Epic shot!
Last month, our friend @mattbootyphoto had the privilege to fly with the 187th Fighter Wing, Alabama Air National Guard and their new F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, along with their existing F-16A ADF fighters and a special guest P-51D Mustang. The red tails are a historic tribute to the Tuskegee Red Tails, the famed WWII squadron, which lives on as the 100th Fighter Squadron within the wing.
This quote from a ceremony at the airport the next morning: “The red tail you will see is a reminder to all that through excellence we will overcome any obstacle and threat regardless of gender, race or religion,” said Col. Brian Vaughn, the wing’s commander. “We are all here for the same mission: to protect our nation, defend our constitution, and to form a more perfect union as the Tuskegee Airmen did”
Pilots: P-51 Lt. Col. Raymond “Hollywood” Fowler, F-16 (clean) Lt. Col. Jeremy “Griz” Wiggins, F-16 (drop tank) Capt. Capt Alex “Sanka” Aderegg, F-35 (red tail) Capt. Robert “Alamo” Freeman, F-35 (gray tail) Lt. Col. Richard “Sheriff” Peace. Photo pilot: Melissa Fowler, co-pilot Joshua Fowler. Thanks to Scott Slocum for coordinating the flight and aerial direction.
More photos soon…
