Category Archives: USAF

Razzle Dazzle

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How about these great recent Lightning Bug shots that just hit DVIDS from the F-35A Demonstration Team? All show Major Melanie “Mach” Kluesner of the 4th FS, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill Air Force Base, in action.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Melanie “Mach” Kluesner, pilot of the F-35A Demonstration Team, performs aerial maneuvers during the Southernmost Airshow Spectacular at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, on March 30, 2025. The team’s mission is to inspire, engage, and recruit the next generation of Airmen by showcasing the capabilities of the Air Force’s premier fifth-generation fighter. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Rupiper)

(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Rupiper)

(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Rupiper)

U.S. Air Force Maj. Melanie “Mach” Kluesner, pilot of the F-35A Demonstration Team, performs aerial maneuvers alongside a P-51 Mustang and F-16 Fighting Falcon during a heritage flight formation at the Sun ‘n Fun Airshow in Lakeland, Florida, April 2, 2025. Heritage flights honor the history and evolution of airpower by showcasing multiple generations of aircraft flying together. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Rupiper)

(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Rupiper)

For reference, the birds are the throwback 50th Anniversary rollout livery F-16C Block 50D (91-0395) of the 20th Fighter Wing, TSI’s P-51D-20-NA Mustang “Double Trouble Too” (463684/N51EA), and the Demo F-35A (19-5483)

Auto-Ordnance Shows off 250th Anniversary Army, Navy and Marine 1911s

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With 1775 some 250 years in the rearview, Auto-Ordnance came to the recent NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta with a trio of special new USGI .45s.

This year, besides the semiquincentennial of the start of the Revolutionary War, the Army will celebrate its official 250th birthday on June 14, followed by the Navy on October 13 and the Marines on November 10. To honor the services, Auto-Ordnance has three 250th Armed Forces Anniversary 1911s on tap.

Based on the company’s standard 80-series Government format M1911A1, complete with a GI profile slide, fixed sights, and curved mainspring housing, each variant will sport a dedicated Cerakote livery applied by Texas-based Altered Arsenal.

In each variant, the left slide will carry a “250 years of Service, 1775 – 2025” crest surrounded by laurel leaf etching. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Each pistol will have custom styling on the top of the slides that emulates the “gig line” of the respective services’ dress uniform, complete with buttons and belt buckle.

The Army variant (1911BKOC15) carries an OD Green Cerakote finish with Silver, Black, and Gold accents. The phrase “May God have mercy on my enemies because I won’t” is a well-known quote attributed to General George S. Patton.

The Navy variant (1911BKOC16) has a White, Blue, Black, and Gold Cerakote finish. The quote, “I have not yet begun to fight!” is famously attributed to Captain John Paul Jones during the Battle of Flamborough Head in 1779.

The Marine variant (1911BKOC17) has a Blue, Black, Silver, Red, and Gold Cerakote finish. The phrase “Retreat, hell – we just got here” is a famous quote attributed to Captain Lloyd W. Williams of the 5th Marines during the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I.

These 250th Armed Forces Anniversary 1911s will ship soon with one standard 7-round magazine included and have an MSRP of $1,399.

Keep in mind that you can get an actual USGI surplus M1911A1 from the CMP for less than that. Of course, it won’t be pretty, but every old vet, even those in .45 ACP, deserves a home.

The Everlasting Jiggs

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It happened 95 years ago today.

Rockwell Field, near Coronado, California, 29 April 1930. Hollywood actresses Winnie Lightner, 31, and Irene Delroy, 29, clown for the camera as Lt. (later Maj. Gen.) William C. Kingsbury of the U.S. Army Air Corps’ 11th Bombardment Squadron looks down from the forward navigator/bombadier position of a rare Keystone LB-7 light bomber.

Of note, Winnie Lightner was known as Broadway’s “Song a Minute Girl” at the time because she could belt out a song in less than 60 seconds.

A sample of her work:

The Keystone LB-6/LB-7, dubbed the “Panther” by its maker, was never made in great numbers, with just 35 production models delivered to the Army for use by its six bomber squadrons in the late 1920s.

Armed with five light machine guns in assorted mounts, it could carry up to a ton of bombs out to 600 miles, lumbering along with its open crew compartments at a canvas-flapping 95 mph. They were replaced by monoplane bombers by 1934.

Keystone LB-7 aircraft at Patterson Field, Ohio, in September 1929. (U.S. Air Force photo)

They were also stars of the silver screen, appearing in Howard Hughes’ 1927 aviation epic, Wings, filling in as German Gotha bombers.

