  | The sky remained steely grey for our visit but this could not detract from the access we were granted and thankfully the rain held off. Keeping close to the various squadron’s hangers, and obviously not photographing anything within, we were approved to photograph the aircraft on the flight line as they were being prepared for flight. The rapid deployment of another carrier air group meant there were fewer squadrons in residence on the day and some squadrons had aircraft deployed to other locations, even so there were still plenty of airframes there to photograph. |
| The units in attendance were VFA-2 Bounty Hunters, VFA-14 Top Hatters, VFA-22 Fighting Redcocks, VFA-41 Black Aces, VFA-97 Warhawks, VFA-122 Flying Eagles, VFA-125 Rough Raiders, VFA-137 Kestrels, VFA-151 Vigilantes and VX-9 Vampires. |
| NAS Lemoore covers an area of almost 30,000 acres of which 18,784 are owned by the Navy and 11,020 are rented to farmers under the air easement contract with the proviso that no structure over 25 feet high or any dwellings being built on the land. Lemoore is the most recent air station in the Navy inventory, commissioned in 1961 with its 13,500 feet parallel runways 4,600 feet apart and aircraft ramps and maintenance hangers situated between the runways. |
| With the on base housing some seven miles away from the runways it's no wonder that when taking into account the population on the base, NAS Lemoore is the fourth largest city in Kings County. NAS Lemoore now home of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet has previously been equipped with the A-1 Skyraider, A-4 Skyhawk, A-7 Corsair II and every variant of F/A-18. |
| | words by
Brian Clark
images by
Matt Critchley
special thanks to
Dennis McGrath
NAS Lemoore PAO Office |
|
