NY ANG Vipers to fly one last flyover...

[MIKE JG]

End of an era, start of another:

"February 19, 2010 (by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs) - Aircrews and F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft from the NYANG's 174th FW will mark their final scheduled fly-by in support of the AHL's first outdoor hockey game between the Syracuse Crunch and the Binghamton Senators at the New York State Fairgrounds on February 20, 2010 at 13:00h.

After 22 years of flying the F-16 from Hancock Field, the 174th Fighter Wing is in the process of converting to the remotely piloted aircraft MQ-9 Reaper.

"Thank You" to all the people who've supported us all these years. It's been a privilege to fly the F-16 here in Syracuse", said Lt. Col. Sean McQuaid one of the pilots who will perform the unit's last scheduled F-16 fly-by.

For many decades, the New York Air National Guard's 174th Fighter Wing has supported military fly-bys from the New York State Fair to this year's opening of the new Yankee Stadium. The 174th Fighter Wing will stop flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon the first week of March.

The 174th Fighter Wing was formed on October 28, 1947 as the first post World War II Air National Guard flying unit in New York State.

Through the unit's 60+ year history, it has flown the P-47D Thunderbolt, F-84B Thunderjet, F-86H Sabre Jet, A-10 Warthog and F-16 Fighting Falcon.

As of December 1st 2009, the unit was the first Air National Guard unit to fly continuous combat operations with the MQ-9 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom."

Time to update your AI, we might even have a proper MQ-9 model for you guys soon if I can ever get my act together and finish it off.

[reconmercs]

[MIKE JG]

BTW, if you are updating your AI, the 174th was part of the GLANG part 2. Also the 178th FW out of Springfield-Beckley, graduated their last F-16 studs in December this past year and are also standing down. This unit was depicted in the GLANG part 1 package.

[BadPvtDan]

Kind of in that same vein...when that nut case flew his plane into the building here in town, the reports were that F-16s were scrambled from Houston...ostensibly from my old stomping grounds, Ellington Field. I thought, however, that the Vipers were gone more than a year ago. Anyways, perhaps they were form San Antonio.

[Kurosaki]

Good thing I did the paints for those planes a month ago for another sim.



Love their tail art.

[Victory103]

Kind of in that same vein...when that nut case flew his plane into the building here in town, the reports were that F-16s were scrambled from Houston...ostensibly from my old stomping grounds, Ellington Field. I thought, however, that the Vipers were gone more than a year ago. Anyways, perhaps they were form San Antonio.

I'm pretty sure it was San Antonio, I believe the FTW guys are at Red Flag.

Part of the 250+ jets to be retired, sad.

Kurosaki: YS Flight?

[Kurosaki]

Kurosaki: YS Flight?

Roger that.