493FS to Red Flag 17-2 11-13/02/2017

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Saturday 11/02/2017

"RCH3501" KC-135R 58-0118 [AE07A3] and "RCH3502" KC-135T 58-0094 [AE0360] have departed Mildenhall to take 6 x LN F-15Cs ("TABOR51" Flt) to CONUS for the next Red Flag.

.........6 plus 2 (?) airspare(s) F-15s took off. One (84-0044)has RTB with cabin pressurisation problems and one airspare has also returned

.........Tankers will return separately later.

.........They are being met at 30W by "RCH3503" KC-135R 63-8008 [AE046A] which will take them on from there.

F-15C serials:-
84-0027 = "TABOR51"
84-0010 = "TABOR52"
86-0166 = "TABOR53"
84-0044 = "TABOR54"........RTB with cabin pressurisation problem - changed callsign to "WARDOG12"
86-0165 = "TABOR55"
86-0171 = "TABOR56"

86-0160 = "WARDOG11" - airspare.......carried on to the US - changed callsign to "TABOR54"(?)
86-0174 = "WARDOG12" - airspare.......RTB - changed callsign to "WARDOG11"(?)

Destination on this leg is believed to be Barnes ANGB, Westfield-Barnes MAP, Ma - also an F-15C base..........landed there 16.11Z

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Should be another 6(?) on 12th and 4(?) on 13th....same timings on the NOTAMs

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13.20Z "RCH3502" RTB Mildenhall, currently plotting over Northern Ireland.

14.41Z "RCH3501" RTB Mildenhall, currently plotting over Northern Ireland.

[rh226]

Sunday 12/02/2017

Scrubbed for today.

[rh226]

Monday 13/02/2017

"RCH3511" KC-135T 58-0118 [AE07A3] and "RCH3512" KC-135R 63-7999 [AE0390] have departed Mildenhall taking the next wave of F-15Cs to CONUS "TABOR61" Flt.

The tankers will eventually turn back (as Saturday's did) and return to Mildenhall.  As the previous lot, KC-135R 63-8008 will take over the "haul".

As at 10.28Z, they are plotting just N of the Scottish border at FL270 heading towards LUK.

10.31Z Evidently the initial refuel is complete, as they turned West at Jedburgh > TLA > MAC.

13.31Z "RCH3512" RTB Mildenhall, currently plotting over Northern Ireland

15.23Z "RCH3511" RTB Mildenhall, currently plotting over Northern Ireland

[rh226]

Serials are currently unknown

[rh226]

Tuesday 14/02/2017

12.19Z "RCH3521" KC-135R 63-7999 [AE0390] has launched from Mildenhall (after a 3hr delay)

12.27Z Passing W of Boston, climbing through FL258 and setting course for LEE.

12.39Z Passing over LEE at FL270, routing > LUK.

12.55Z Passing over LUK and turned West.

17.48Z "RCH3521" RTB Mildenhall, plotting over Northern Ireland.

"TABOR71" Flt F-15C serials are 84-0015, 86-0159 and 86-0174(?)....of which one is an airspare.