#@48th Fighter Wing

[opelman]

Good to be back... by Treflyn Lloyd-Roberts Via Flickr: I was treated to a good number of very nice passes on my first visit to the Mach Loop for a while... Here USAF F-35 5683 displays a perfect topside at Bwlch. Aircraft: United States Air Force F-35A Lightning II AF 22-5683/LN from 493rd Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Wing based at RAF Lakenheath. Location: Bwlch yr Oerddrws, Gwynedd, Wales.

[captain-price-unofficially]

48th Fighter Wing F-15E Strike Eagle launching out of RAF Lakenheath on an evening sortie

[usafphantom2]

F-15E Crews Recall Mission to Repel Iranian Attack on Israel

The 494th Fighter Squadron pilots were recognized for downing several Iranian drones during the attack on Israel in April this year.

David Cenciotti

In the night between April 13 and 14, 2024, Airmen with the 494th Fighter Squadron took part along with other U.S. and allied crews, in the largest air-to-air enemy engagement in over 50 years. In those hours, the Israeli air defenses faced 170 one-way drones, 120 Medium-Range Ballistic Missiles, and 30 Land-Attack Cruise Missiles during an unprecedented attack launched from Iran alongside Houthi terrorist group in Yemen as well as Iranian-backed proxies in Iraq.

The Israelis were supported by U.S., UK and Jordan, to stop the attacks before they could strike their targets. According to the Israeli Defense Forces the surface-to-air air defenses and fighters achieved a 99% success rate against +300 incoming threats, including Shahed 136 one-way attack drones, Paveh land attack cruise missiles and Emad intermediate range ballistic missiles.

F-15E markings

The six F-15E that arrived at RAF Lakenheath on May 8, 2024 (All images: Stewart Jack/The Aviationist)

Among the U.S. assets that helped defend Israel there were the F-15E Strike Eagles from the 494th Fighter Squadron, from RAF Lakenheath, UK, and the 335th Fighter Squadron, from Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, operating as part of the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and 335th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, respectively, which were praised by President Biden who, on Apr. 15 said: “I spoke with members of the 494th and 335th Fighter Squadrons today to commend them for their exceptional airmanship and skill in defending Israel from an unprecedented aerial attack by Iran. These brave servicemembers make us all proud”.

F-15E Nose art

The nose arts and markings on the final 494th FS F-15E Strike Eagles returning from Jordan in May 2024 (Image, credit: Stewart Jack)

On Nov. 12, 2024, Airmen from the 494th Fighter Squadron and 494th Fighter Generation Squadron were recognized during a ceremony at RAF Lakenheath, UK.

Gen. James Hecker, U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa commander, presided over the ceremony along with Col. Jack Arthaud, 48th Fighter Wing commander. During the ceremony, they awarded: two Silver Stars, six Distinguished Flying Crosses with the valor device, four Distinguished Flying Crosses with the combat device, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars, seven Air and Space Commendation Medals and seven Air and Space Achievement Medals.

Here’s what Hecker said:

Our Airmen stood firm alongside our coalition partners to protect Israel from a barrage of one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles. The success of our Airmen demonstrates how the U.S. Air Force is ready to respond to, and defeat, evolving threats.

According to a public statement, the mix of U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles and other defensive assets successfully engaged and destroyed more than 80 kamikaze UAVs, out of more than 300 drone and missiles intended to strike Israel

Lt. Col. Timothy Causey, 494th FS commander, in a public statement said his team’s success was due to their ability to remain focused and carry out what they’ve been trained to do.

“We all fell into an execution rhythm: call, shoot, and confirm the target was destroyed before we moved on to the next task we had to accomplish to keep everyone safe.”

F-15E instructor pilot Maj. Benjamin Coffey and instructor weapon systems officer Capt. Lacie Hester received the prestigious Silver Star, the third-highest combat valor award in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Coffey and Hester faced multiple enemy engagements through the night, even while dealing with serious aircraft emergencies and falling debris from hostile fire at their base.

“Although we had intelligence about the number of drones expected, it was still shocking to see them all,” Hester recalled.

