Homestead F-16 deployment to Lakenheath commenced.
Twelve Homestead Air Reserve Base (FL) F-16Cs finally arrived in the evening of 5 May 2019 at RAF Lakenheatn (UK). The aircraft from the US Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) 482nd Fighter Wing, 93rd Fighter Squadron "Makos” arrived in two groups of six from Atlantic City International (NJ). Two additional air spares returned.
CUBE51-56 flight F-16C “FM”:
F-16C 87-0233, 87-0244, 87-0259, 86-0264, 87-0287 and 88-0405 "93FS"
CUBE61-66 flight F-16C “FM”:
86-0307, 86-0319, 87-0338, 85-1487, 88-0404 as "482 FW" and 85-1438
Both on 3 and 4 May, the crossing was cancelled due to weather conditions. Support for the Vipers over the ocean was BOBBY91 (KC-10A 87-0120) and BOBBY01 (KC-10A 87-0121) out of McGuire AFB (New Yersey) landing in Prestwick (Scotland). BOBBY92 (KC-135R 62-3533) out of Niagara Falls (New York) and another one did not make the crossing but supported the refueling.
The unit is expected to further deploy into Europe in a couple of weeks but to return to Lakenheath in time and to participate in the D-Day celebrations early June.
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