A-6 on approach to FRG

[Greg_NY]

About 15 minutes ago I saw an A-6 or EA-6 on approach to Republic. It was quite loud, a couple of people got out of their houses to see what the racket was :D .

Anyone know why it is here and which model it is? Just curious...
Thanks

[Steven Holzinger]

EA-6B Prowler. There are no more A-6 Intruders flying.

[hiss srq]

Good greif I need to get back home to NY soon I miss all the good stuff of old

[mirrodie]

hmm, taking a detour to the office tomorrow. would be nice to see.

[hiss srq]

I would be quite greatful if someone could snap off a few good shots for me if possible. :mrgreen:

[Steven Holzinger]

If you ever make a trip down to VA Beach to spot at NAS Oceana you'll somewhat occasionally see a Prowler or two come in for a touch-and-go.

[SCOTYDEMCO]

Anyone know a departure time or date?? I would love to snap off some shots for you hiss.

[mirrodie]

she's there, I love them. The Prowler and Warthog are the unloved slow planes that dont get the glamour of the Tomcat and Hornet and such.

got a few ashots but all backlit. a pleasure to see.

[lijk604]

Wait wait....backlit, @ LIJC in the morning? Where the heck were you shooting from???

[hiss srq]

Thanks Mario lol

[GrummanFan]

I was just there around noon, no sign of her. :x Sometimes you catch em, and sometimes you dont.

[moose135]

I was just there around noon, no sign of her. :x Sometimes you catch em, and sometimes you dont.

That's because you didn't look hard enough:

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h87/moose135/FRG/JM_EA-6B_161245_03.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h87/moose135/FRG/JM_EA-6B_161245_02.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h87/moose135/FRG/JM_EA-6B_161245_01.jpg

She was "hiding" over on the ramp next to the main terminal...ran into Mario out there around 1pm. The sun was still in a bad spot, may try back after work to see if I can get any better shots.

[mirrodie]

and that is why she was backlit early this morning ;) she is by the fighter group :)

[mirrodie]

Actually, be sure to ask moose the meaning of


"Is that a Qantas 747 in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"



John and I just happened to be there at the same time and were catching up, when all of a sudden, I hear engines spooling up. So I ask John, "How cool, is that your phone ringing?"

and he looks at me all weird.....then I realize, while in Australia earlier this month, I bought a Qantas 747 keychain that makes a takeoff sound. And it was in my pocket and I suppose I hit the button.

you had to be there. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[moose135]

Yes, that was cute Mario. And I loved your barking camera :D

[mirrodie]

just wait til I set the camera on timer....the sounds that emanate.

[hiss srq]

shes flipping gorgeous

[moose135]

Stopped by again after work when the sun was in a better spot, and ran into MORS-AB-ALTO, who had a stepladder so he could try to get some shots over the fence.

Here are a few of my evening shots:

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h87/moose135/FRG/JM_2006_07_26_161245_01.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h87/moose135/FRG/JM_2006_07_26_161245_04.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h87/moose135/FRG/JM_2006_07_26_161245_03.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h87/moose135/FRG/JM_2006_07_26_161245_06.jpg

One of the ACY Gambler flights came in while we were there:

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h87/moose135/FRG/JM_2006_07_26_161245_05.jpg

I got to talking to the security guard (sounds like he may be ex-Grumman) who was inside the fence about the Prowler and taking pictures - he thought it was great that MOR had a ladder with him, and I told him it's not unusual for those of us who are serious about this sort of thing to bring ladders, etc. He was also working the night the F-14s were at FRG, and he said about 10pm some guy came down with an SUV, got out his camera equipment, and climbed on top to shoot pictures. I said "Hey, that's my friend Fred!" There was also a woman from Grumman there (outside the fence) who said that despite all the photos the NG photogs took when the Tomcats were here, there aren't any where employees can see them. The security guard remembered Fred's website, although he called it "wallpapers.com". I corrected him, and told her she could find lots of Fred's pictures there.

The guard told me the Prowler is expected to leave around 10am Thursday. Looks like I need to be out of the office for a while tomorrow morning :-)

[SCOTYDEMCO]

Rob sleeps with that stepladder, lol. Maybe I'll take a trip out there tomorrow.