In an extraordinary act of bravery, the pair took on low-altitude drones in pitch darkness using the F-15E’s air-to-air Gatling gun after running out of missiles. “It takes a high-performing team to even locate and engage these threats,” Coffey explained, describing how their teamwork and communication were crucial to their success.

This achievement also made history: Hester became the first woman in the Air Force to receive the Silver Star and only the 10th woman in the Department of Defense to earn the award.

Other aircrew who flew that night received Distinguished Flying Crosses for their efforts, which included navigating dangerous airspace filled with active defenses and debris while carrying out their tasks with precision.

The success of the aircrews was made possible by the efforts of the maintainers of the Fighter Generation Squadron (FGS), who ensured the aircraft were combat-ready even under extreme conditions.

“We don’t realize just how much our training pays off until moments like these,” said Tech. Sgt. Adam Johnson, 494th FGS aircraft armament expediter. “When everything became real, we could count on each other to execute automatically, thanks to all the practice we’d done beforehand.”

Over the course of the engagement, the 494th FGS, consisting of 66 Airmen, launched 14 F-15E sorties, including six aircraft scrambled at a moment’s notice, while base defenses simultaneously neutralized enemy threats overhead.

From left, U.S. Air Force Gen. James Hecker, U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa commander, Lt. Col. Curtis Culver, 494th Fighter Squadron, Lt. Col. Timothy Causey, 494th FS commander, and Col. Jack Arthaud, 48th Fighter Wing commander, stand during the presentation of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Culver and Causey during a ceremony at RAF Lakenheath, Nov. 12, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Seleena Muhammad-Ali)

“People and the mission—that’s all I could focus on,” said Master Sgt. Timothy Adams, lead production superintendent for the 494th FGS. “Keeping everyone safe and making sure they stayed focused was my priority. I didn’t even have time to look up at what was happening.” For his leadership that night, Adams, along with Maj. Clayton Wicks, was awarded the Bronze Star.

Reflecting on the night, Adams said, “I still get chills thinking about how well everyone came together. I wasn’t the hero; I was just the guy with the radio. It was the whole team—the maintenance crew, weapons specialists, fuels personnel—working seamlessly. No one panicked; no one faltered. How could you not be proud of that?”

The operation’s success was a testament to integrated planning and rigorous training across aircrew, maintenance, logistics, munitions, and intelligence teams—both at home and while deployed.

“I’m incredibly proud of our Liberty Airmen and how they worked alongside our allies to execute the mission that night,” said Col. Jack Arthaud, 48th Fighter Wing commander. “Their success is built on decades of collaboration and joint exercises. We’ll continue to prepare and maintain readiness to fight alongside our partners—anytime, anywhere.”

@TheAviationist.com

[pinturas-gran-guerra-aire]

