Naval Air Facility el Centro
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On Thursday, February 16, 2012, I participated in a photocall at Naval Air Facility el Centro with photographers from Arizona Aviation Photographers, Aviation Photographers of Southern California, and Fencecheck. We photographed a practice session of the US Navy Blue Angels and then moved to the active runway to take pictures of Hornets from VFA-106 Gladiators and VFA-122 Flying Eagles. The day began overcast and rainy, but cleared up by mid-morning.
During the morning, some of the photographers asembled on the farm roads near the base perimeter to take pictures of Hornets* in the pattern for Runway 26. The rain turned the dirt roads into sticky traps for some of the cars.
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166972 #162 of VFA-122 on approach to land on Runway 26.
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164011 #447 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166977 #167 of VFA-122
A flight of Snowy Egrets in the pattern.
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25 is painted in two-tone blue and white camouflage like that applied to US Navy fighters during World War II to commemorate a century of naval aviation.
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25, NAF el Centro, February 16, 2012: You can buy this photo as prints as large as 16" x 24".
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166965 #156 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166965 #156 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
At noon. the photographers were taken to airshow center in vans for a practice session of the Blue Angels.
Boeing C-40A Clipper BuNo 166695 landed shortly after the group moved on base.
After a quick gas and go, Boeing C-40A Clipper BuNo 166695 taxied back to the active runway.
Boeing C-40A Clipper BuNo 166695
The Blue Angels pilots prepare for their practice session. The Bureau numbers for the Blue Angels Hornets are:
1 - 163451
2 - 163478
3 - 163765
4 - 163435
5 - 163768
6 - 163093
7 - 162723
McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163451 Blue Angels #1 taxis past the team announcer stand.
McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163765 Blue Angels #3 taxis past the team announcer stand.
McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163768 Blue Angels #5 pitches up sharply at take-off.
McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163768 Blue Angels #5 makes a dirty roll immediately after take-off.
Blue Angels diamond formation
Blue Angels diamond formation roll.
McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18C Hornets BuNo 163768 Blue Angels #5 and BuNo 163093 Blue Angels #6.
Blue Angels diamond formation makes a dirty pass across the airfield.
Double farvel formation
Blue Angels solo pilots make a rolling opposing pass.
Blue Angels rolling opposing pass, NAF el Centro, February 16, 2012: You can buy this photo as prints as large as 16" x 24".
Four-ship echelon.
Blue Angels Four-ship echelon, NAF el Centro, February 16, 2012: You can buy this photo as prints as large as 16" x 24".
Four-ship echelon.
Five-ship line abreast.
Blue Angels solo pilots make a high alpha pass.
#5 acceleratesw as #6 climbs away.
Tuck under break.
Shortly after the Blues Angels started practicing, a cloud bank drifted across the airfield and a light rain started falling.
Diamond formation.
Delta formation.
Delta formation roll.
Delta formation roll.
Delta formation.
Delta formation.
Delta formation.
Delta formation break.
Delta formation.
Delta formation.
Delta formation.
Delta formation break.
Tuck under break.
Tuck under break.
The sun came out for a while when the photographers moved to the active runway.
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166967 #160 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165886 #110 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164058 #446 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164249 #450 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166681 #171 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166681 #171 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166681 #171 of VFA-122, NAF el Centro, February 16, 2012: You can buy this photo as prints as large as 16" x 24".
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166681 #171 of VFA-122
Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion #46 of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron HMH-465 Warhorse based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California
Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion BuNo 162003 of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron HMH-465
Looks like stormy weather over Mexico.
Four Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets of VFA-122 break into the pattern for Runway 26.
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165882 #127 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165882 #127 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166976 #166 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166976 #166 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166976 #166 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166976 #166 of VFA-122, NAF el Centro, February 16, 2012: You can buy this photo as prints as large as 16" x 24".
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166977 #167 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166977 #167 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166972 #162 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166972 #162 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166972 #162 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165676 #210 of VFA-106 Gladiators
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25 and Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166967 #160 of VFA-122 enter the pattern for Runway 26.
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166967 #166 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166967 #160 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25, NAF el Centro, February 16, 2012: You can buy this photo as prints as large as 16" x 24".
