Naval Air Station Fallon - TOPGUN - 3/06/2014

[Greg_NY]

I had the opportunity to visit NAS Fallon in Nevada in early March. This is the home of the Navy Fighter Weapons School also know as TopGun which operates under the jurisdiction of the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center or NSAWC.
Carrier Air Wing 5 from Atsugi Japan was visiting at the time which provided the opportunity to see several squadrons that we don't commonly see in the US.
One of the highlights for me was the US Navy F-16s which I had never seen before, they are part of the NSAWC fleet and are flown by the TopGun instructors.
In the morning we toured the ramp and other areas, and in the afternoon we observed flight ops runway side.

VFC-13 F-5 Tiger II
http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_3483_PS_800.jpg

40th Anniversary F-5
http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_3244_PS_800.jpg

Vipers row on the NSAWC ramp
http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_0056_800.jpg

http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_2931_800.jpg

http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_2627_PS_800.jpg

http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_2641_800.jpg

http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_2790_PS_800.jpg

NSAWC Growler
http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_0063_800.jpg

VFC-13 F-5 Tiger under the shelter
http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_0104_PS_800.jpg

http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_0202_800.jpg

VFA-27 "Royal Maces" CAG jet
http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_0298_PS_800.jpg

VAQ-138 "Yellow Jackets" Growler
http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_3014_PS_800.jpg

VFC-12 "Ambush" Hornet
http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_3132_PS_800.jpg

VFA-115 "Eagles" CAG jet
http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_3650_PS_800.jpg

http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_2952_800.jpg

VFA-204 "River Rattlers"
http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_3279_800.jpg

http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_3712_PS_800.jpg

VFA-102 "Diamondbacks" Rhino
http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_3819_PS_800.jpg

http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_2892_800.jpg

Grumman E-2C from VAW-117 on a takeoff roll
http://www.lebowitzfamily.com/images/fallon2014/IMG_0423_800.jpg

More can be found at the links below...

Thanks for looking

Isaac

[Chris S]

Awesome shots, Isaac !! Thanks for posting them cause it's real treat to see ALL those
SWEET looking Top Gun aircraft and those Hornets from Air Wing 5 at Fallon also !! :cool:
WOW, talk about being a kid in a candy store !! :wink:

[Greg_NY]

Thanks for the kind words Chris!

[Kiffy]

Great set! Nice lighting and sharp photos, great work.

[captmjk16]

Awesome shots Isaac, I'm a huge fan of those Hornet shots from the side of the runway! Were you out there for a FenceCheck photo call or something similar for that kind of access?

[megatop412]

Excellent, just excellent. Navy F-16's?? EXCELLENT

[Greg_NY]

Thanks for the kind comments guys!!!

Captmjk16, to answer your question, this wasn't a Fencecheck photocall, I arranged this visit with the Fallon PAO.

Isaac

[Speedbagel_001]

Excellent, just excellent. Navy F-16's?? EXCELLENT

Yes. Actually, the Navy's been using them as aggressor aircraft for a long time. Not sure what model the current version is, but previously, they used the F16N.

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions_article22.html

I was lucky enough to see a retired F16N on display at an airfield in San Diego, in 2003. It was parked in the vicinity of another retired former "Top Gun" aircraft. What was it's name again? Something to do with a "cat"... :biggrin:

[MPC]

Magnific!

[AA757]

Beautiful shots.......


Rich B

[TJK]

Fantastic!

[Zee71]

Nothing short of outstanding and awesome light Isaac!!! You can make some nice posters from your shots.

[Greg_NY]

Thanks very much guys!

[backlash]

Fantastic Shots!!! Great...

Markus