1918 04 Remember me - Russell Smith

Remember Me? depicts a hypothetical but plausible encounter between and Bristol F2.b of 48th Squadron, RAF and a Fokker Dr.1 triplane piloted by Leutnant d. R. Friedrich "Fritz" Kempf of Jasta 2 (Boelcke). The scene depicts Kempf zooming up and past the Bristol, catching the crew by surprise. The client was fairly specific about the attitudes and positions of the aircraft, but he left the overall composition and the choice of Bristol markings up to me.The Bristol Fighter was a maneuverable, heavily armed two-seater biplane, and one of the most successful fighters of the war. It got off to a poor start during "Bloody April" when it was introduced to the Western Front by the inexperienced pilots. Believing that the aircraft was structurally weak, pilots avoided violent maneuvers during combat. It was soon realized, however, that the Bristol fighter was actually a very sturdy aircraft that could be maneuvered as if it were a single seat fighter with rear protection. Bristol crews met with great success by using their aircraft in that capacity. By the end of the war over 240 pilots and gunners achieved ace status in the type. My choice of markings for this particular Bristol was personal. Growing up in SC I often attended the Shawfest airshow at Shaw Air Force Base located in Sumter. In my 20’s, as a budding aviation artist, I donated a painting to the 20th Fighter Wing which was based at Shaw AFB at the time. For those reasons I have had long felt a familiar connection to Shaw AFB. A few years back, though that connection became very personal. While doing some research on Ancestry I found that I had a great great grandfather who was a Shaw and who was born in Sumter, SC. I knew immediately there had to be a connection to Shaw AFB. After further research I came to find that Shaw AFB was named after 1st Lt. Ervin David “Molly” Shaw, the first Sumterite killed in the WWI & the only Sumter Aviator to die in combat. Shaw served with the 48th Squadron, RAF, British Expeditionary Force. In combat, he is credited with shooting down two enemy aircraft. On July 9, 1918, well behind enemy lines on a scouting mission, he and his British observer were greatly outnumbered by enemy scout planes and they perished in battle. They were flying Bristol F2b B-1113 at the time. As it turns out, 1st Lt. Ervin David Shaw, after whom Shaw AFB is named, was my great-grandmother’s cousin!Frederich "Fritz" Kempf was born in May 1894 in Freiburg in the town of Breisgau in the southwest of Baden-Württemberg. At age 19, he joined infantry in October 1913 and by August of the following year was promoted to Unteroffizier . After being wounded in battle and a lengthy hospital stay he applied for a transfer to the Luftstreitkraefte. Once accepted he arrived at FEA 3 in Gotha on May 6, 1915. He was then sent back to Freiburg to complete training and then on to FEA 9 at Darmstadt at the end of November 1915. In March 1917, after serving with various aviation units, he received the Iron Cross 1st Class and joined Jasta 2 "Boelcke". He scored his first victory on 29 April - a BE2c near Le Pave. His second was a Sopwith Pup on 5 June at Masnieres, then the 3rd was a Camel on 20 Oct. at Gravenstafel.He was sent to Jasta-Schule I as an instructor , returning to Jasta Boelcke in January 1918. On 8 May he scored his fourth victory, a Camel west of Steenwerke. He returned to Jasta-Schule I in August 1918 where he served until the end of the war. Although he only had 4 victories to his credit at war’s end, Kempf was none the less a respected and valued member of Jasta Boelcke. He died in August 1966.Of the aircraft that Fritz Kempf flew during his wartime career, perhaps the most recognizable were a pair of Fokker Dr.1 triplanes which carried similar

[engshoujosei]

Kaze Hikaru

30 volumes (as of 4/14/2023, ongoing in English).

Licensed by Viz Media.

In the year 1863, a time fraught with violent social upheaval, samurai of all walks of life flock to Kyoto in the hope of joining the Mibu-Roshi—a band of warriors united around their undying loyalty to the Shogunate system. In time, this group would become one of the greatest (and most famous) movements in Japanese history... the Shinsengumi! Into this fierce milieu steps Kamiya Seizaburo, a young would-be warrior who, though lacking in combat experience, possesses a fiery enthusiasm to both aid the Mibu-Roshi in their mission and to avenge his wrongfully murdered family. One of the Mibu-Roshi's most gifted (and immature) swordsmen, the legendary Okita Soji, agrees to take Seizaburo under his wing. What no one suspects, least of all Soji, is that Seizaburo is actually a girl named Tominaga Sei in disguise! Note: In 2003 Kaze Hikaru won the 48th Shogakukan Manga Award in the shoujo category.

Status in Country of Origin 

45 Volumes (Complete) 23 Volumes (Bunkoban, Complete)

Tags:

19th Century

Age Gap

Award-Winning Work

Bakumatsu

Bisexual Character/s

Civil Disorder

Cross-dressing

Death of Loved One/s

Female Disguised as Male

Female Fighter/s

Geisha

Historical References

Innocent Love

LGBT Character in Non-Yaoi/Yuri Manga

Love Triangle/s

Misunderstood Character/s

Murder/s

Oblivious to Love Interest's Feelings

Orphan/s

Past Plays a Big Role

Revenge

Samurai

Secret Crush

Shinsengumi

Sincere Male Lead

Slow Romance

Soldier/s

Spy/ies

Strong Female Lead

Suicide/s

Sword/s

Tragic Past

Unrequited Love

Violence

War/s

[head-post]

Unidentified drones spotted over US Air Force bases in UK

Several unidentified drones have been spotted over three UK Royal Air Force airbases, which are also used by the US military, a spokesman for US Forces Europe Command said on Sunday.

US Air Forces Europe said “small unmanned aircraft systems” were spotted over Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk and RAF Feltwell in Norfolk in eastern England.

