102nd Fighter Wing Mass ANG at Otis ANGB - End of an Era

[Ken Middleton]

On 24 January 2008, the 102nd Fighter Wing closed its stellar chapter of flying and alert commitment with a simulated alert scramble performed by Wing Commander Colonel Anthony "KIMO" Schiavi and Major Dan "Nasty" Nash. This ended 21 years of F-15s, 35 years of alert commitment and 87 years of flying.

[Ken Middleton]

Upon returning, KIMO and Nasty did some high speed passes

[Ken Middleton]

sad reminder




thanks for looking,
cheers
Ken

[RaptorsTalons]

Ken,

Nice shots--I asked the question over at the other place, but I might as well ask here: What's going to happen to the F-15s?? Are they moving locations and hanging onto the Eagles, or is the unit going away altogether??    

[Ken Middleton]

Ken,

Nice shots--I asked the question over at the other place, but I might as well ask here: What's going to happen to the F-15s?? Are they moving locations and hanging onto the Eagles, or is the unit going away altogether??   

thanks Scott, saw it and replied, but will reply here as well for everyone else.

Their A models are going/have gone to AMARG. Some of their Cs have already gone to Barnes ANGB / 104th FW in Western Mass who will be taking over the alert mission. Others will go there, but some are still grounded due to the structural issues, and maybe permanantly.

They are transitioning to the 102nd Intelligence Wing with a ground based distributed radar system, and then an Air Operations Center

[KevinJackson]

Sad to see yet another historic Guard unit lose its flying mission. Nicely captured Ken.

 

[RaptorsTalons]

Some of their Cs have already gone to Barnes ANGB / 104th FW in Western Mass who will be taking over the alert mission. Others will go there, but some are still grounded due to the structural issues, and maybe permanantly.

Thanks for the clarification...Great photos!

[Sagar Pathak]

Love that last banking shot! 

[Ken Middleton]

Kev, Scott and Sagar - thanks.

The lighting was tough and I need to work on post processing of the flying shots better

[Henrik]

Really great, Ken - as usual I must say!! And what a sad event at the same time. All the best to Col. Schiavi and the new intelligence mission.

Greetings,

Henrik.

[jbaccon]

Nice shots Ken.  Sad to see the ramp naked like that.     Glad you were able to get out there and document the moment. 

Now we wait for them to get airborne at the other end of the state. 

[Ken Middleton]

Really great, Ken - as usual I must say!! And what a sad event at the same time. All the best to Col. Schiavi and the new intelligence mission.

Greetings,

Henrik.

Thanks Henrik

Nice shots Ken.  Sad to see the ramp naked like that.     Glad you were able to get out there and document the moment. 

Now we wait for them to get airborne at the other end of the state. 

Thanks Jim - walking along that ramp was pretty depressing with the cold, winter light. Anxiously awaiting for Barnes to come alive as well

[JClark]

Great photos - a sad day indeed. 

Ken,

Was the darker shade of camouflage as blue as it looks in the photos?  Especially the zoomed in hangar shot, all of the other colors look neutral but the darker paint looks distinctly blue/gray.

[Ken Middleton]

Great photos - a sad day indeed. 

Ken,

Was the darker shade of camouflage as blue as it looks in the photos?  Especially the zoomed in hangar shot, all of the other colors look neutral but the darker paint looks distinctly blue/gray.

thanks John. The darker "grey" is really blue-ish grey, especially with a fairly recent painting. Though, some of the variation could be my editing.
From the same overcast day

[Dave O'Brien]

nicely covered Ken, it's sad to know that Otis will be quiet from now on....