Category: Eagle Country

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Eagle Country

159 FW Command Pilots Reach F-15 Flying Milestones

By Senior Master Sgt. Daniel Farrell, 159th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office

BELLE CHASSE, La. – Significant flying milestones were recently achieved by three F-15 fighter pilots with the 159th Fighter Wing, Louisiana Air National Guard based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans.

After flying a routine training mission on May 10, Col. David “Ripper” Anderson, commander, 159 FW, landed his fighter jet to the cheers of gathered family members and fellow 159th Airmen as he reached 3,000 flight hours in the F-15 Eagle. Anderson is the only (current) pilot in the 159th to have flown 3,000 hours and one of an elite few in the unit’s history to accomplish such a prestigious milestone.

“I am extremely appreciative for the opportunity to fly the F-15C over the past 20 years,” said Anderson. “The Eagle is an amazing aircraft and the air superiority mission provided experiences to fly the jet all over the world. Our maintenance, logistics, and support Airmen deserve the credit for producing combat capable aircraft to safely fly more than two thousand sorties to get to 3,000 hours. I’m proud to have reached the 3,000 hours milestone and I know that it wouldn’t happen without the great team that I serve with and my family at home.”

Col. David “Ripper” Anderson

This past Spring two command pilots, also with the 159th, reached the 2,000-hour milestone. Lt. Col. Joshua “Tito” Higgins, deputy commander, 159 FW, reached 2,000 hours in the F-15 Eagle while flying a training mission at NAS JRB New Orleans.

Lt. Col. Joshua “Tito” Higgins

“It was an amazing experience as it was a culmination of all the hours of the various variants of the F-15 that I’ve flown.” said Higgins. “I’m looking forward to flying the newest F-15EX here in the near future as the 159 FW transitions to the new airframe which will better position us in the great power competition.”

The third command pilot to reach an F-15 flying milestone, Lt. Col. Cody “Viking” Clark, commander, 159th Operations Group, reached 2,000 flight hours this past January while deployed with the 159 FW in Okinawa, Japan.

Lt. Col. Cody “Viking” Clark

“I was honored to be able to log my 2000th Eagle hour at Kadena AB, Okinawa Japan while deployed in support of our PACAF TSP operating out of the 67th Fighting Cocks Squadron,” said Clark. “It was very nostalgic for me because that location and squadron was also where I logged my very first operational flight hour in the F-15C nearly 15 years prior.”

Congratulations to all three 159 FW pilots for achieving these prestigious milestones in their flying careers. The highly trained, mission dedicated Airmen of the 159 FW stand ready to fulfil the U.S Air Force’s mission to “fly, fight, and win – airpower anytime, anywhere.”

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Eagle Country

Barnstomer Fini-Flights

Friday July 12th, 2024 was a fini- flight Friday! at the 104th Fighter Wing. Pilots Maj. Timothy ‘Shawshank’ Boersig and Capt. Brian ‘Brass’ Burke took to the skies for the last time in the F-15 with the 131 FS, and celebrated their fini-flights with friends and family. Congratulations and all the best on the next step in your careers.

Dating back to World War II, the “fini-flight” is a time honored tradition and an exciting way for pilots to celebrate and say goodbye to their unit with friends and family.

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Eagle Country

F-15E “LUCKY” reaches 15,000 flight hours!

The F-15E Strike Eagle, a fearsome multirole fighter, reigns supreme in the air-to-ground arena. One specific Strike Eagle, “LUCKY”, recently reached a prestigious milestone, reaching 15,000 flight hours during a combat sortie on May 17, 2024, while deployed within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

A U.S. Air Force 335th Expeditionary Fighter Generation Squadron crew chief assists an F-15E Strike Eagle pilot, at an undisclosed location in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 17, 2024.. (U.S. Air Force photo)

The Strike Eagle with tail number #89-0487 came into service in 1989, and hundreds of maintenance personnel have supported the platform over the nearly 35 years of service. However, one dedicated crew chief has been a part of many milestones with the aircraft.

