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Although the museum is now based in Goleta, California, I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. Luke Air Force Base is a fighter training base located a few miles to the west of Phoenix. For years I have made a habit of photographing the fighter and trainer operations at Luke. This is the first in a series of pages illustrating the variety of fast jets that have operated from Luke.
I received a Takumar 400 mm f5.6 telephoto lens for Christmas in 1974. Naturally, one of my first objectives was to take the lens to Luke and shoot the McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs and Lockheed F-104G Starfighters flying around the base.
McDonnell-Douglas F-4E-33-MC
Phantom II 67-208. The WA tail code indicates that this
Phantom II is visiting from the 414 Fighter Weapons Squadron of
the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing at Nellis AFB in Nevada. It was
sold to Turkey in 1984. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
McDonnell-Douglas RF-4C-26-MC
Phantom II 65-884 deploys a drag chute to slow itself down.
884 was retired to AMARC as FAP0951 on March 3, 1994.
Photographer: Brian Lockett.
North American T-2C Buckeye
BuNo 155221 of VT-3. Tail code 2M. 155221 was retired to AMARC as
2T0174 on October 11, 1991. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Northrop
AT-38B-40-NO Talon 61-0866.
The black and yellow checkered tail band suggests that this Talon
is with the 57 FWW at Nellis AFB. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Lockheed T-33A-5-LO 58-0500 of
the 26th Air Division. 500 was retired to AMARC as TC1353 on
January 11, 1988. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Republic F-105F-1-RE Thunderchief
62-4425. Tail code GA denotes that it is with the 35th Tactical
Training Wing based at George AFB in California. Photographer:
Brian Lockett.
For many years, Luke AFB was the biggest Luftwaffe base in the
world. The Luftwaffe operated many Lockheed F-104G Starfighters at Luke AFB,
taking advantage of the good flying weather. The Starfighters at
Luke carried standard U.S.A.F. markings, but the pilots were
German. The G-model of the F-104 Starfighter was developed to be
produced under license by NATO countries to serve in their air
forces and was not purchased in quantity by the U.S.A.F.
Photographer: Brian Lockett.
A McDonnell-Douglas
F-4C Phantom II shares the
flightline with two Northrop F-5E Tiger IIs, and a
McDonnell-Douglas TF-15A Eagle. The Phantom II and the Eagle both
carry the LA tail code of the 58th Tactical Training Wing. The
blue fin cap of the Phantom II indicates that it is with the
426th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. Photographer: Brian
Lockett.
The Tiger IIs are from the 64th or 65th Fighter Weapons Squadron of the 57th Tactical Training Wing based at Nellis AFB. They served in the role of dissimilar aircraft tactics training and were commonly referred to as the aggressor squadron. They carried a variety of camouflage schemes intended to represent the aircraft of several different potential foes.
A pair of McDonnell Douglas F-15A
Eagles of the 58th TTW arrive over the base. Each one is
carrying an inert AIM-9J Sidewinder missile mass simulator.
Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Northrop F-5E Tiger II of the
57th Tactical Training Wing. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
This view of a McDonnell Douglas F-15A
Eagle of the 58th TTW makes the camber (curvature) of the
wing leading edge easy to see. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Grumman F-14A Tomcats were not often seen
at Luke. This one apparently has an emergency need to get on the
ground. It must be comforting to see the meat wagon waiting by
the side of the runway. Tail code NG means that this Tomcat is
with the VF-24 Renegades, based at Miramar Naval Air Station in
California. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle
of the 550th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. Their tail band
is black with a pair of silver wings. Photographer: Brian
Lockett.
McDonnell-Douglas F-4C-23-MC
Phantom II 64-758 wears SEA camouflage and carries a
centerline bomb rack. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Lockheed F-104G Starfighters
63-13265 built by SABCA and 65-12745 built by Messerschmitt are
flown by Luftwaffe pilots. 12745 was later sold to Taiwan.
Photographer: Brian Lockett.
McDonnell-Douglas F-4C-25-MC
Phantom II 64-926 is carrying racks for practice bombs and a
centerline 20 mm gatling gun package. Photographer: Brian
Lockett.
Republic F-105B-20-RE Thunderchief
57-5833 carries the HI tail code of the 466th Tactical Fighter
Squadron of the Air Force Reserve, based at Hill Air Force Base
in Utah. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Lockheed F-104G Starfighter
67-14885. It sports a bare metal finish like most of the
Starfighters at Luke. It was later sold to Taiwan. Photographer:
Brian Lockett.
Lockheed C-140 Jetstar in a
very dark gray and green camouflage. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
The
range control pilot of the 425th Tactical Fighter Training
Squadron Based at Williams AFB flies a
Northrop F-5E Tiger II with
yellow bands on its tail wingtips and fuselage to enhance its
visibility to the pilots engaged in air combat maneuver training.
Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Northrop F-5E Tiger II, Red
846 of the 57th Tactical Training Wing. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Northrop F-5E Tiger II 01565,
Red 65 of the 65th FWS. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Study of the underside of McDonnell Douglas F-15A-14-MC Eagle 75-080 of the
58th TTW. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
This pair of McDonnell-Douglas F-4C
Phantom IIs is carrying racks with practice bombs.
Photographer: Brian Lockett.
That
camouflaged Lockheed C-140 Jetstar
departed a little more than an hour after arriving. Photographer:
Brian Lockett.
The Lockheed T-33A was still a common
sight at the time. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
A pair of McDonnell Douglas F-15A
Eagles of the 58th TTW. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
McDonnell Douglas TF-15A Eagle
of the 58th TTW. The original designation of two seat Eagles was
TF-15A. It was soon changed to F-15B. Photographer: Brian
Lockett.
Lockheed TF-104G Starfighter
63-8457 is a two seat trainer variant. It was later operated by
the Royal Canadian Air Force. It crashed on September 7, 1991.
Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Lockheed TF-104G Starfighter
61-3080. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Lockheed TF-104G Starfighter
61-3080 has acquired a coat of gray paint. Photographer: Brian
Lockett.
The
leading edge extensions of the wing are evident in this view of a
Northrop F-5E Tiger II of the
57th Tactical Training Wing. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Air National Guard
McDonnell-Douglas F-4D-30-MC
Phantom II 66-7530, and McDonnell-Douglas TF-15A-17-MC Eagle
76-139 of the 58th TTW. Photographer: Brian Lockett.
Pictures of fighters and trainers
in the pattern at Luke Air Force Base
near Phoenix, Arizona from the 1980s. During that decade, the
Century Series fighters were retired; the McDonnell-Douglas F-4
Phantom II was phased out; the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting
Falcon and the McDonnell-Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle entered
service in the squadrons based at Luke. Photographer: Brian
Lockett.
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Go to home page of the Goleta Air and Space Museum.
Edited February 8, 1999