Rookie at Red Flag
Red Flag is a Advanced Aerial Combat Training excercise hosted at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Since 1975, air crew from the United States Air Force and other Us Military branches and US Allies take part in the two week excercise.
I have been involved with Phxspotters for just over a year. And I have covered a couple Aviation events and nothing can compare to what I was about to witness. When I received the conformation phone call from Senior Airman Charles, notifying me that my application has been approved for Red Flag 11-2. It took me a week for this to finally sink into my head that I really am not that good of a photographer. I have always had problems taking pictures of Military Aircraft well unless they are static. But I did not let my nerves get the best of me, I am going to be the “Rookie at Red Flag”. The night before the event I tossed and turned trying to get some good sleep. By the looks of it I was not going to get some sleep. So I decided to watch some YouTube videos about Red Flag and that was a big mistake.
Its the day of Red Flag and we are on our way out to Nellis and we stop at a restaurant named Blueberry Hill. There we meet fellow photographers Phil Myers, Dave Budd and Joe Kates and a group from NYCAviation. Man did I feel out of place with all these guys with Red Flag under their belts. But that did not stop me from enjoying the good company that was there. After breakfast we headed out to the buses that are waiting for us. Then the buses took us out to between the runways. As I am looking out the bus window I see the B-1Bs from the 34th Bomb Squadron all lined up and getting ready to taxi to the active. Then I see the F-16c 64th Aggressors Squadron sitting out in their hanger. And then we park, by a small tower in the middle of the field and we get our safety instructions and they let us lose. I follow Dave and Joe to a area that is good for take-offs, Joe looks at me and yells “Hey Bong, your dangerous” a reference to a line taken from TOP GUN. From that moment I felt comfortable. During the excessive amount of running back and forth between runways. I wanted to get pictures of everything I could. I could not believe how fast these Aircraft where up that close. I was able to see takeoffs and recoveries, and 3-4 hours later the last Aircraft had landed and it was time to get back on the bus and head to our cars.
Here is a list of the Military Aircraft that participated in Red-Flag 11-2.
*F-15s, F-16s, E-3s, A-10s, B-1s, B-52s, C-130s and KC-135s. In addition to U.S. aircraft, the United Arab Emirates Air Force will take part with the F-16E.
*Information provided by Nellis AFB Public Relations Office
* Pictures provided by Jason Bong 2011
For a “rookie,” your pictures came out great! Looks like you had a good time. I’ve definitely got to try photographing more military stuff.
Yahoo!! My ears are still ringing from that B-1 launch!!!
Mine too Dave. Excellent work Jason!!
I think we all had a great day that day!!!
Can’t wait til the next one!!
Those are OUTSTANDING photos! Well done Jason.
I was jealous seeing them as we get pounded with snow in the northeast!
[...] Our guest this episode is Jason Bong, one of the writers and photographers at PHXspotters, a great site for plane spotters and aviation enthusiasts. Jason attended the annual Red Flag event and captured some amazing photographs of military aircraft. See his post, Rookie at Red Flag. [...]