April 21 — F-15

Thursday, April 21 — In at 7 cloudy, calm, no birds on the ramp. Put away things from the model club. This is catch-up day. Most of the important magazine work is done, but I still have pictures to process and other little chores. From behind the fence, phot’d a Cheyenne III transporting a prisoner. Waited until all people and vehicles were gone and props were in motion, and the pilot had explained I was welcome to take pictures. The fewer people around the airplane — prisoner transport, business bird, 172 — watching camera guy and wondering why I’m taking pictures, the better. Finished processing pics of the visiting Mu-2B. Selected maybe 40 pictures of from a photo album of about 200 recently donated to AKM.  Processed more pics from a few days ago, not because I wanted to edit the photos, but because I wanted to be DONE with them. Heard two passes by an F-15, walked out tot he fence just in time to see him approaching Runway 31 and took a few good pictures. He made a fourth approach, but it was to R-22. I saw it but did not phot it because it was just too far away. Waited another 5 minutes outside hoping he’d return to 31, but he didn’t, and I returned to the office and processed those pictures. Lunch was the “Sub of the Month” from the terminal (sounds deadly) Subway shop. Thursdays are “Subway days: – my  reward for Wednesdays. . . . .Had a visit by a terrific Lear 75 (FIRST one I’ve seen) pilot who showed me the airplane inside and out. Took many pictures. Processed those in the afternoon. Had planned to work with magazines upstairs, but my priority was picture processing. Had a great visit from a Jet Ranger pilot who has flown everything with rotary wings. Really nice fellow; promised to donate some training materials.  Finally dragged myself upstairs about 6 to put some things away and returned downstairs about 7:30, pretty tired. It has been another terrific day. Rating: A

Here are every picture I took of the F-15. I understand from a friend that it was built for the air force of Saudi Arabia.