It's a dreary day in central Oklahoma. E-3 Scout 71 Heavy works the Tinker Air Force Base pattern after returning from a mission.

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

This US Navy E-6 Mercury I shot in 2019 looks to me like it means serious business.

Tinker Air Force Base, OKC

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

OK. Enough pathetic whining about events I am, unfortunately, powerless to affect.

USAF C-17 POLO Five - Five Heavy departs Tinker Air Force Base, OKC enroute back to New York.

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

#WheresDURHAM?

The B2 Spirit Stealth Bomber doesn't show up around Tinker Air Force Base, OKC very often but they do sneak in every once in a while.

Someone (or someones 🐸) once said, "Stealth bombers can be very effective."

Sure would like to see a squadron or three of them chasing after the traitors and criminals about now.

#PAIN!
#military

#NurembergTrials2.0
#Durham
#Rollemup
#Fix2020NOW
#LetsGoBrandon!#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

Friday evening, one week into "Red October?" and I am purty well outta gas.

As the sun sets, KC-135 OKIE One-Two Heavy is on the go from a low approach to runway 31 at Tinker Air Force Base, OKC.

I wonder if I can beg some much needed "get up and go." from his flying boom as he passes over.

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

Judging from the news this morning, this is yet another day to tune out and put my head in the sand.

A US Navy E-6 climbs out on departure from runway 36 at Tinker Air Force Base, OKC.

When the E-6s fly over my house, I'm glad they aren't dragging that miles long, long wire, very low frequency antenna that unreels out of the tail used for communicating with the submarines.

I wonder if that bird triggered his TCAS (traffic collision avoidance system)?

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

A US Navy E-6 Mercury takes off from Tinker Air Force Base, OKC during a dust storm - June 2020.

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

Since there is nothing better to do with facebook down /sarc, I'll post a photo I shot of an E-3.

Even on short final approach to the runway at Tinker Air Force Base, OKC, SENTRY Six-Zero Heavy rattles the windows as he powers by my driveway.

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

Lots of talk on FA recently about the RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft.

We don't see them often here at Tinker Air Force Base, OKC, but COBRA Two-Four-Six stopped by for some approaches in March of 2019.

He made several rounds, but, was sneaky. This is the only one where he flew above the tree limbs, and just barely.

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

Despite the US Navy being a relatively recent addition to Tinker Air Force Base, OKC, the US Navy Blue Angel aerial demonstration team is not a stranger to Oklahoma City.

They were featured in what was an annual air show at Will Rogers World Airport, “Aerospace America”.

Back in my early photography days in the early 1980s, here is a scanned slide of the Blue Angels C-130 "Fat Albert" in a sharp climb demonstrating a rocket assisted take off.

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

One of the benefits of living next to Tinker Air Force Base, OKC is that the USAF Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team has historically included the base in its air show schedule.

When the US Navy arrived with their E-6 Mercury' aircraft, the Navy aerial demonstration team, the Blue Angels, began including the base in their schedule.

They participated in the 2019 "Star Spangled Salute" at Tinker in June of 2019

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

The underside of US Navy E-6 SHADO Two-Two Heavy catches the late evening sun two days before Christmas, 2020 as it climbs out on departure from runway 31 at Tinker Air Force Base, OK flying directly toward my house.

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

And now a little change of pace.

In 2009, one of the most unusual aircraft I have ever seen at Tinker Air Force Base, OK was the NASA 941 "Super Guppy".

It was here for quite a while for depot maintenance. it was taken apart, repaired where necessary and repainted.

I got a tip from a friend that it was finished and ready to return to its base one afternoon so I found a spot and waited for it to take off.

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

WARNING!

Not Safe For Work!

A "Naked" KC-135 is on a functional test flight after depot maintenance and prior to the paint shop at Tinker Air Force Base, OKC.

Tinker performs maintenance on the B-1, B-52, KC-135, C-130, KC-46, and E-3 among other aircraft. Flight test aircraft use the call sign "SABRE" and often do not show up on ADS-B and other tracking sites.

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity

One of the great things about flight tracking sites like ADS-B, Flightradar 24, and Flight Aware, is that if you see an airplane in the sky, usually, you can identify it..

KC-135 OKIE Three-One Heavy on approach to Tinker Air Force Base passes by my house while American Airlines Flight 682, an Airbus A321 from Phoenix AZ to Charlotte NC, passes behind at 35000 feet.

#planesFA
#DistractionFromTheInsanity