History On The Wing

This tight formation is a real display of first-class airmanship -- not only are there four dissimilar types here, they are from four different eras, and fought in several different wars for the USA. It takes skill and planning to maneuver in a tight diamond with machines that have such widely varying performance. In fact, the formation was so cool, we decided one picture just wasn't enough to do it justice.

The lead is Lee Lauderback in the TF-51 Mustang "Crazy Horse." The Mustang saw combat under the US flag in World War II and Korea. His right wing is flown by Ed Shipley's F-86 Sabre Jet, the definitive fighter of the Korean conflict.

Left wing is an F-16 Fighting Falcon (Viper to its crews) from the Viper East Demo Team at Shaw AFB, flown by British exchange officer, Squadron Leader Russ M. "Fraz" Frazer. The F-16 has seen combat in Desert Storm, the Balkans, and the Global War on Terrorism. Finally, in the slot is one of the last remaining F-4 Phantoms in USAF service, serving with the 82nd Aerial Target Squadron at Tyndall AFB, Florida. (Corrected) The F-4 saw combat in Vietnam and again in the Wild Weasel (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) role in Desert Storm.

From the P-51D of 1944 to the F-16 of 2005, this flight shows us sixty years' worth of frontline fighter power. We seldom get a chance to see four such legends in flight in the same day, let alone in a formation together. Enjoy.

FMI: www.warbirds-eaa.org