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301st Fighter Wing

Air Force Reserve Command

NAS Ft. Worth JRB, Texas

The "Spads"

A line-up of Spad Vipers sits quietly beneath the sunshades at Ft. Worth. With the searing heat of the Texas sun, the sunshades are proving to be invaluable, although it does tend to make photography a bit less than ideal.

Based at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base (NAS Ft. Worth JRB), Texas, the 301st Fighter Wing flies the block 30 F-16C/D directly across the runway from where it was built. Trading in its F-4E Phantoms for block 25 Vipers in April 1991, the 301st Fighter Wing upgraded to the block 30 in the summer of 1996. Since that time, the unit has been extremely busy. The 301st has participated in six deployments in combat situations across the globe. In November-December 1993, a trip was made in support of Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia. December 1995-January 1996 saw the unit deployed to Aviano AB, Italy, to fly missions in support of Operation Decisive Edge. In May 1998, the unit set its sights on Iraq, and deployed to Saudi Arabia to participate in Operation Southern Watch, followed by two trips to Incirlik AB, Turkey, in June 1999, and again in June 2000. In November-December 2005, the unit again deployed to the Middle East, this time to Balad AB, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

F-16D 85-1513 departs NAS Ft. Worth for an afternoon training. In the background is the Lockheed-Martin facility, where all USAF Vipers were born.

The 301st Fighter Wing was spared in the 2005 BRAC (Base Realignment And Closures) recommendations. With the closure and/or shuffling of several Viper bases, particularly those within the Air National Guard, the 301st is set to receive several more aircraft. The 301st Fighter Wing will remain the only AFRC F-16 operator to be able to say "Built in Texas-Flown by Texans."

(left) 85-1412 getting its pins pulled at EOR before departing on a training mission with three other Spad Vipers.
(right) 85-1402 hiding under its sunshade. Texas pride is everywhere on the 301st Fighter Wing's flightline.
(left) Head-on with a Spad Viper.
(right) 85-1410 on its takeoff role from Ft. Worth. This photo was taken from the outstanding viewing area accessible to the general public.
(left) 85-1484 serves as the 301st Operations Group flagship.
(right) 85-1571 is one of a pair of two-seaters assigned.
(left) 85-1513 leaving the ramp for a training mission.
(right) 85-1513 at EOR, moments before departing.
85-1558 (left) and 85-1479 (right) return home after an air-air training sortie.

The entire 301st Fighter Wing at Ft. Worth deserves a very large thank you for making this article possible. In particular, Laura Dermarderosian-Smith, Captain Clay Sanford, TSgt. Tom Barnicle, and the entire EOR crew really went out of their way to help make me feel right at home. Thanks guys!

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