The insignia seen on the side of the LB-7 at the top is “Jiggs” of Sunday newspaper comics fame. Drawn by George McManus, Jiggs is a wealthy top-hatted rogue who attempts repeatedly to escape his dish-hurling and bread-pin-wielding wife, Maggie.

The unit adopted a bomb-toting Jiggs as the 11th Aero Squadron when it was flying DH-4s over the Western Front out of Maulan Aerodrome in France in 1918.

The 11th is still active today and flies B-52Hs out of Barksdale.

And Jiggs is still on their insignia, spats and all. .

Red Stars over Niagara

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Just call it Operation Honeymoon.

The curious, but very normal, 1944-45 sight of Lend-Leased Bell P-63 Kingcobras flying over Niagara Falls, clad in the Red Stars and tactical dark green livery of the Soviet Air Force.
Bell assembled the P-63 at the company’s factory in Wheatfield, New York.

P-63A-10-BE at Bell’s Wheatfield, New York factory

From there, after passing inspections by first an American and the Soviet AF officer, these P-63s would be immediately attached to twin 285-liter drop tanks, flown by USAAF Air Transport Command ferry pilots across the Dakotas to Great Falls, Montana, then to RCAF Station Edmonton, Alberta, and finally to Ladd Field at Fairbanks Alaska– a trip of over 4,000 miles– where the “Reds” picked them up and flew them on to Siberia and points west.
Notably, on both the American and Soviet ends of the Alaska-Siberia route, a predominance of ferry pilots was female.

WASP “skippers” on Wheatfield P-39s and P-63s

Besides the P-63s and the earlier P-39s, P-40s, A-20s, C-47s, and B-25s were also ferried from CONUS and then across the Bering Sea, with 7,983 aircraft successfully delivered to the Russians, and only 133 of all types were lost to weather or pilot error.

Warming pre-flight

P-63 Kingcobra fighters in flight during a ferry flight along the Alaska-Siberia air route, with Avachinskaya Sopka in Kamchatka in the background

Being slow compared to the P-38 and P-51 and less of a brute than the P-47, the Kingcobra saw negligible service with the USAAF. However, the Russkis loved the tough, heavily-armed, and reliable aircraft, which was well-suited to their particular brand of tactical aviation.

Of the 3,303 production aircraft, some three-quarters, at least 2,397 airframes, were delivered new to Uncle Joe and the gang, with only the hours racked up in the ferry flights from Niagara. They endured in Soviet service so long that they picked up a NATO F-code (fighter) reporting name in the 1950s (Fred).

Ace pilots of the 9th Guard Aviation Division at the Bell P-39 fighter Airacobra by GA Rechkalova. From left to right: Alexander Fedorovich Klubov (twice Hero of the Union, shot down 31 airplanes personally, 19 in a group), Grigory Andreevich Rechkalov (twice a Hero, shot down 56 airplanes personally and 6 in a group), Andrei Ivanovich Trud (Hero of the USSR, shot down 25 airplanes individually and 1 in a group) and commander of the 16th Guards Fighter Squad Air Regiment Boris Borisovich Glinka (Hero of the Soviet Union, shot down 30 airplanes personally and 1 in a group). The 2nd Ukrainian Front. The photo was taken in June 1944 – the number of stars on Rechkalov’s plane corresponds to his achievements at that time (46 planes shot down personally, 6 in a group).

Soviet Red Air Force ace Alexander Pokryshkin chalked up 65 victories on the Eastern Front, almost all in P-39 Aircobras and P-63 Kings

Soviet P-63 Kingcobra of the VVS. Artist Vladimir Voronin.

All Aces, No Jokers

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Check out this great shot of some F-16Cs Block 50s of the Gamblers of the 77th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron out of Shaw AFB in South Carolina, on deployment for trilateral training during Cope25 at Korat Royal Air Base, Thailand, with Thai and Singapore AF units.

The airframe is 34 years old and has been with the 77th FS since 1994

Of note, the squadron leader with the full-color “4 of a Kind” poker hand painted on the tail, SN #91-0353, is a bona fide MiG killer, having splashed a Yugo MiG-29 with an AIM-120B during Operation Allied Force on 4 May 1999.

The 77th has a lineage that dates back to 1918 and earned seven campaign streamers alongside a Distinguished Unit Citation flying close air support missions in the European theater during WWII (28 Dec 1943–25 Apr 1945).

Flying the F-111 during the Cold War on NATO assignments kept them out of Vietnam, but they have been Falcon flyers since 1993, including several stints over Bosnia and in Southwest Asia.

