R4D NAS North Island to NAS Lemoore, California

[BillD22]

In these shots, we fly along with a couple of shore duty Navy pilots taking the station R4D on a proficiency flight from North Island Naval Air Station (KNZY) in Coronado, California up the coast to Lemoore Naval Air Station (KNLC) near Fresno.

 

[click on the shots for a full-screen view]

 

Ready for takeoff on Runway 29 with the wind straight down the runway and Point Loma in the distance.

 

 

After gear up the plane makes a climbing 360-degree left turn to gain altitude before turning on course up the coast.

 

 

At altitude on the back side of the turn gives a spectacular view of the San Diego bay area.  Visible are NAS North Island, Coronado, the Silver Strand, downtown San Diego, San Diego International Airport (KSAN),  Harbor and Shelter Islands, Ballast Point, and Point Loma.

 

 

Heading up the coast past Mission Bay with La Jolla Cove ahead and the runways of Miramar Marine Corps Air Station visible off the right wing and out the co-pilot window.

 

 

After a couple of hours en route we're on final at Lemoore.  Surrounded by flat farmland the scenery isn't quite as picturesque as the San Diego bay area but the snow-covered Sierra Nevadas in the distance are impressive.

 

 

Touch down and parked on the ramp surrounded by F/A-18s.  Welcome to Lemoore!

 

[PhrogPhlyer]

Great set of shots Bill. NAS North Island is one of the nicest air stations in the fleet. 

[Rupert]

Great shots and commentary Bill! 

 

And I concur with Phrog.  IMO North Island is certainly the star of the west coast places to operate out of.  And it was always known as the place where Navy Admirals go to retire.  Having said that, the whole island got a lot more crowded after they built the bridge for car traffic.

 

 

[PhrogPhlyer]

32 minutes ago, Rupert said:

built the bridge for car traffic.

 

I have "heard" of an Marine CH-46 that "might" have flown under the Coronado bridge with a bunch of Seals in the back. And, you know what they say about War Stories and Fairy Tales...   

[BillD22]

Thanks for the good words guys.  Agree on the "niceness" of North Island.  Don't know about flights under the Coronado Bridge but sounds like something a Marines and Seals combo would do. 

[Buck Turgidson]

Excellent story and pics!  Nice paint on the old bird too.

[Rupert]

On 3/11/2023 at 10:06 AM, PhrogPhlyer said:

I have "heard" of an Marine CH-46 that "might" have flown under the Coronado bridge with a bunch of Seals in the back. And, you know what they say about War Stories and Fairy Tales...   

That wasn't me!!  I was washed out by the time it was built.  Having said that, I've crossed over by car more than once and the island is certainly busier than it was when most people gad to use the ferry..

[PhrogPhlyer]

1 hour ago, Rupert said:

That wasn't me!! 

I plead the 5th as I research statute of limitations. 

[Rupert]

2 hours ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

I plead the 5th as I research statute of limitations. 

Not surprised at that.  Everyone seemed to have a little devil in themselves back in the day.  Otherwise we wouldn't have volunteered in the first pace. 

 

But I am surprised that as busy as that area was and still is, that someone didn't turn in your tail number.  It seemed almost every time I thought I had pulled something off, someone got my number.

[PhrogPhlyer]

1 hour ago, Rupert said:

tail number

Luckily in the '80s some of the birds were dark dirty OD with black subdued markings or gray on gray.

[Rupert]

20 hours ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

Luckily in the '80s some of the birds were dark dirty OD with black subdued markings or gray on gray.

Nice RW shots!  And yes, the planes are a little more dingy than in the sixties and I see a few mods, such as the intake filters and armor cladding for the engines that look different than when I got out as well..  Did the gravity fill ports on the stub tanks still work?  While doing ferry work at several civilian airports such as Midland Texas, gravity fill was often the only way to fill the tanks.

 

There's one thing about a lot of the screen shots we see on this forum.  All the aircraft seem so clean and shiny.  They don't usually look they clean at any given commercial airport.

[PhrogPhlyer]

2 hours ago, Rupert said:

Did the gravity fill ports on the stub tanks still work?

Yes, and you are right, good for civilian airfields.

2 hours ago, Rupert said:

All the aircraft seem so clean and shiny.

This is one thing I'd like to lean to do with my repaint, make them well worn.