Curious on the backstory behind the photos? This is the place. You'll find not only write ups on local outings, but also reviews of major events I’ve attended.
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023
Despite difficult weather and events, Oshkosh 2023 was another one for the books!
Every year, aviation enthusiasts from all over the world gather in Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the World's Greatest Aviation Celebration, where they get to experience some of the best aircraft displays and activities. This year, the event managed to break records despite less-than-ideal weather conditions.
With temperatures regularly in the 90s and wildfire smoke from the north hanging in the air, visitors had a difficult time walking around in the direct sunlight for eight days straight. However, according to the EAA, the event was attended by approximately 677,000 people and more than 10,000 aircraft arrived at Wittman Regional Airport and other airports in east-central Wisconsin. There were even more than 13,000 sites for camping, accounting for an estimated 40,000 visitors.
The event also featured 848 commercial exhibitors and received a significant number of international visitors, with 2,372 attendees registering at the International Visitors Tent from a record-tying 93 countries outside the U.S. The actual total of international visitors was much higher, considering that not all of them register at the tent upon arrival.
This year's themes included EAA's 70th anniversary, 50 years since direct US involvement in the Vietnam War ended, the Air Force Education & Training Command, a Corsair "reunion", and a tribute to Public Benefit Aviation such as the Wisconsin Air National Guard, United States Coast Guard, JAARS, Civil Air Patrol, and others. With the large amount of military highlights, both past and present, you'll notice these albums contain more warbirds than past as a result.
Despite the challenging weather conditions, this year's Oshkosh Aviation Celebration was yet another successful event that broke records and attracted aviation enthusiasts from around the world.
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
A brief look into the history behind Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, also known as Carswell Field, is a military installation located in Fort Worth, Texas. The base was established in 1942 as a Consolidated Aircraft Corporation manufacturing plant, with the primary mission of producing B-24 Liberator bombers for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II.
After the war, the base was transferred to the Strategic Air Command and became home to the 7th Bombardment Wing, where it continued to be used for production of aircraft. During the Cold War, the base played a critical role in deterring Soviet aggression as a key storage site for nuclear weapons.
In 1994, the base was renamed Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth and now serves as a joint reserve base for multiple military units across different branches. Some of the units that are currently stationed at the base include the 301st Fighter Wing (F-16s), the 136th Airlift Wing (C-130Js), Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112 (F/A-18 legacy Hornets), Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 234 (KC-130J), Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 59 (C-40 Clipper), and multiple other units. As you'll see in the photos, we'll occasionally also see transient traffic generally tech stopping for fuel on their way across the US.
One of the base’s biggest highlights for locals and visiting enthusiasts is the massive presence of Lockheed Martin, particularly the F-35 Lightning II program. Lockheed Martin takes up the entire west side of the base and uses it as a key location for the production of the F-35 Lightning II, a fifth-generation fighter aircraft that can be used for a variety of missions. The F-35 program is one of the largest military aircraft contracts in history and provides jobs for thousands of people in the area. In addition to the F-35, you'll also see foreign F-16s which are used to test and modernize the platform.
We are definitely spoiled to have such a variety of aviation to choose from in North Texas and it's easy to take the history that surrounds us at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth for granted. From manufacturing bombers during World War II to playing a key role in deterring Soviet aggression during the Cold War, this base has seen it all. Today, it serves as a vital base for multiple units, ensuring the safety and security of our nation.
Around The Metroplex: April 24-25
Activity around the Dallas/Fort Worth area between April 24-25.
It's been a cloudy but busy past 48 hours here in the Fort Worth, TX area. Yesterday at the Fort Worth Alliance Airport, we had two fairly rare Boeing visitors - one from 1961 and one from 2021! First to depart was "HOKU 808," a KC-135 making the long trek back to it's home at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Mere minutes later, the much newer 737 MAX 10 taxied out as "BOEING 101" for a 7hr10m test flight over the Gulf of Mexico. Amazing that 60 years separate these airframes yet they still share many similarities, like that iconic Boeing cockpit/nose section.
Fast forward to this morning, and I made the quick trek down to the Fort Worth Meacham Airport and made it just in time to see two beautiful CH-53K King Stallions belonging to the Ironhorse of HMH-461 (Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina) prepping to depart. My first time seeing the relatively new King Stallion in the flesh! It's almost unsettling how clean these CH-53s are...! First to taxi out was "METAL 44" which first flew only 4 months ago followed by "IRONHORSE 12," which interestingly enough is the first King Stallion delivered to the USMC back in May 2018! Both headed east for what I assume is the trek back home to North Carolina after spending time at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Southwest Arizona.