Diorama worthy Phantom

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I though this was a very well done scale model scene until I found the original photo in the NARA and zoomed in enough to see expressions on faces. It was taken 40 years ago today in the coldest stretch of the Cold War.
Official caption: “An elevated view of the refueling of an F-4E Phantom II aircraft undergoing maintenance. The aircraft belongs to the 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron, 52nd Tactical Fighter Wing. Spangdahlem Air Base, Rheinland-Pfalz, West Germany. 18 March 1985″

USAF Photo DFST8511926, National Archives Identifier 6389752

The photographer was TSGT Jose Lopez Jr., who was seriously skilled. NARA has over 200 images of his that are digitized and several of them are incredibly stirring, especially when you remember they were all snapped back in the analog manual camera days when you had to be in touch with your F-stops and film speeds.
Check these two out:

“An air-to-air right side view of two F-15 Eagle aircraft from Detachment 1, 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, passing the rear of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park.” January 1, 1988. DFST8808317. National Archives Identifier 6427662. TSGT Jose Lopez Jr.

“A moisture cloud forms on the wings of a 96th Bomber Wing B-1B bomber aircraft as the plane executes a tight turn.” March 9, 1987. DFST9110024. National Archives Identifier 6462842. TSGT Jose Lopez Jr.

Already Cold F-16s and CF-18s Have a Chance to Get Colder in Greenland

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As part of NORAD’s recently completed Operation Noble Defender, Canadian CF-18s and USAF F-16s saw an expeditionary deployment from their bases in Quebec and Alaska across the Artic Circle to Pituffik Space Base (ex-Thule AB) in Greenland to operate from there for two weeks.

They were supported by assorted KC-135s, E-3s, C-150s and CH-149s.

Airmen that supported the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, for Operation NOBLE DEFENDER, pose for a group photo at Pittufik Space Base, Greenland, Feb. 5, 2025. Operation NOBLE DEFENDER is an air defense operation under the direction of the North American Aerospace Defense Command designed to demonstrate the command’s ability to defend the approaches of North America from current and future threats while integrating across domains with partners and allies. NORAD routinely conducts sustained, dispersed operations in defense of North America through one or all three NORAD regions, including Alaska, Canada, and the continental U.S. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Ruano)

F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, are placed on the flightline during Operation NOBLE DEFENDER at Pittufik Space Base, Greenland, Jan. 29, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Ruano)

A CF-18 Hornet from 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron out of 3 Wing Bagotville, Quebec, and a CC-150 Polaris from 437 (T) Sqn out of 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario, deployed in support of the Canadian NORAD Region (CANR) carry out air-to-air refueling during Operation NOBLE DEFENDER on February 3rd, 2025. (Capt Rachel Brosseau)

CH-149 Cormorant from 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron out of 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia, deployed to Pituffik, Greenland, in support of the Canadian NORAD Region (CANR), ready to respond to potential distress calls from NORAD assets during Operation NOBLE DEFENDER. (Capt Andrew Birchall)

As noted by NORAD:

During the operation, local temperatures were regularly below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, with the coldest days reaching minus 29 degrees F (-34 C) and a wind chill of minus 56 degrees F (-49 C). Maintenance and Civil Engineering airmen operated tirelessly in these conditions to ensure aircrews were able to conduct flying missions.

Bear Patrol

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The old turboprop-powered Tu-95 Bear, first flown in 1952, is still poking around, spotted this time over the Bearing and Chukchi Sea, and a whole new generation of interceptors are now rising to meet them.

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft positively identified and intercepted two Russian Tu-95 and two Su-35 military aircraft over the Bering Sea, on 18 Feb. 2025.

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft positively identified and intercepted two Russian Tu-95 and two Su-35 military aircraft over the Chukchi Sea, on 19 Feb. 2025.

Two Russian Tu-95 and two Su-27 military aircraft are positively identified and intercepted by North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft over the Chukchi Sea,19 Feb. 2025. 

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft positively identified and intercepted two Russian Tu-95 and two Su-35 military aircraft over the Bering Sea, on 18 Feb. 2025.

Via Alaskan Command:
On Feb. 18th and 19th, 2025, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft positively identified and intercepted two Russian Tu-95 and two Su-35 military aircraft in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) remaining in international airspace west of Alaska.
NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North American including meeting presence with presence.
The bandits appear to include Tupelov Tu-95MS Bear-H Red 45 (RF-94189), a strategic missile slinger of the Amur long-range aviation unit, escorted by Sukhoi Su-35 Super Flankers Blue 24 (95493) and Red 51– possibly of the 23rd Fighter Aviation Regiment.
Of note, Blue 24 seemed to be armed with two long-range Vympel NPO R-77s and two short-range R-73 AAMs, which is a flex.

