017/03/usaf-contingent-fighting-falcons_8.html
And my own snaps from Saturday at the Air Tattoo:
Look, I was super excited to see a real-life F-16 and this was as close as I thought I could get!
I hope others share their (better!) photos of these two exciting visitors.
