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 first 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