Marianas Lightning Storm

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Exercise Cope North 2025 has seen at least four different F-35 fifth-gen fighter operators conducting combined operations from Guam. These include the U.S. Air Force (134th Fighter Squadron), Royal Australian Air Force No. 75 Squadron, Japan Air Self Defense Force F-35As, and U.S. Marine Corps F-35B STOVL variants of VMFA-121.

Allies from the United States, Japan, and Australia come together for a group photo on the flight-line in front of three F-35A Lightning IIs to celebrate the end of exercise Cope North 2025 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 21, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tala Hunt)

Japan Air Self-Defense Force Col. Takeshi Okubo, flight group commander, 3rd Air Wing, poses for a photo in front of an F-35A Lightning II during exercise Cope North 25 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Jan. 30, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tala Hunt)

A Royal Australian Air Force maintainer prepares to work on a F-35A Lightning II for exercise Cope North 25, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Jan. 29, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tala Hunt)

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II is flanked from top to bottom by a Royal Australian Air Force F-35A, a Japan Air Self Defense Force F-35A, and a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II during a formation over the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility, Feb. 7, 2025, as part of exercise Cope North 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Thomas Hansford)

From left to right, a Royal Australian Air Force F-35A, a U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II, a Japan Air Self Defense Force F-35A, and a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II fly together over the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility during exercise Cope North 2025, Feb. 7, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Caleb Roland)

Also joining the fun were RAAF 33 Squadron’s KC-30 tanker transports and a 2 Squadron E-7A Wedgetail, JASDF E-2D Hawkeyes and a KC-46 refueling tanker, U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers, and USMC F/A-18C Hornets. Meanwhile, the USAF also had F-16CMs, KC-135s, and E-3s in the air with MH-60S running SAR. In all, some 62 aircraft and 2,300 personnel were surged to Anderson AFB from across the Pacific– with some USAF units coming from as far away as Tinker and Tyndal.

A Royal Australian Air Force E-7 Wedgetail is flanked from top to bottom by a U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon, a RAAF F-35A Lightning II, a USAF F-35A, a Japan Air Self Defense Force F-35A, U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II, a USMC F/A-18C Super Hornet, and followed by a U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler during a formation over the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility, Feb. 7, 2025, as part of exercise Cope North 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Thomas Hansford)

A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail is flanked from left to right by a U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon, a RAAF F-35A Lightning II, a USAF F-35A, a Japan Air Self Defense Force F-35A, a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II, and a USMC F/A-18C Hornet, with a U.S Navy EA-18G Growler in the center rear during a formation flight over the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility as part of exercise Cope North 2025, Feb. 7, 2025.  (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Thomas Hansford)

As noted by the USAF:

CN25 showcases the importance of cooperation and partnership in maintaining a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region and highlights the U.S. commitment to working with Allies and partners to promote peace and prosperity. The F-35A provides next-generation stealth, enhanced situational awareness, and reduced vulnerability to the realistic combat training and scenarios in CN25.

Meanwhile, B-1B Lancers from the South Dakota-based 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron showed up for the fun as well. Formed up as Bomber Task Force 25-1, they are visiting the Philippines and other countries in the Rim.

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is parked at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in support of Bomber Task Force 25-1, Feb. 10, 2025. Bomber missions provide opportunities to train and work with our Allies and partners in joint and coalition operations and exercises. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brittany Kenney)

B-ONE Vibe Check

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19 February 1985. 40 years ago this week. Official caption: “Airman First Class Peter Warner, 3902nd Air Base Wing, Security Police Squadron, Wheaton, Illinois, provides security for a B-1B bomber aircraft (background) during a stopover. He is armed with an M16A1 carbine.”

USAF Photo DFST8600723, National Archives Identifier 6400254

Despite the caption, Airman Warner is sporting a GAU-5AA, Colt Model 649, XM177 carbine with its distinctive 11.5-inch barrel. Note the lack of forward assist and the characteristic beefy muzzle device.

Also, you have to love the hard 1980 vibe check to include the OG-107 cotton sateen olive drab uniform with the rolled sleeves and blue service stitching, the camo ascot, and the Casio digital watch with the OD flex band. You just know he has a Coleco Electronic Quarterback game in his desk drawer back at the guard shack, or a Rubik’s Cube.

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