These are the Quick Climbs from the 6th December 2024 at RAF Lakenheath for the world famous, inaugural, official, Ted's Quick Climb Friday.
So what is a Quick Climb?
PTO's, Unrestricted Climbs, Quick Climbs do not necessarily mean going vertical. It is all to do with the rate of climb and assisted with max thrust to get to an altitude or a destination fast. This also involves and air traffic controller to coordinate with this departure too, to make sure the traffic is clear.
Unlike the Typhoon which accelerates vertically after between 8 to 10 seconds from brakes to take off, aircraft such as the F15E or F35A will usually clear the whole runway maintaining an altitude anywhere between 40-100ft with speeds of around 320mph and then pull the aircraft vertically or near vertical to quickly climb to the aircraft's cruising altitude. It is more commonly requested by the pilot as a "quick climb" more usual at RAF Lakenheath.
How hight do they climb?
A pilot is given the "Flight Level" to climb to so you may hear an Air Traffic Controller give details to a pilot such as "unrestricted climb to a flight level of 150" (FL150). Remember an unrestricted climb is an unrestricted climb rate, not altitude. An ATC has to do some work when a pilot requests a Quick Climb or if there is a QRA take off.
RAF Lakenheath is the home of the 48th Fighter Wing and home to four combat ready fighter squadrons; 492nd FS, 493rd FS, 494th FS and the recently reactivated 'Valkyries', the 495th Fighter Squadron. It may carry the title RAF but it is a USAF base. This is because the base was originally built for and operated by the Royal Air Force in 1940. The airfield started life out as decoy airfield (Q-site) to RAF Mildenhall, which is about 5.5 miles the way the backwards crow flies. RAF Mildenhall was an established bomber station built in 1934 and to protect it, Lakenheath was chosen to become a decoy, to take any attacks. However, things changes and it was decided that RAF Lakenheath would become a satellite station to Mildenhall.
Lakenheath was home to 20 OTU with Wellington Bombers, 149 Squadron with their Short Sterling Bombers who were also joined later by 199 Squadron. After WWII, and from 1948, it then became home to the USAF's 307th Bombardment Group and also the 2d Bombardment Group.
On the 15th January 1941, the US Army Air Corps activated the 48th Bombardment Group (Light). During WW2, the 492d, 493d and 494th Fighters Squadrons were trained and were significantly involved in the Normandy Landings, Operation Overlord and the Invasion of France. Their combat sorties involved bombings raids over bridges, railway lines and carried out reconnaissance missions.
On the 10th July 1952 they were redesignated as the 48th Fighter-Bomber Wing and moved to Chaumont AB. The Statue of Liberty was actually made near the base and the Mayor of the town gave a ceremonial name to the base as the "Statue of Liberty Wing". The 48th Fighter Wing is the only Wing in the USAF to have a number and a name!
It wasn't until 15th January 1960 that the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing made Lakenehath their new home. LR, LS and LT were the tail codes for the base with the F-100's but when they transitioned to the Phantom, a temporary tail code of LK was introduced until a few months later it changed once more to LN, which is active today.
In 1977 a fourth squadron joined Lakenheath's 48th, the 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron. They were known as the "Thundervarks" flying the F-111's. However, they deactivated in 1991. They also sported the green tail flash.
In 1991, The 48th Tactical Fighter Wing was redesignated as the 48th Fighter Wing. This included the 'Tactical' title being dropped on the squadrons too. The 495th disbanded with the retirement of the F-111 in that year but returned 30 years later in 2021 with the F-35A.
#f15 #f35 #runway #raflakenheath #awesome #quickclimbfriday #fighterpilot #tedconingsby #usaf #usairforce #fighterpilot #fighterjet #hot
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