Hello everyone... I'm back yet again from another trip to the Desert. The second week of June allowed me to have one day at Rainbow Canyon, Weapons School at Nellis and the main reason.... JFEX (Joint Forcible Entry Exercise) This exercise if held 2 days per year inside the NTTR (Nellis Tactical Training Range) but with a little know how. You can watch the exercise from outside very easily without braking any laws. Upon arriving near the gate I did speak with a very friendly Security "Camo Dude" at the fence. I explained my intentions and promised I would not cross the fence. He did warn me that in return they "Would be watching me". I agreed to let them watch as long as I could stay in the area. Well.... I was not sure what to expect from this exercise since I have never been in that area or even witnessed it. I was in for a massive surprise! The morning started off with some A-10s attacking the desert strip with flares and all even the "Badguys" at the airfield returned with Smoky SAMS.. Afterwards the Heavy bombers kept an eye on the situation, I had a B-52 and a B-1B orbit the area at altitude. Once the airfield was "secure" in came the main event! 14 C-17s in a flying Elephant walk formation dropping flares along the way sadly it was just too windy for a parachute drop but what a site!!!! After they had passed in came another 14 Hercules in the same kind of formation but no flares. There were so many aircraft in the area I had to just put down the camera for a few minutes and just watch the amazing site. Once the Herks had left the area a few C-17s had permission to land on the gravel runway. Sadly the distance and the heat haze made for crap shots of that but I do have a few record shots that I'll share later with the update. Heat haze was a major problem as it was 37 degrees in the desert.. so I'll apologise for the quality of the shots in advance.
For now a sneak peek at one shot of a C-17 at JFEX and two from an evening at Nellis for Weapons School launch. Many more pictures to come this weekend.
Comments and Criticism always welcome good or bad.
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IMGP3633 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
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IMGP4311 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
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IMGP4453 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
JFEX and Nellis Weapons School Heavy Update.
Re: JFEX and Nellis Weapons School Sneak Peek
You big tease Rod! Can't wait to see more
Re: JFEX and Nellis Weapons School Sneak Peek
Very nice! Looks like you were able to catch some chaff as well
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Re: JFEX and Nellis Weapons School Sneak Peek
The C-17 with flares is a special one. I hope to see more.
Re: JFEX and Nellis Weapons School Sneak Peek
Agg wrote:Very nice! Looks like you were able to catch some chaff as well
Caught some Chaff!!! That I sure did.. The stuff started pouring all over me. Thankfully no flares, but all the aluminium bits sounded like glass falling to the ground. This shot is more of a record shot showing 6 of the C-17s leaving the area with Chaff pouring down.
IMGP3665 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
Re: JFEX and Nellis Weapons School Sneak Peek
Many thanks for the looks and comments everyone.
So here are my best shots of a quick visit to the Rainbow Canyon for one day where I finally caught my first low level F-35. From there one day up in Northern Nevada for JFEX and one evening at Nellis AFB.
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IMGP3224 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
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IMGP3248 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
6. Major Heat Haze here so I decided not to crop at all... Looks better with the scenery anyways.
IMGP3497 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
7.Another record shot to show what JFEX looks like from a distance. When the USAF wants an airfield. With this many C-17s loaded with troops, they will probably get it.
IMGP3604 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
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IMGP3654 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
9.A B-52 stays in orbit over the airfield.
IMGP3669 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
10.Not enough troops in the C-17s.... Send in 14 Herks with more!
IMGP3707 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
11. Oh.... One C-130 taken out by a Smoky SAM!
IMGP3716 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
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IMGP3736 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
13. Again.. More or a record shot.. The desert strip with a C-17 taking off. In that dust cloud is another C-17
IMGP3889 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
14.Back to Nellis for an evening of Weapons School departures.
IMGP4185 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
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IMGP4243 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
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IMGP4251 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
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IMGP4340 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
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IMGP4485 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
Thanks for looking and again Comments and Criticism always welcome good or bad.
So here are my best shots of a quick visit to the Rainbow Canyon for one day where I finally caught my first low level F-35. From there one day up in Northern Nevada for JFEX and one evening at Nellis AFB.
4.
IMGP3224 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
5.
IMGP3248 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
6. Major Heat Haze here so I decided not to crop at all... Looks better with the scenery anyways.
IMGP3497 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
7.Another record shot to show what JFEX looks like from a distance. When the USAF wants an airfield. With this many C-17s loaded with troops, they will probably get it.
IMGP3604 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
8.
IMGP3654 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
9.A B-52 stays in orbit over the airfield.
IMGP3669 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
10.Not enough troops in the C-17s.... Send in 14 Herks with more!
IMGP3707 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
11. Oh.... One C-130 taken out by a Smoky SAM!
IMGP3716 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
12.
IMGP3736 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
13. Again.. More or a record shot.. The desert strip with a C-17 taking off. In that dust cloud is another C-17
IMGP3889 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
14.Back to Nellis for an evening of Weapons School departures.
IMGP4185 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
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IMGP4243 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
16.
IMGP4251 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
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IMGP4340 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
18.
IMGP4485 by Rod McDonough, on Flickr
Thanks for looking and again Comments and Criticism always welcome good or bad.
Re: JFEX and Nellis Weapons School Heavy Update.
Oh my word. The formation shots are something else!
- Arthur Tee
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Re: JFEX and Nellis Weapons School Heavy Update.
They're all brilliant - but I love the chaff shot!
Arthur
Arthur
Canon PowerShot SX40HS - It's not what you've got - it's what you do with it!
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Re: JFEX and Nellis Weapons School Heavy Update.
Superb, do love that light on the last B52 shot
Re: JFEX and Nellis Weapons School Heavy Update.
Arthur Tee wrote:They're all brilliant - but I love the chaff shot!
Arthur
Me too, not something you see very often
Re: JFEX and Nellis Weapons School Heavy Update.
Fantastic set Rod
Andy
Andy