Hey all, I was at the Tyndell AFB airshow last weekend and saw the new and incredibly awesome F-22 there. I took some pictures, mind you that they are not the best for reference but still ok, and they are in my gallery if you want to check them out. On side note, I have to let you guys know that the F-22 is insanely LOUD! I have seen and been moderatly close to many F-14s and F-15s when they are doing maximum performance take-offs and none of them come even close to the rumble of this thing. The ground literally, and I mean literally, shook when they took off. I hope you enjoy the pics!

Cool, thanks for posting those.

Thanks, Whiskey! Interesting shots of at least 3 shades of grey with both soft anf hard edges.

I got interested in the shirt you have on.... #:-)

Baby!!! So that means that the F-22 will go mass production and will be on service this 2000?

Yeah those F/A-22s (they changed the designation) are insane, awe inspiring beasts to listen to. Must have been a great show

Oh, and I forgot to mention that the F/A-22 just moved to Tyndall AFB as part of the 325th Fighter Wing. Currently the 43rd Fighter Squadron will be the first to train instructor pilots in anticipation of the pipeline training of students beginning tenatively around the fall of 2005. Something like 50 will eventually be based at Tyndall. So being a training base for these beauties, you should probably hear a lot of them soon.

Yeah, I walked by the squadrons new F/A-22 operations center and the academics building. The academics building has this huge display model outside on a stand of the F/A-22, I think it was something like 1/8th scale. Really awesome. We saw a total of four aircraft. The one on display, the two that flew around, and I saw one that they were pulling into a hanger.

The building F/A-22 probably would be a ground shipped one - though I'm not sure if all delivered are ground shipped. Probably would make since to finish the pre-operational checkride on the way there - like the long distance run, etc (such as the manufacturer checking your car before delivery to the dealer). Either that, or since it's a pilot training base, you'd expect it to be a maintenance training area for the F/A-22 maintenance workers. They may have been dismantling it and rebuilding it to gain familiarity with it. Maybe, I wasn't there so I don't know.

P.S. Another thing I don't know: maybe the 1/8 was a windtunnel test aircraft? Something to think about.

Wow! Talk about an awe-inspiring plane! Thanks for your time.