A U.S. Airman, deployed from North Carolina’s Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, has been working on “LUCKY” since 2019. “I have worked on this jet when it reached the 13,000, 14,000 and now 15,000 flight hour mark,” said the Airman.

The U.S. Air Force has deployed the F-15E Strike Eagle to support U.S. Air Forces Central operations within the region for decades to support assurance and deterrence missions, including in support of OPERATION Desert Storm, OPERATION Enduring Freedom, and OPERATION Inherent Resolve. The U.S. Air Force has also equipped several nations with variations of the platform, and its global presence provides opportunities to integrate with allies and partners operating the same platform.

F-15E Strike Eagle aircrew, consisting of a pilot and weapon systems officer, exit the cockpit at an undisclosed location in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 17, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo)

The first F-15E was delivered in April 1988, and the 15,000-flight hour milestone leaves a historic mark to the Strike Eagle community and serves as a testament to those who fly, service, and maintain the 219 aircraft in the Total Force inventory.

Continue reading “F-15E “LUCKY” reaches 15,000 flight hours!”
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Eagle Country

5 ‘Fini’ Flights in one day

Photos by Jay Hewitt 104FW

On Friday June 21st, 2024 Col. Mark ‘Panama’ Prete, 104th Fighter Wing Medical Group commander, Lt. Col. Rich ‘Mental’ Ward, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, Lt. Col. Jay ‘Fat’ Talbert, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, Lt. Col. Johnny ‘Rocket’ Koegel, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, Lt. Col. Brett ‘Dutch’ Vanderpass, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, all flew there ‘Fini-Flight’ at at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts.

Thank you for your service and Congratulations for all of your accomplishments and future success!

Col. Mark ‘Panama’ Prete, 104th Fighter Wing Medical Group commander, left, Lt. Col. Rich ‘Mental’ Ward, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, left center, Lt. Col. Jay ‘Fat’ Talbert, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, center, Lt. Col. Johnny ‘Rocket’ Koegel, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, right center, and Lt. Col. Brett ‘Dutch’ Vanderpass, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, right, pose for a photo following their fini-flights, June 21, 2024, at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts.
(U.S Air National Guard Photos by Jay Hewitt)
Lt. Col. Jay ‘Fat’ Talbert, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, flies his fini-flight June 21, 2024, at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. The 104FW fire department stations fire trucks to create an arc of water over the returning F15’s as a part of the fini-fight celebrations.
(U.S Air National Guard Photos by Jay Hewitt)
Col. Mark ‘Panama’ Prete, 104th Fighter Wing Medical Group commander, Lt. Col. Rich ‘Mental’ Ward, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, Lt. Col. Jay ‘Fat’ Talbert, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, Lt. Col. Johnny ‘Rocket’ Koegel, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, and Lt. Col. Brett ‘Dutch’ Vanderpass, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, prepare for their fini-flights, June 21, 2024, at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts.
(U.S Air National Guard Photos by Jay Hewitt)
104th Fighter Wing pilots pose for a photo, June 21, 2024, at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. Col. Mark ‘Panama’ Prete, 104th Fighter Wing Medical Group commander, Lt. Col. Rich ‘Mental’ Ward, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, Lt. Col. Jay ‘Fat’ Talbert, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, Lt. Col. Johnny ‘Rocket’ Koegel, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, and Lt. Col. Brett ‘Dutch’ Vanderpass, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, celebrate the completion of their fini-flights. (U.S Air National Guard Photos by Jay Hewitt)
Lt. Col. Rich ‘Mental’ Ward, 104th Fighter Wing pilot, prepares for his fini-flight, June 21, 2024, at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts.
(U.S Air National Guard Photos by Jay Hewitt)
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Eagle Country

F-15EX II made ready for delivery to the Oregon ANG

Tails painted — all dressed up for delivery F-15EX EX7 and EX8 get the final touches before they head to their new home with the 142nd Wing, 123rd Fighter Squadron ‘Redhawks.'(movieclip via The Boeing company)