LIVE US AIR FORCE XMAS FIGHTER TOWN F-15 & F-35 ACTION • 48TH FIGHTER WING RAF LAKENHEATH 23.12.25

Join us live from the Viewing Area at RAF Lakenheath, a USAF base which is home to the 48th Fighter Wing.

00:04:52 F-35A – rundown
00:05:16 F-35A squadrons at RAF Lakenheath
00:12:08 48 FW – rundown
00:13:21 3rd Air Force – rundown
00:16:27 F-35 – wave 1 departing
00:18:24 F-35A – tech specs
00:28:33 Presentation – History
00:58:10 F-35 – wave 1 returning
01:23:14 ILS – history + rundown
01:38:25 48 FW – aircraft used
01:41:27 F-15 – wave 1 departing
01:47:23 RAF Lakenheath – history
02:05:04 Presentation – The Bolars + their local connection
02:16:26 F-35 – wave 2 departing
02:24:30 2x F-15 + 2x F-35 take-off
02:34:41 F-15 – wave 1 returning
02:47:46 F-15 – wave 2 departing
02:52:11 F-15 – history
02:58:22 F-35 – wave 2 returning
03:04:34 F-15 – history + incidents
03:14:53 Presentation – 48 FW history
03:22:11 Close Air Support with the P-47
03:42:31 F-35 stealth attributes explained
04:20:08 Comedy Ted giving the F-15s a wave
04:38:03 Outro

RAF Lakenheath is the home of the 48th Fighter Wing and home to four combat ready fighter squadrons; 492nd FS, 493rd FS, 494th FS and the recently reactivated 'Valkyries', the 495th Fighter Squadron. It may carry the title RAF but it is a USAF base. This is because the base was originally built for and operated by the Royal Air Force in 1940. The airfield started life out as decoy airfield (Q-site) to RAF Mildenhall, which is about 5.5 miles the way the backwards crow flies. RAF Mildenhall was an established bomber station built in 1934 and to protect it, Lakenheath was chosen to become a decoy, to take any attacks. However, things changes and it was decided that RAF Lakenheath would become a satellite station to Mildenhall.

Lakenheath was home to 20 OTU with Wellington Bombers, 149 Squadron with their Short Sterling Bombers who were also joined later by 199 Squadron. After WWII, and from 1948, it then became home to the USAF's 307th Bombardment Group and also the 2d Bombardment Group.

On the 15th January 1941, the US Army Air Corps activated the 48th Bombardment Group (Light). During WW2, the 492d, 493d and 494th Fighters Squadrons were trained and were significantly involved in the Normandy Landings, Operation Overlord and the Invasion of France. Their combat sorties involved bombings raids over bridges, railway lines and carried out reconnaissance missions. It was on the 10th July 1952, the Oklahoma Air National Guard 137th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, France was redesignated as the 48th Fighter-Bomber Wing.

The Statue of Liberty was actually made near the base and the Mayor of the town gave a ceremonial name to the base as the "Statue of Liberty Wing". The 48th Fighter Wing is the only Wing in the USAF to have a number and a name!

It wasn't until 15th January 1960 that the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing made Lakenehath their new home. LR, LS and LT were the tail codes for the base with the F-100's but when they transitioned to the Phantom, a temporary tail code of LK was introduced until a few months later it changed once more to LN, which is active today.

In 1977 a fourth squadron joined Lakenheath's 48th, the 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron. They were known as the "Thundervarks" flying the F-111's. However, they deactivated in 1991. They also sported the green tail flash.

In 1991, The 48th Tactical Fighter Wing was redesignated as the 48th Fighter Wing. This included the 'Tactical' title being dropped on the squadrons too. The 495th disbanded with the retirement of the F-111 in that year but returned 30 years later in 2021 with the F-35A.

#f35 #f15 #runway #f22 #raflakenheath #militaryaviation #action #aviation #usaf

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