[MORS-AB-ALTO]

Thought I would post these before me and the old stepladder hit the hay.
Pleasure to meet you Moose. I'll be there tomorrow around 10 for their departure.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/MORSABALTO/REPUBLIC%20VISITORS/prowler7-28early.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/MORSABALTO/REPUBLIC%20VISITORS/prowler7-28nose.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/MORSABALTO/REPUBLIC%20VISITORS/prowler7-28.jpg

[SCOTYDEMCO]

Nice shots Rob. Nice light

[lijk604]

She just took off @ 1040....and I was in a meeting, missed the takeoff.
Heard it, but didnt shoot it. DAMN!

[GrummanFan]

Argh are you freakin kidding me!!! :evil: I thought it was at the Jetcenter, so when I drove down New Highway and saw nothing I thought it was gone. Damnit I had so much film and I wasted all that gas...next time Im circling the airport a few times before I leave.

[pgengler]

The one thing I miss about my old job is being able to hop down to FRG when the getting's good. Oh well, the extra $15k a year (not to mention this is less soul-sucking) makes up for that. 8)

[hiss srq]

LOL at Soul Sucking. Anyone know how long those beauties will remain in the fleet since the A-6 and the Tomcat have gotten the shaft

[MORS-AB-ALTO]

Made it there for the departure on time. Should have played it safe and parked along New Highway, but I figured I would try to get a different angle this time so I set up by the 56th. Bad call as they took up most of 14 to get off the ground before breaking to the East. Thought we would get a flyby which never happened. However, it looked like it circled Grumman's Bethpage facility twice before departing for good. I'll have some pics from today up in a bit.

With the Prowlers set to be around until at least 2013-15 I'm sure I'll have a few more chances to finally get a decent airborne shot of one.

[MORS-AB-ALTO]

Here are the pics I got today of the Prowler from VAQ-139, the Cougars based at NAS Whidbey Island. Their webiste

http://www.naswi.navy.mil/vaq-139/vaq139home_2.htm

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/MORSABALTO/REPUBLIC%20VISITORS/prowlerhookup.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/MORSABALTO/REPUBLIC%20VISITORS/prowlercanopies.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/MORSABALTO/REPUBLIC%20VISITORS/prowlerflick.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/MORSABALTO/REPUBLIC%20VISITORS/prowlerwedge.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/MORSABALTO/REPUBLIC%20VISITORS/prowlerrear.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/MORSABALTO/REPUBLIC%20VISITORS/prowlerside.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/MORSABALTO/REPUBLIC%20VISITORS/prowlertakeoff.jpg

Here'a nother Tomcat plate car I saw outside the tower. Had to take a picture of us both together.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/MORSABALTO/REPUBLIC%20VISITORS/DSC_0831.jpg

And here's a Swiss registered Global Express I caught last week

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/MORSABALTO/REPUBLIC%20VISITORS/DSC_0001.jpg

[Matt Molnar]

Great shots!

[T-Bird76]

Man those are fantastic shots!!! LOVE THEM! That call sign is great to! "Wedge"

[pgengler]

MORS-AB-ALTO, which of those Tomcat plates is yours? If you're "14TOMCAT", then I (briefly) spoke you (well, I commented on those being the right plates for the day) when the Tomcats were leaving Republic last month. (If not, well, then I briefly spoke with whoever it is that has those plates...)

[MORS-AB-ALTO]

I'm F-14 BABY, the other owner of the 14TOMCAT plate has no direct affiliation to the Tomcat, just a fan like myself.

[mirrodie]

great shots, glad you got to see it go off!

Its a pretty and unloved beast.

[hiss srq]

hey can you send me a copy of the global shot I know that jets crew very well they go to SRQ quite often. That got me out of my seat when I saw that lol

[Nick]

Nice shots, I heard there was another aircraft at the airport recently too, possibly an A-4, which I know is out of service.

[Steven Holzinger]

There is one A-4 in airworthy condition in the hands of a civil operator... think Collings Foundation.

[MORS-AB-ALTO]

There is one A-4 in airworthy condition in the hands of a civil operator... think Collings Foundation.

The A-4 is indeed flown by the Collings Foundation. I caught her at Thunder Over Michigan last week.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/MORSABALTO/Thunder%20Over%20Michigan%202006/SCOOTERREAR.jpg

[727C47]

Saw an EA-6B land at Hill AFB,at Ogden,Ut. this weekend, it was like an apparation ,a warty, knobby,blast from the past ,taxiing in past all those svelte ,electric, F-16's,and F-15s. When the F-18 Growler takes over in a few years ,the only Grummans in the fleet will be Hawkeyes,and Greyhounds.