The incidents took place between November 20-22 and it was unclear whether the drones had any hostile intentions. The air force said:

“The UASs were actively monitored and installation leaders determined that none of the incursions impacted base residents or critical infrastructure. To protect operational security, we do not discuss our specific force protection measures but retain the right to protect the installation. We continue to monitor our airspace and are working with host-nation authorities and mission partners to ensure the safety of base personnel, facilities and assets.”

Lakenheath is home to the 48th Fighter Wing, which the US Air Force calls the backbone of its combat capability in Europe.

Neighbouring Mildenhall is home to the 100th Air Refuelling Wing, while Feltwell houses housing, schools and other services.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Ministry of Defence indicated that fighting drones is one of the priorities in defending military bases. According to some reports, F-15E Strike Eagles were raised on the alert, but it had no effect.

Earlier, an unknown UAV was spotted near the British Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. On November 22, the Hamburg River Police spotted an unknown drone “measuring 1.5 by 1.5 metres” over the British aircraft carrier.

The US military told The Wall Street Journal about “mysterious” drone flights over airbases on US soil. In December 2023, several drones flew over Langley Air Force Base and Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia for 17 nights. Who the drones belong to is still unknown.

Read more HERE

[aresdifesa]

F-35A dell'USAF operano da autostrade finlandesi Una coppia di caccia bombardieri F-35A Lightning II dell'USAF, in forza al 48th Fighter Wing di stanza nel Regno Unito ha operato da un raccordo autostradale finlandese

[ultrajaphunter]

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II from the 48th Fighter Wing receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 100th Air Refueling Wing on the way to a D-Day event held at Omaha Beach, France, June 6, 2024. (urias)

[gemees]

US 48th Fighter Wing F-15Es Getting APG-82(V)1 Radar

The U.S. 48th Fighter Wing Component Maintenance Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, England, is currently home to the only avionics Centralized Repair Facility (CRF) capable of repairing F-15 radar Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) with the help of the Enhanced Aircraft Radar Test Station (EARTS). In an era of Great Power Competition that's rapidly evolving, the U.S. Air Force is looking to continue its air dominance, and that requires change in areas where outdated equipment is quickly being challenged by new technology. To answer that challenge the fighter wing’s avionics CRF, in the coming months is planning to replace the last operational EARTS in the U.S. Air Force that has served as the primary repair facility for the entire F-15E fleet since 2021.

The U.S. 48th Fighter Wing Component Maintenance Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, England, is currently home to the only avionics Centralized Repair Facility (CRF) capable of repairing F-15 radar Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) with the help of the Enhanced Aircraft Radar Test Station (EARTS). In an era of Great Power Competition that’s rapidly evolving, the U.S. Air Force is looking to continue its air…

[heathermehf]

DVIDS – Video – AFN TV In Focus: 31st FW integrates with 48th FW at Aviano Air Base to Strengthen Interoperability

[darrenedwardsaviation]

F-15E Strike Eagle Boss Jet approaching Cad in the Mach Loop.

[opelman]

"You seem to come and go, I never seem to know" by Treflyn Lloyd-Roberts Via Flickr: An apt description of waiting for low flying fast jets... USAF F-35 19-5493 creates streamers as it makes the turn towards Bwlch in the Mach Loop. Aircraft: United States Air Force Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II AF 19-5493/LN from 493rd Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Wing based at RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk. Location: Bwlch yr Oerddrws, Gwynedd, Wales. Random Song Reference: Ride - "Vapour Trail"

[captain-price-unofficially]

Two USAF F-15Es and an F-15C from the 48th Fighter Wing in heritage liveries commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day refuel from a KC-135R belonging to the 100th Air Refueling Wing

[usafphantom2]

Making history! 📜

Last week, two @usairforce F-35 Lightning II aircraft assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England, made history by landing on a highway strip less than 100 feet wide in Ranua, Finland, during Exercise BAANA 2024.

@theF35JPO via X

[j-r-macready]

F-15E Strike Eagle 97-0222 by David ilott Via Flickr: 492nd Fighter Squadron F-15E Strike Eagle 97-0222/LN at RAF Lakenheath on 9th May 2019.