Luke AFB, Goodyear Airport, and Sky Harbor, April 12, 2006


I was in Arizona for over a week touring the airports in the vicinity of Phoenix. I visited Sky Harbor International Airport, Williams-Gateway Airport, Luke Air Force Base, Goodyear Airport, and Falcon Field.

On Wednesday, April 12, I visited Luke Air Force Base, Goodyear Airport, and Sky Harbor International Airport.

Luke Air Force Base

Luke Air Force Base is home to the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons of the 56th Fighter Wing and the 499th Fighter Wing.

Four General Dynamics F-16A Block 20 Fighting Falcons of the 21st Fighter Squadron Gamblers of the 56th fighter Wing. The 21st Fighter Squadron was activated in 1996 to train pilots from Taiwan at Luke Air Force Base.

Link to the Luke Air Force Base 56th Fighter Wing web page.

General Dynamics F-16A Block 20 Fighting Falcon, 93-0703 of the 21st Fighter Squadron. Its construction number is TA-2.

F-16A Block 20, 93-0817 of the 21st Fighter Squadron. Its construction number is TA-116.

F-16A Block 20, 93-0721 of the 21st Fighter Squadron. Its construction number is TA-20.

F-16A Block 20, 93-0708 of the 21st Fighter Squadron. Its construction number is TA-07.

F-16B Block 20, 93-0825 of the 21st Fighter Squadron. Its construction number is TB-4.

F-16A Block 20, 93-0711 of the 21st Fighter Squadron. Its construction number is TA-10.

F-16A Block 20, 93-0722 of the 21st Fighter Squadron. Its construction number is TA-21.

F-16B Block 20, 93-0825 of the 21st Fighter Squadron.

F-16D Block 25D, 84-1325 of the 301st Fighter Squadron of the 944th Fighter Wing takes off in afterburner. Its construction number is 5D-19.

F-16C Block 32C, 86-0217 of the 944th Operations Group. Its construction number is 5C-323.

F-16C Block 32D, 86-0299 of the 301st Fighter Squadron. Its construction number is 5C-405.

A pair of F-16s of the 301st Fighter Squadron.

F-16D Block 25D, 84-1325 of the 301st Fighter Squadron.

F-16C Block 32C, 86-0240 of the 301st Fighter Squadron. Its construction number is 5C-346.

F-16C Block 32D, 86-0273 of the 301st Fighter Squadron. Its construction number is 5C-379.

F-16C Block 25F, 85-1429 of the 61st Fighter Squadron Top Dogs of the 944th Fighter Wing. Its construction number is 5C-209.

F-16C Block 25F, 85-1439 of the 61st Fighter Squadron. Its construction number is 5C-219.

F-16C Block 32J, 87-0315 of the 301st Fighter Squadron. Its construction number is 5C-578.


More Luke Air Force Base displays

title="Luke Air Force Base" width="504" height="216"> Luke Air Force Base displays.


Goodyear Airport

Many retired airliners are stored at the Goodyear Airport.

Douglas DC-7C, N777EA has been sitting at Goodyear for many years. It is the penultimate DC-7C, and its construction number is 45549. It was delivered to KLM Royal Dutch Arilines as PH-DSR Barentsz Zea on December 10, 1958. Interpublic Incorporated bought it as N904ME on October 25, 1962. US Leasing Corporation bought it on December 21, 1962 and leased it back to Interpublic Incorporated on December 26, 1962. General American Oil Company bought it on January 12, 1968and sold it to Omni Investment Corporation on November 26, 1968. Flight Lease Incorporated bought it on March 21, 1969 and sold it to Donald Shephard on June 23, 1972. Jim Storms bought it on July 11, 1972 and sold it to the Pyramid Oil Company on March 5, 1973. Pyramid Oil Company gave it its current registration on January 29, 1974 before withdrawing it from use. It is reported that the passenger seating in its interior is still intact.

McDonnell-Douglas twin-engine airliners in storage at Goodyear.

Former United States Postal Service Boeing 727-51C, N416EX was delivered to Northwest Airlines as N496US on March 12, 1967. Emery World Wide acquired it as N416EX on June 12, 1981. It was retired to Goodyear by September 3, 2001. Its construction number is 19287.

Former Delta Boeing 737-232, N378DL was delivered on April 17, 1987. It was retired to Goodyear on October 28, 2004. Its construction number is 23605.

Former United States Postal Service Boeing 727-134C, N424EX was delivered to Transair Sweden as SE-DDC on September 4, 1968. Emery World Wide acquired it as N424EX on September 23, 1981. It was retired to Goodyear by January 6, 2002. Its construction number is 20042.

Former Delta McDonnell-Douglas MD-11, N805DE was delivered on November 16, 1992. It was retired to Goodyear on February 3, 2003. Its construction number is 48476.

Former Delta McDonnell-Douglas MD-11, N814DE was delivered on September 14, 1996. It was retired to Goodyear on May 21, 2003. Its construction number is 48623.

Former United States Postal Service Boeing 727-223, N312NE was delivered to American Airlines as N6841 on September 26, 1969. Express One Internatinoal leased it as N312NE on January 10, 1994. It was retired to Goodyear by September 3, 2001. Its construction number is 20193.

Former Delta McDonnell-Douglas MD-11, N815DE was delivered on February 20, 1998. It was retired to Goodyear by August 16, 2003. Its construction number is 48624.

Former Boeing 757-236, N227AN was delivered to Air Europe as G-BLVH on March 26, 1985. Avensa acquired it as YV-77C on April 17, 1990 and sold it to American Express Bank as N271AE on December 27, 1994. Air Europa leased it as EC-847 in April 1995 and re-registered it as EC-GCB on July 17, 1995. Iberia leased it in October 1997. Pac AC 23227 acquired it as N227AN on May 21, 2001 and leased it to Avianca on May 1, 2001. It was retired to Goodyear by July 11, 2003. Its construction number is 23227.

Phoenix Sky Harbor

I stopped off at the terminal 2 parking garage at Sky Harbor to get some pictures of the right side of Honeywell's Boeing 720-051B, N720H engine testbed in the afternoon sun.

Honeywell's Boeing 720-051B, N720H engine testbed.

Honeywell's Boeing 720-051B, N720H engine testbed. Camelback Mountain looms in the background.


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