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
Another cloud bank moved in front of the sun and followed it acrosas the sky for the rest of the afternoon.
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164058 #446 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164058 #446 of VFA-122 made a very short touch ad go. That's the closest that I have ever been to an airplane flying with its afterburners lit. It blasted me with turbulent hot air and pushed me several feet down the runway. I could feel the acoustic pummeling all through my body.
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164058 #446 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164058 #446 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164249 #450 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet BuNo 166958 #215 and F/A-18F Super Hornets BuNo 166790 #135 and BuNo 165926 #157 of VFA-122
Single-seat Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet BuNo 166958 #215 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166790 #135 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164058 #446 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164058 #446 of VFA-122
Boeing AV-8B+ Harrier BuNo 165380 #03 of VMA-513 Flying Nightmares based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona.
Boeing AV-8B+ Harrier BuNo 165580 #01 of VMA-513
Boeing AV-8B+ Harrier BuNo 165580 #01 of VMA-513
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets BuNo 166977 #167 and BuNo 165675 #103 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets BuNo 166977 #167, BuNo 165675 #103, and BuNo 166979 #170 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166977 #167 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165675 #103 color bird of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165675 #103 color bird of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166979 #170 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166979 #170 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165673 #106 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165673 #106 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet BuNo 166958 #215 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164011 #447 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165926 #157 of VFA-122
Blue Angels Flightline. McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A BuNo 162437 serves as a backup #5 ship.
I returned to NAF el Centro on Friday morning under a cloudless blue sky and took pictures from a farm road just outside the perimeter fence.
Blue Angels diamond formation take-off.
The Blue Angels remained in the diamond formation and maneuvered above the airfield.
Diamond formation.
The diamond formation made a photo pass.
The solo pilots made a formation take-off, breaking in opposite directions immediately after lifting off.
The diamond formation climbed away toward the practice range.
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166681 #171 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166977 #167 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164058 #446 of VFA-122
Beech T-34C Mentor BuNo 161053
Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet BuNo 166958 #215 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166972 #162 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166965 #156 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164011 #447 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165926 #157 of VFA-122
F/A-18C BuNo 163768 Blue Angels #5 breaks into the pattern for Runway 26 after the practice session.
Blue Angels #5 on approach to land.
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165676 #210 of VFA-106
Blue Angels delta formation break.
F/A-18B BuNo 161723 Blue Angels #7 on the downwind leg for Runway 30.
F/A-18C BuNo 163093 Blue Angels #6 on the downwind leg for Runway 30.
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164011 #447 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165673 #106 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166967 #166 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165886 #110 of VFA-122
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 163733 #25
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166967 #160 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165675 #103 color bird of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166977 #167 and BuNo 166681 #171 of VFA-122 break into the pattern
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166977 #167 and BuNo 166681 #171 of VFA-122, NAF el Centro, February 17, 2012: You can buy this photo as prints as large as 16" x 24".
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166681 #171 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166977 #167 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166965 #156 of VFA-122
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166965 #156 of VFA-122
*When I use the word Hornets on this page, it sometimes means Hornets and Super Hornets.
Naval Air Facility el Centro provides a location for Navy and Marine Corps squadrons from other parts of the country to engage in flight training. It is home to the US Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration team.
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You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of US Navy and Marine Corps Aircraft at Naval Air Facility el Centro.
A dozen photos of US Navy and Marine Corps airplanes and helicopters flying at Naval Air Facility el Centro. Aircraft pictured include:
Bell-Boeing AH-1W BuNo 165369
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166681
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164058
Bell-Boeing AH-1Z Viper BuNo 168799 and AH-1Z Viper BuNo 168002
Grumman EA-6B Prowler BuNo 164402
McDonnell-Douglas T-45C Goshawk BuNo 167096
McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A Hornet BuNo 163158
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 165672
McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164228
Grumman EA-6B Prowler BuNo 158815
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You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18 Hornets of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.
A dozen photos of McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18 Hornets flown by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, taken over a span of twenty years.
Put a copy of the McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18 Hornets of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels: 2020 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.
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